Chapter 51

Dave clutched the dungeon core tightly in his hand.

The type of monsters a dungeon spawns is determined by where the dungeon is located geographically, and the various influences of the location.

When a dungeon is corrupted it spawns undead variants of the original monsters.

This particular temple spawned a number of mummy types, that were undead of course. However, they were not under the aegis of the Undead King.

Because Dave owned the dungeon, he could use the core to ‘corrupt’ the dungeon, and the mummies would become the Legions of the King.

Dave activated the core and a notification opened up in front of him.

Dungeon ‘Temple of the Black Skull Order’ has been annexed by the Undead Legion.

The dungeon and its spawn have been changed.

All inhabitants of the dungeon retain their former appearance.

Dungeon promoted (tier +1)

Base level of all dungeon spawn raised (+50 Levels).

Miniboss inactivated (Ancient Black Skull)

New Miniboss

Sir Zax - Level 200 [Death Knight Lieutenant]

Original Dungeon boss not available through respawn cycle. Boss class monster replacement initiated.

New Boss spawned:

Musta Krakish - Level 300 [Death Knight]

When Dave dismissed the notification the Temple shuddered and then shot upward. He barely kept to his feet as the Temple slowed and settled into its new orientation. The walls melded together, and the floor turned into an irregular quilt of bones and rotten flesh. Pillars of dark marble pistoned from the floor to socket into and support the ceiling. The changes lurched through the dungeon in sickening waves and at different speeds. Finally, the changes died away and it was complete. The temple had transformed finally emerging as a palace of death, rising high above the surrounding desert.

Which prompted a further notification about the dungeon:

You modified a dungeon (Tier 2).

You will receive a monthly allowance of 2000 contribution points for conquering and modifying the dungeon.

Every player death within the dungeon will grant you +20 contribution points.

If the dungeon core is damaged or destroyed by another player or faction the dungeon will revert to its former nature and you will lose your monthly allowance.

Only players who possess a dungeon core have are able to see dungeon cores.

..

A boss spawned right next to Dave in the center of the circle that used to be Drahma’s prison.

Musta Krakish –Death Knight-

Level 300

Boss Class

HP 250,000

Defense 12,000

Magic absorption 8,000

Skills: Bound Servitude- Forces a random enemy to attack their allies for 10 seconds.

Damnation Beyond Death- All those that fall to the Death Knight Shall return as a Skeleton Captain to serve The Death Knight.

Forced Duel- Forces a 1V1 between the boss and a random Player for 10 seconds. None shall interfere! (penalties applied)

A member of the Undead King’s Legion.

He was armed with sword and shield, and wore a set of black armor with numerous red splatters across it. Dave wasn’t sure but the red spots looked like fresh blood.

“Young undead” the Death Knight spoke in a commanding but respectful voice. “You saved my lord from the despicable Black Skull order, I am most grateful. I will guard this place in our King’s name, and in yours.

“Grow stronger, and continue to make use of your unending valor.”The Death Knight nodded his head in approval of Dave.

“Thank you, Sir Knight.

“I don’t understand why you are here, Sir Knight, you might die.

“I don’t doubt your strength or courage, you are a powerful Death Knight. But there must be important things you could be doing, more important than guarding this dungeon room.”

“No, young undead. This task was given me by my king. When you reach my rank, you will be given tasks like this one.

Guarding these tombs are a way to increase our power. The bodies of the Living that die here will be sent to the Deathlands to serve our Undead King. You will understand more in time.

For now, Slay the infidels, and trample the cowardly. More tasks await you in the future.” the Death Knight said the last with finality, ending the discussion.

Dave to withdraw, as he had nothing more to do. He also understood that once he reaches higher ranks he will get more different Missions, than just killing players. Which will actually be a breather for Dave. As it became more and more dull to always end up killing players, however, the rewards he reaped were quite nice.

With the XP awarded from freeing Drahma Dave had jumped to level 65

The Anti-Bully Bauble eased some of his constant worrying about getting ganked, PKd, and pwned by players too high level for him to beat in a fight or run away from. A level 580 Boss was powerful juju. Maybe he could even work it out so that he got some help with some over-leveled quests. Maybe even an over-level dungeon.

Dave decided withdrawal and regrouping were needed for the moment. Plus he wanted to check out Drahma’s promise for further rewards in the capital’s shops..

You have gained 20 Contribution points!

“Huh?”

Musta Krakish stirred, “It seems a number of the Living have invaded the dungeon. They are not prepared for this dungeon.”

His curiosity roused, Dave decided to stay a little longer. He and his remaining undead moved through the dungeon to get a look at the invaders.

When they reached the mini-boss room Dave’s undead took up ambush positions in the corridor, and Dave looked into the room.

“Where is the mini-boss…” Dave wondered as he looked around the room. There was nothing there. He looked down, paused, then smiled his terrible draugr smile.

A few minutes later the invading players looked cautiously into the mini-boss room from the corridor.

Dave smiled when he saw them. They were members of the Heaven’s Dawn guild. The same ones that fought the Blood Rage sub-guild in front of the dungeon entrance.

Apparently, Sublime Spirit’s level 380 buddy hadn’t stalled them for long.

“This is different from what I remember in the video streams.” remarked a tanky looking player.

“The videos got the mob level ranges wrong too. Even the twin-tailed scorpions are level 100 now.”

“Yeah, something happened here, the whole dungeon is different.”

“Ahhh! Look over there!” a priestess gasped in horror.

They didn’t see anything…

“Wait, there’s... No, it’s there!”

The walls moved. Sly languid movements, but never where anyone was looking directly. Gradually, like a stop motion scene imperceptibly coming to life the furtive ripples grew into writhing bas-reliefs. The walls made of jagged bone and decaying flesh squirmed. Faces faded in and out, harrowed with suffering and contorted with infinite horror. Figures out of bestiaries cavorted across the walls, melding together and coming apart in gruesome parodies of passion.

The players gazed in horrified fascination at the moving walls. They were so mesmerized they didn’t see the figure emerge from the opposite corridor at first.

The Assassin shook off the distractions of the walls-of-horror, cursing when he saw someone, something, walking across the room toward him.

Jerking their heads and blinking in confusion, the rest of the players exclaimed in surprise, startled awake and alerted to the undead’s approach by the Assassin’s profanity.

They all watched the lone undead walk toward them.

But the undead, a draugr, stopped when he reached the center of the room. The party eyed him warily, they were spooked. The walls almost lull them to troubled sleep and an undead walks up on them. Something strange was going on in this dungeon.

“That guy looks familiar.” the tank stared hard at the bearded draugr, fiddling with his sword nervously.

Dave smiled, clasped his hands behind his back, and smiled. Waiting.

“It’s just a level 65 draugr.”

“Hey! doesn’t he look like that guy, Mr. Skeletal?” asked the tank.

Everyone knew the famous draugr from the Mr. Skeletal streams. Not to mention the potential gains to be had from killing him.

“Yes! It's him! This is so awesome, if we kill him we’ll open the Undead expansion!” said the leader taking an eager step forward.

“Hang on.”

The Assassin had been cursing under his breath since he spotted the draugr. He really didn’t like the set-up of this mini-boss room.

“Something’s not right,” he said. He leaned forward, looking around the room.

By training and inclination, assassins are wary and suspicious of everyone and everything. They know better than anyone how easy it is to catch the unwary off-guard, or lead the unprepared into a trap. This one was no different.

The Assassin was uneasy, he felt something was not right, but couldn’t detect anything hidden. This dungeon was tougher than expected, and he didn’t want to walk into a situation that would ruin their day. The respawn and re-run from earlier had been bad enough.

Dave didn’t want his little charade spoiled, so he spoke in sepulchral tones.

“The Undead rule here, none that Live shall depart!”

Stomping boot to the floor, Dave thundered a command: “Awaken!”

The floor shuddered, dark pseudopods emerged all over the room, breaking up the floor and assimilating the bones. Gathering them together into an indistinct, roiling figure of tar-black slime and white bone. The churning mass stretched taller and broader. It kept adding more and more bones, jigsawing them together and wrapping itself in a shroud of bone. A giant, bone-carapaced slime. An Undead black behemoth-slime, immobile, but with dozens of writhing bone sheathed limbs.

If Dave hadn’t looked down at the floor of the room, he would have missed it. The creature used an innate Skill, branching and elongating its amorphous shape to spread itself out over the entire floor.

It was child’s play for Dave to avoid the black strands as he moved into the room. A few dramatic words and a quick stomp to a slime-strand later...

Dave spoke in his doom-voice “Live or die according to your strength. But know that we will claim all the lands… All the Living shall die!”

Then he teleported away, disappearing in a bright flash of light.

Dave reappeared in the undead world once again. Before he could take a single step he got a notification, contribution points rolling in. The mini-boss had been too much for the poor guild group.

He smiled as he walked to the shop. There was an item waiting for him, and he was going to collect it this time.