Uno

It was dark. And cramped. Truth to be told it wasn’t worse than one of my old apartments, but still… this was some seriously creepy shit. I’ve heard of sensory deprivation chambers and this space inside me seemed just like it. Yes. Inside me - when falling I had a glimpse of surroundings and noticed that my soul landed in some kind of basement. And into this largish, round onyx, only 5 centimeters in diameter. It looked completely unremarkable. Just like me in another life. It was a bit fattish on the edges too. Was that harassment? Were my physical features converted into an unliving stone only to make me fat again?!

No, no. Calm down. It’s stress talking. How did they say it in these survival shows that were running on TV? Remain calm, take in your surroundings, plan your next move…

There are no surroundings.

I’m pretty sure that I’m underground, but this darkness screams of I’m blind type not it’s too dark to see. So there is not much more I can do other than waiting. And maybe, just maybe some kind of a tutorial or special being will talk to me and explain what I can do? No? Fine then.

I’ll just wait.

And wait.

Wait.

I can’t sleep so it’s not really fun.

But I’ll wait.

And wait.

I’ll wait for youuuuuuu.

Wait.

W-A-I-T.

No, seriously - I’ll wait.

There is no sense of passing time in this endless blackness, but I sure get creeped out. Was it minutes, hours, days, weeks, months? Are Dungeon cores immortal? Do we not die even when we are killed? Will I wilt in this darkness before anything happens? Or maybe it’s happening, but I simply can’t react to it?

Stupid questions.

Sure I can start counting sheep or doing some mental gymnastics, but it’s all for naught. I can't feel. I can’t see. I can’t hear. I can’t taste. I can’t smell. Are these all senses? What about the mystical sixth sense then?

Is it too cut off from my surroundings?

Stretching mentally I tried to focus. But how to do something that was simply beyond my understanding? Do I cramp up, trying to shit-out the magic? Or does the super Saiyan way of screaming at things work better? I would leave the questions of how I could shit-out something or scream without needed body parts alone. There was also always available mumbo-jumbo of spiritually high nations (wink, wink), with shaman-like motions and drugs. Sadly no drugs for me. But I could always meditate and stuff.

If I could only sleep here… but no - it has to be high-caffeine induced Dungeon core experience. What if, just if... Dungeon cores can’t sleep? Gasp! No longer being able to laze around, while eating chips and fa- I mean enjoying the culture. And then going into slumber. Ah.

Damn it feels like my emotions are returning.

All of them at the same time, but still - they’re back!

I won’t be a desiccated shell of a person.

Only a smallish super Saiyan gem.

Yeah.

It was time to scream.

***

Brighton

Inviting himself to Mirabelle divine realm was always a pain. Not only was his cloud-like figure dissipating to create an image of a longhaired elder with large glasses on his nose but instead of floating he had to walk. Walk! Like a mortal! But instead of huffing he only hugged tightly the leatherbound book that somehow appeared in his hands and continued his journey.

Unlike his own realm - empty and raw - Mirabelle made sure that her surroundings looked rich and artistic. A grand palace with marble walls, covered in paintings, reliefs and statues. All made from precious materials and created by grandmasters. It was opulence, but not too much, not by a dilettante nouveau riche desire, but by a caring hand of a real connoisseur. Along the precious halls, young mortals wandered - boys and girls covered only in thin clothing. In truth, they were spirits - amalgamations of a will bound to Mirabelle realm and created only to serve her.

They murmured as Brighton was walking forward, while not daring to stop him. Only when he entered the palace and sought the largest, most oppressive door one of them stepped in and asked with a slight frown.

[Hello Master Brighton. May I ask what do you need from our Mother? She is quite busy at the moment.] His body trembled a bit, but knowing consciously that this foreign god wouldn’t hurt him did miracles for courage.

[There is a development on Yara.] He answered patiently. [Mirabelle expertise is needed. Any more concrete information is only for her ears.]

[I understand, but still, I cannot…] Words trailed off as he moved his long ears to hear something only audible to him. [Yes, yes… Right away, Master.] He opened now blue eyes almost immediately and stared at the man standing before him. The white hair of the spirit danced on invisible winds and when few moments passed he spoke at last. The possession took place already and both his demeanor and tone changed a lot. [I will be ready in a moment, Brighty. I too felt something, so don’t worry your pretty little head about it.]

[I see.] Answered Brighton. It was a heartfelt relief that he wouldn’t have to barge into his companion god inner realm. Knowing her hobbies he could probably see something he wouldn’t unsee and most importantly - anger Mirabelle. They were equals - it was true, but this still didn’t allow them to break some barriers of conventionality. And being polite was something he tried his best at.

As god of science was musing while staring dumbly at the nearby wall the person he was thinking about - goddess of luck - was just getting out of bed. She wasn’t alone there, but her companions weren’t in moving state. Not just yet, anyway. Taking in the sights and smells she waited for a moment before materializing a see-through pink robe, which accented her well-shaped breasts, small waist, and long legs. Her face also seemed more like a doll - so perfect that it was clearly inhuman. Bright blue eyes and deep violet hair complemented the rest of her form.

It took her only a minute or two to move out from her inner space. She appeared from thin air just next to Brighton.

[Hello there! It was ages since you managed to take a few steps into my realm!] She smiled brightly while hugging him. His awkward reaction was cute - she wasn’t sure if it was because he reacted to her, or maybe how he didn’t really use corporeal form anymore. Still, her bright smile remained. [So, what brings our most-diligent god under the sun to my parts of the realm?] She asked, still full of smiles. Brighton took a deep sniff and sighed. This was another reason he disliked walking into the Mirabelle world. It was so impure.

[You should know by now.] He huffed in annoyance. [There is a variable brought from another world. By a Fallen Angel no less.] This put a damper on Goddess teasing. Only for a moment though.

She concentrated, the world growing slower and less vibrant, like something essential was being sucked out of surroundings. In a sense it was. After draining mana for a few minutes her little companions started escaping. They were used to her trances, but this one was longer and much more dangerous than anything they saw up to date. If they weren’t careful only dried up bodies would remain.

And then it ended.

There was no mana-draining monster anymore, but a sensual young lady with a brilliant smile.

[How… interesting!] She exclaimed while jumping up and down in place. Her large globes followed. [Now, Brighty, a question for you. Have you handled a foreign soul ever before?]

[Ummm… no?] God in question gulped. [Are they somehow different from natives?]

[Haaaaah. So you kinda assumed that everything will be the same nonetheless? Isn’t that quite reckless, my dear?] Her smile was now in full bloom. It was even more inhuman - perfectly white teeth and full, crimson-stained lips. And yet male god was feeling some kind of anger behind it.

[I’m sorry!] He bowed immediately. [I’ll repent, I promise, but right now we must save this core. It was sent to badlands and without any instruction, it would starve right away! I have to give it a chance!] Brighton screamed, while frantically waving his hands. Normally he would never fall so low, but right now there were lives on the line, so his dignity was secondary. [Please, help me.]

[Of course, I’ll help, you silly god!] Mirabelle laughed loudly, her anger hidden. [This is this and that is that. Now, since it’s a foreign entity we need to circumvent the system a bit and get a special connection. Something like a scrying orb, but linked towards only one place.] Her pretty brows scrunched up. [Now… let’s check this, and connect through the mana field and to get another…] She mumbled to herself for a long while and weaved her hands around, leaving blue lines in the air.

Her little minions gathered back, watching the spectacle. Living in the Mirabelle realm was anything, but boring. It was true, their lives could be in jeopardy in a second and this happened nearly daily, but it was worth it. What more did they know about living? They were stuck in this world anyway.

It took a few days, but gods, unlike mortals, were patient creatures. By the end Mirabelle was covered in sweat, accentuating her voluptuous figure. At least Brighton grew used to his form and squirmed much less. He even managed to create some kind of mana circuit, remotely completing most of his work. True - he could leave and return only when she finished, but his intuition screamed loudly enough to reconsider such a course of action. So he did.

A gleaming mirror formed in empty space. It was about two meters high, edges made from live mana, trembling under the touch of goddess realm compressed energy. It formed a perfect window into the place where this Dungeon core was dumped in.

They peered forward, expecting to see starving and feeble crystal buried in dirt, only to be greeted by a shocking sight of a few already dug out rooms and strange things roaming between them with purpose.

Mirabelle started laughing with a shrill voice.

[Hahahaha! What is that, it’s just too good to be true, did you pick up a little genius, Brighty?] She mocked. God of science had other problems though.

[What is this?] He looked closer at one of roaming beings. [WAIT! YOU CAN DO THAT?!] He screamed while flattening his face on the mirror. The target of his scrutiny simply trotted forward, while wobbling dangerously. That wasn’t the problem. What was the problem was the fact that it was dead. No - it never was alive in the first place. Even now. And yet it knew how to move, work and think on most basic of levels.

And it was held together by mana which looked suspiciously like duct tape. Not that either of the two gods knew what it was.