From the window of one of Varona's homes, the first cries of a newborn child can be heard sounding out. The baby's parents, Tina and Mark Ely, are overjoyed at the birth of their first born.

"I can't believe it. I'm a dad. A dad, Tina!" The bearded man beams through tears of joy. "I just... I can't believe it. You were absolutely amazing, T." Praising his wife, Mark can't help but feel jubilation as he looks at the small child in her arms.

"Thank you, hun. We're parents now. I can hardly believe it either. He's so cute isn't he?" Cradling her son, Tina lets out fresh tears which aren't from the pain of childbirth this time.

During their conversation the baby continues to offer a new sound to the world. The little one isn't intending to scream the house down, but as he is unable to do much else noise seems like the best way to vent his frustration. Up until just a moment ago, said baby was a 15 year-old boy doing his homework diligently.

Bruce Gold was writing the answer to the last power equation in his math book when the floor below him disappeared and he fell into oblivion. Swallowed by the darkness, it took the clever teenager less than a few seconds to find the light and escape. Unfortunately though, upon his escape, Bruce noticed that a regression had occurred to his body. A regression of 15 years no less.

As he cries his eyes out over the tragic series of events, both figuratively and literally, Bruce realises that he is surrounded by the warmth of people. The dream that repeats every night is actually playing out in reality and after soaking up the affection given by the two doting parents, his tears stop.

Back in the orphanage, all Bruce had wanted was the parents that had given him the weird name. All he had on him when he was dumped there was a sign with his name on. Not even a note telling them to take good care of their son.

As his newborn cries cease, the people around him fuss over him and stroke his face repeatedly. This warms Bruce's cold heart and fresh tears start up. This time they're the same type as his new parents. Tears of happiness at the family he's found.

Sure, having to start life again sucks. But if Bruce gets to keep his parents this time then he can endure another childhood. His short and brief life of longing almost dictates that it should be so.

"Has anyone seen my scissors?" The Necromancer, who also happens to be the midwife, asks. "I swear they were in here when I left."

Dungeon Stories Volume 2

Not only did I fail to notice the absence of a presence, but so to did everyone else. It is an easy thing to do though. To overlook something that's not actually there.

Now that my mist is blanketing everything in sight, I see a person-shaped emptiness slowly moving away from Me's table. Pointing at nothing, I shout that someone is there and everyone dives toward the location completely trusting my words. All the dungeon-borne that is.

They pile up on top of each other until Lara shouts, "Oh. I think I've got someone." Holding on to an invisible object, a second one hits her in the face. Fortunately my family are tougher than they look and Lara pulls the invisible person closer and closer until she's hugging them beneath the group.

"I've got her," She shouts as the pile of people collapse and crowd around her. Finding their target, Light and Noir hoist up an invisible person and carry them over to me. With their plan ending in failure, the person drops whatever spell was being maintained and a woman is left hanging in the grip of the Assassins.

"Let me go you, stupidly-strong men!" The old lady shouts. She has white hair like Veris, but hers is due to the passage of time rather than a colour statement. A skin-tight suit and a leather satchel, both black, are all she's wearing.

"Where's Eddie!?" Are the first words that leave my mouth. As soon as they have found their way into the world, it's already too late to ask a better question and I can feel Me rolling his eyes behind my back.

The woman doesn't reply because she can't see or hear me, once again making me curse the stupid laws of being a dungeon. Luckily, Noir prods her in the side and repeats my question.

"W-Who's Eddie?" She coughs. The old lady might have a few internal injuries after being underneath the pile-on, but they can wait.

"Eddie the Teddy! He's a black and white Direwolf and you better give him back right now!" Noir declares.

"Abi?" Behind me, Anya's voice sounds as though it's a mile away. After her haunting, however, I can't not hear it. No matter where it is. "Abi?" It's not alone either as Katrina also calls out my name as do a few others.

"Ok. Ok." The Dungeon Mist disappears and everyone calms down. "I wasn't going to kill her. I swear. I was just... Upset."

"Does she have my paddle!?" Veris wades through the various people to get to the front. "I'll kill her for you, Boss."

The thief is now visibly terrified at the appearance of a younger version of herself threatening her life. "I have the paddle!" she shouts, "And... A few other things."

"Where are they!?"

"Well. They're all here." Her eyes drop to the satchel at her side. I tell Noir and Light to release her but to stay alert and as they let go she begins throwing items out of the small bag.

"Eddie!" Jumping to the floor, I inspect the fluffy wolf for any damage to make sure he's unharmed. I've taken good care of him ever since the old man gave me the stuffed Direwolf.

"Please don't kill me. I can't help myself sometimes. I was exiled from my own village because I can't keep my hands to myself." The old-thief drops to her knees and begins pleading for her life.

"Why would she even tell us that?" After making sure Eddie the Teddy is unharmed I question the thief's strange choice of words.

"Please let me stay here," she blurts out as I wonder what to do with her.

"What? Why would we do that after you stole my damn Paddle!" Veris screams while cuddling the inanimate object and the thief nervously edges away. Veris wasn't the only person to have a missing item and many people are gathering personal belongings.

"Ask her how she hid herself from the dungeon, please."

"Master, I thought we didn't talk about the dungeons to outsiders?" I shake my head at Noir's question. All muscle and no brain. My sympathies lie with Carrie.

"Noir, we are inside the dungeon right now. Or have you forgotten? With Samantula trying to kill the thief with her death-stare, the flying congregation of different species, Trixie and the Mimics, I'm pretty sure she already knows."

Noir looks around before turning red and planting his eyes on the floor. Light instead asks her how she concealed her presence.

It turns out that the thief isn't actually a thief at all, but is in fact a kleptomaniac Space Mage. The technique she used to hide is called Void Step and is unlocked at the third rank of her class.

What's more shocking than the fact that she was able to keep herself hidden is that she is a third tier human! A rarity in these times, if we forget my family exists for a moment that is. Even the Lord's guards aren't past the second rank.

Not only is the light-fingered Space Mage in the third rank, but her level is 79! She's almost ready to advance again leaving me with more questions than I started with as per the norm.

Knowing this, and the fact that she's surrounded by what she would call monsters in my Sanctuary, I can't possibly let her go. She's too valuable and knows way too much. I have to contract her by any means neccesary.

"Erm.. I don't suppose it would be okay if I stayed here?" As though she is also able to read minds, the thieving Space Mage solves my problem for me.

"Definitely not!" Veris voices her opinion quite loudly which makes me feel awful. I really want the space attribute to help with my body creation, but I don't want to upset my family because of it.

"Veris. Let me see that paddle for a second, will you?" The scowl she's aiming at the thief turns to a face full of hope as she bounces over to me in joyful suspense. Holding out her toy like a legendary weapon, Veris' excitement is clearly visible and the animosity from a moment ago is long forgotten.

Gods, she's easy.

The paddle shines in her hand as she squeals in delight. After it fades, Veris inspects the newly-upgraded spanking tool. Diamonds now line the outer edges and a golden V sits in the middle of the Dominatrix's personal weapon.

"I love it, Boss," she squeals in a childish manner. Grabbing Sweet C from the bystanding crowd, Veris drags her off to the Pleasure Palace to test out her new toy.

"Now that that's sorted, please ask what her name is, Light." I notion towards the confused thief, still in the grasp of Light and Noir. After watching Veris interact with nothing and seeing a dungeon item upgrade in front of her, the old lady has quieted down a little.

"M-Marie. My name is Marie. Did the dungeon just upgrade that bat?" Light carries out my order and the thief answers. I nod toward my Assassin, giving him the ok to answer Marie's question and he does so with the same gesture.

The old lady's eyes sparkle as she drops to her knees and begins praying. Oddly enough, I can actually hear the prayer she's offering up inside her head. Her hands are clasped together and her mouth is completely shut, yet I hear every word.

Once she's finished and she opens her eyes, nothing has changed. That's because I'm stuck wondering how much she reminds me of Veris. I suspect her prayer could have gone on longer, but she cut it short due to her current circumstances. In that short period of time, however, the amount of items and extravagant items she requested were high and ridiculous.

The crowd of people and non-people, all family in my eyes, disperse at my say so. Ali offers Marie a warm meal and Talia provides the booze. In turn they explain what I can and can't do and how she must contract with me before anything can happen at all.

It didn't take much to convince her, almost the same as Simon, and once again I'm wondering why everything is going so well. Seriously, I'm not complaining. It just seems like one of those interludes that come just before the protagonist has to walk a dark and dangerous path.

I've earned myself a Categoriser and a Space Mage in the same day. I'm killing this dungeon thing. Now, I just need a Time Mage and I'll be able to create the strongest body the world has ever seen. I laugh to myself as Anya and Me both pull the same quizzical expression next to me.

"I hope you're not thinking about anything sinister there, Abi?" My friend jokingly asks.

"It's more than likely something ridiculous, I'd bet," Me adds with an eye roll.

"I was just thinking about how close I am to creating a body that is made from all of the eight elements." Unable to contain myself, I explain why I'm in such a good mood. It's mainly to do with the fact that I got a new skill when the old mage accepted my contract. A space skill. It can make the inside of any object, room or feature, bigger than it actually is. I don't know how it will relate to creating a body yet, but it's got to be something good.

"Ha! I knew it would be something ridiculous. Seriously." Me shakes his head at the fact that he knew exactly what I was thinking. We have been together for quite a long time now and even though he has his own body, we're never actually apart.

Anya laughs at Me's spot-on knowledge and the two share a sigh.

"Well then. I suppose we'll have to keep an eye out for a Time Mage then. Although, out of all the elements and mages, they're the rarest. Controlling Time isn't like space, or so I've read. It's meant to be almost impossible. Even for those gifted in the element of time." Anya sheds a cloud over my spirit.

"Quite. The chances of one just happening upon our city are little to none." And Me drives home the killing blow.

"All right, doom and gloom. Stick the ghostly knife in some more, why don't you?" I laugh. Even knowing what they know I don't feel like I'm hampered at the minute. I'm enjoying life, as much and more than I was doing before, with the people surrounding me.

Old and New.

Did I say it yet?

I love being a Dungeon Core.