Kedipaxi felt better than he had in months. He no longer had to find fresh bodies to jump to. He wondered how long the effect would last. It didn’t matter much, yet. Kedipaxi would gather some basic resources for Veraform, like lesser souls and things to summon.

Kedipaxi would have to bring them to the dungeon alive and then leave them there for Veraform to kill. After bolstering him with some of the local fauna, Kedipaxi would travel to distant lands to capture more exotic creatures and find reagents and resources for Veraform.

It was rare for dungeons to have a terribly wide variety of creatures, so if Veraform did he would be that much more formidable. Kedipaxi wouldn’t be content to rely solely on variety to achieve his goals though. He would guide the young core and ensure he made the right decisions.

Veraform will appear as a demonic and fairy dungeon to most, but Kedipaxi will encourage him to research something else in secret. If he dedicates more resources to this secret project he can rapidly grow and change once the real threat starts closing in.

Kedipaxi felt the soul of a satyr inside him tugging him along. He followed it’s guidance through the plainly hidden paths of the forest. Curupa, or something similar, was his name. Kedipaxi could hardly make out the voices of all the souls trapped within him so it was hard to get names.

There was a change in the air. It became sweet to a nauseous extent. Fluttering about were pixies and fairy dragons, as well as satyrs walking among the trees with beautiful nymphs that had exaggerated curves.

Kedipaxi planned on asking his satyr where the king was but there was no need. It appeared the king loved to make a show of his royalty. One of the trees stood apart from the others. It had great flowering vines and lichens covering it and where there was exposed wood it was beautifully sculpted into faces of smiling men and women. Atop the tree the vines interlaced and formed into a regal looking robe that sat on the shoulders of a man with an angular face and pointed chin. A true faerie.

When Kedipaxi looked at him the faerie lifted a hand from under his vine robe and loosely gestured. The vines pulled themselves off the tree, revealing more carvings, showing that the happy faces had been performing various manner of torture on previously hidden figures with anguished faces. The vines lifted the faerie and pulled him toward Kedipaxi who only watched.

The faerie took no effort to maintain his posture as the vines bent and contorted to provide him with a throne to sit upon once he was positioned in front of Kedipaxi.

“It’s not often someone makes it here, man or otherwise.” The man's voice was soft and smooth. It was the kind of voice you wanted to sing you lullabies as you rested in your parents arms as a child.

“I’m here to propose a deal,” Kedipaxi replied.

“Dealing with the fae? Didn’t your mother teach you anything?”

“I’m no fool. I offer you the soul of three mortal men, and the satyr you sent to the newly formed dungeon within the gemini forest. In exchange, you and yours will not lie to the dungeon core, it’s minions, or its envoys. You will also grant me five of your fairy dragons to take back to the dungeon for it to use as it sees fit.”

“You only ask that we do not lie to it? We may still trick it if it is so foolish to allow us?” The fae asked with a smile like a fox.

“No. I do not ask. You will not lie to the core if we make this trade. Do not attempt to cheat me fae. I could kill.”

“If you could kill me, why bother with this deal? Why all the pomp and circumstance? How about we add to this deal, that you cannot lie to me or mine? Hm?” The fae’s grin got wider. It looked less natural than it had before.

“Deal.” Kedipaxi extended a hand which was greeted by the fae’s. He likely wasn’t going to speak to this fairy or his minions again after today, and he had no reason to lie to them anyway. As the thought passed through his mind there was a change.

Kedipaxi no longer smelled the sweetness of the faeries domain. He stood in normal woods, with four less common souls and five fairy dragons.

It wouldn’t take as long to get back as it took to get here since he had to take such a specific path, but the trip back to veraform was still likely to take a little less than a day.

“Are you gonna eat us?” one of the miniature dragons asked as Kedipaxi started to walk.

“Mepzi! That’s rude!” another one scolded. “I’m sorry mister, what she means is, are you some kinda monster?” the lizard raised its hands in a mock claw fashion.

Before Kedipaxi could reply, one of the other dragons settled on his head before saying, “I don’t think you look like a monster!” It sounded proud of itself for making such a bold statement.

The fourth fairy dragon piped up and added “hey dummies, we’re monsters too!”

The chiming voices would grate on Kedipaxi’s nerves if he were younger. Now though, he enjoyed the distraction the little lizards provided.

The final fairy piped up, though it seemed less in sync with the rhythm of the conversation. “Well I’m not a monster. I’m a fairy.”

“Isn’t a fairy a monster?” one quietly asked another. Kedipaxi had already lost track of which was which. It wouldn’t matter for long enough to bother to pair their voices with their bodies.

“I think that depends on who you ask.”

A light appeared in the sky past the ceiling of leaves. Kedipaxi recognized it as a flare signalling Veraform’s growth as it turned and flew off towards some town or city beyond the horizon.

“We will see if the runt listens,” Kedipaxi spoke under his breath.

The fairies continued rambling for most of the trip. As time passed they took turns resting on Kedipaxi’s shoulders. When they realized they weren’t going to be stopping to sleep the complaints were enough to convince him to allow them all to stuff themselves into his pack

Once inside they giggled and kicked as they started tickling each other. Kedipaxi thought for a moment as he reached a hand over his shoulder to fasten the pack closed. He then whispered a short incantation and the giggling stopped. The creatures were asleep for now.

Time passed and progress was made. Before the sun rose he could see where Veraform’s entrance was. Several trees had been chopped down and their stumps removed. There was a wooden building standing in the clearing. Freshly constructed and about the size of a small barn, though he knew that wasn’t what it was. The entrepreneurial types like to stake claims to dungeons and charge others to enter them. Other times guilds would set up outside a dungeon and sell the loot they gained as well as train recruits in the dungeon.

It was the same regardless of the reason. People exploited something they had no right to. Knowing what he knew about dungeons though, he couldn’t imagine they minded most of the time.

There didn’t appear to be any guards stationed outside or in any windows. Kedipaxi had no light on him and simply walked to the dungeons entrance unimpeded.

As he stepped into the dungeon he could sense his mind connecting to the dungeons.

“Hello Veraform. I’ve brought gifts.” Kedipaxi removed his bag and upturned it. “Don’t kill them until I leave though.” The lizards fell to the floor still deep in their sleep.

“I want to talk about the options I got from upgrading to three floors, and I want to know why I can’t move my first floor.”

“Ah, they’ve already rooted you. Someone came through sprinkling some powder in your rooms, didn’t they? They were ‘stabilizing you’ as they call it. It prevents you from changing your layout much. It’ll only effect the floors they managed to powder entirely. It wears off in three to four weeks but they’ll try re-applying it before it does. You should of just...” Kedipaxi trailed off as he made his way into Mechamputax’s chamber. “How much did this cost you? How much KP do you have left?” Kedipaxi sounded mildly upset.

“It cost me 50. I’ve got 10 left. A good investment I think.”

“Ok. It’s probably fine. This thing’s got a common soul right? Don't summon or upgrade anything with a stronger soul than that without consulting me. Do you understand?” His voice was stern.

“Give me a reason to believe you know what's best and perhaps I’ll value your input.” Veraform replied. Kedipaxi had no doubt the core felt smug after that reply. He continued making his way down.

“That was the plan. What are the options you got when you got your third floor?”

“A mana wellspring and something I can’t comprehend.” Kedipaxi was surprised. By both the fact that Veraform found something incomprehensible to him, and that he was willing to admit it.

“Pick the incomprehensible one. Mana will be easier to come by soon. This room,” he was in the ruined church on the third floor, ”what is it?”

“A ruined church.”

“There is your mana source. Get some worshipers. It isn’t urgent though. You’ll get mana from adventurers when they explore you as well.”

“I see. I have another room I am curious about. The sacrificial altar. Do you know what it does?”

“Hm. I’m not sure actually. I...” He trailed off.

He was making his way back up to the exit after exploring Veraform’s new halls. “You’ll have to test it and find out. Listen. I’m going to visit some nearby regions and get you some more basic minions. Don’t get a fourth floor, and don’t wipe any adventuring parties while I’m gone.”

“Why would i spare anyone who enters? How-“

He was cut off. “You’ll attract attention and people will try harder to counter you. Just pull your punches a little. Kill one at a time. More if they make it to your second floor.”

He was at the entrance now. “I’m leaving. Expect me back in a week.” There was no reply. Kedipaxi stepped out of the dungeon and felt the mind link break.