Nix was frustrated. It’d been almost five weeks now since he’d found the dungeon core, Norbrant, and he still had nothing to show for it. The stupid rock just kept blathering on about lack of mana this, can’t make shinies that. His endless excuses were exhausting. Finally Nix had pinned him down on a deal for shinies, but that was four weeks ago. FOUR WEEKS. That was basically a lifetime, in his most extensively considered opinion. And still Norbrant sat there making beetles. There were… a lot of them now, more than two claws twice. What was Norbrant protecting them from? Didn’t he realize that Nix’s majestic self was the most dangerous thing here?

He growled as he dragged another piece of his hoard down into the dungeon. He’d started moving it mostly out of boredom, but now he was bound and determined to have it all in one place. It wasn’t much of a hoard, in fact most of it was trash. He knew this, but it was the closest thing he had, so it would do.

Hauling the piece of chainmail scrap up on top of the pile under Norbrant’s core Nix paused and stretched. He was just thinking that maybe it was time for a nap when Norbrant’s irritating tenor cut into the silence.

“Why do you want that?” He asked for the fourth or fifth time. Nix wasn’t great with numbers. Or remembering.

Nix huffed. “Is Shiny.” He said.

“Yes, but why do you want it?” Norbrant persisted.

“IS SHINY!” Nix yelled back at him and then dragged his precious cargo up on top of the pile. Finally it was done, his whole hoard had been moved.

Sitting back on the pile he looked up at the Core once more. It was a beautiful shiny sphere of faceted diamond. Norbrant had increased its size again. While not a waste of mana, it could have been used to make shinies for Nix. Cocking his head to one side Nix mewled up at the core and then asked. “Shinies now?”

Norbrant let out a sigh. “No shinies, we don’t have enough mana” He explained patiently, as if to a small child.

Nix tilted his head to the other side. “How get mana?” He asked, unsure what even mana was.

There was a long moment of silence before Norbrant spoke again. “Well, mana is created by living things, so for more mana we’d need more living things. Like plants, and animals.” He explained, once again slowly.

The idea percolated in Nix’s brain, until he had an epiphany. If he got Norbrant plants and Animals, then maybe he could have shinies! “I get!” He exclaimed and then dug into his pile. After a moment he extracted a small leather bag covered in brass buckles. Clamping the bag in his jaws he hurried out of the dungeon.

Once in the castle proper he headed out into the yard where he stretched his wings out to their full width. With a few hops and a jump he pushed himself into the air. Upward he soared, and soon he was well above even the towers. For a moment he circled the castle, looking down on the lands below, assuring himself he was still the most dangerous thing around. Then, satisfied in his superiority, he flew off in the direction of a nearby village that he visited upon occasion.

The flight took almost an hour, but usually it was worth it. The villagers liked to discard all kinds of shiny bits, and sometimes they’d give them to him if he asked. Down he swooped into the village, several children pointed up at him and giggled as they chased him down the only road. Soon they left off as he exited the village and flew on for a minute or two more, coming to a little cottage set by itself a bit away from the town.

Deftly he landed on the porch and proceeded to scratch at the door. For a moment nothing happened, then the door opened. A short elderly woman looked down at Nix. “Well if it’s isn’t the Shinies Thief himself.” She said with a grandmotherly smile. “You can come in but keep your claws to yourself. I need all my shinies.”

Nix strutted regally into the cabin. After looking around for a moment he hopped onto a nearby chair and proceeded to mewl at the woman, who was putting a kettle atop the stove. She glanced over at him and snorted, then reached out and scratched behind his crest. He purred in delight.

“So what brings you to my door today, hmm?” She asked. “Looking for more shinies?”

Nix leaned into the scratch. “Need Plants and Animals.” His answer came languidly.

“Plants and animals? Whatever for? You’re a mighty hunter, why would you need us to feed you.” She sounded both amused and perplexed.

“For Nh-or-bran-t.” Nix rejoined, pronouncing the name as best he could.

“Oh, got yourself a friend did you?” She moved to scratching under his chin. “And what kind of friend? Is it another dragon?”

“No, He dungeon. He shiny!” Nix proclaimed.

The scratching stopped. Nix mewled his disappointment. He looked at the old woman who had a complicated look on her face. Something like disbelief, confusion, and worry. “Dungeons don’t exist Nix, not since the Cataclysm.”

“He new dungeon! I find in tower!” Nix insisted.

She frowned down at the little dragon. Could it be true that, after all these years, dungeons had started to return? Though the Cataclysm had occurred over 50 years before her own birth, her grandfather had survived it. In his most lucid moments he’d tell his children and grandchildren of how he’d been an adventurer before the destruction. They had been fantastical tales, creatures of magic, wizard towers that flew throught he sky, and yes, dungeons. They were much more than Myth he’d said, dungeons were where adventurers went to become strong.

“How would you know what a dungeon is?” She asked Nix.

“Just Do.” Came his evasive reply.

Gretta eyed him. “Just do, huh? Not a very clever answer for such a clever beast.” She said and then chucked him under the chin. He gave her a disgruntled look. “Fine, keep your little dragon secrets. Tell me where this dungeon is.”

“Castle!” Came his prompt reply.

She snorted. “Don’t tell me, it’s in the dungeon.”

Nix stood up on his hind legs and puffed out his chest proudly. “Needed dungeon for shinies!”

Gretta laughed. “I’m certain he did.”

She fell silent and looked at the dragon, the smile slowly leaving her face. Dungeons coming back, she didn’t know if that was bad or good. She did know it meant the area would be changing. Someone, sooner or later, would find the dungeon.

“Has anyone else seen your dungeon?” She asked as she began rubbing behind his crest again.

“Adventurers.” He replied cheerily.

“Oh, already? Where did they come from?” her scratching fingers found the spot that made him purr.

“Found on road.” He said. “Led to dungeon, so could get shinies!” His voice was proud.

“How did that work?” She inquired.

Nix made a disgusted noise. “No shinies. Nh-or-brant not make shinies. He said dungeon need for shinies, no shinies. He say adventurers needed for shinies, no shinies. Now he say need mana for shinies. So needs plants and animals.” The little dragon complained.

“How long ago were the adventurers there?” Her fingers continued to roam, now between his wings.

Nix paused and counted aloud under his breath. “Nine…. Nine and one… many. Many claws of days.” He said, flashing his five fingered claws up at her.

She sighed but continued her ministrations. Many claws of days, at least two weeks then, possibly more. What were the odds they hadn’t gone straight back to Newport and registered a claim? She sighed again. The castle was only... what? 60 Kilometers away as the dragon flies? Call it two days of travel by road. Maybe a day and a half by cart. She shook her head and stood. What would be would be.

“Alright you little rascal, let’s see what I can find hmm?” She said as she started poking through cabinets and pulling out various herbs mundane and magical. “Parsely, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Some Wizard’s Wort, a bit of Healer’s Helper. Chives, onions. Let’s see, a bit of jerky, beef, pork, chicken… What have I got in here…” She pulled open a cupboard and rummaged around inside it for a moment. “Ah, Warrior’s Root, good for stamina recovery. Let’s see, let’s see… some Weeping weed… Oh, I’ve got some winter apples left, let’s throw in one of those. Bit of corn and wheat seed. Ah-ha!” She pulled a small jar from the cupboard triumphantly. “Silver Star.” She said as she showed the faintly glowing contents to Nix. It was a single dried out stalk with five perfectly triangular petals of a silvery color, all of which glowed slightly with a faint light.

“One of the hunters found this a few months ago. Ruined most of them with his clumsy hands, but this one came out fine.” She explained. “It’s a little on the rare side, one of the few plants that produces pure Light Mana. Excellent as a booster for most recovery potions.” She dropped the flower into the bag along with everything else. “Now, the bunnies just had a litter, I can spare one of the Kits I think.” She said as she bustled out the back door. A few moments later she came back carrying a tiny bunny. With a swift motion she broke its neck and dropped it in the bag.

“There you are. Now scamper on back to your dungeon friend before he does himself a mischief.” She said as she scratched once more behind Nix’s crest.

“Thank you.” The dragon purred, then reluctantly tore himself away from the scritches and scampered back down onto the floor and over to the door that Gretta held open. “Bye bye!” He proclaimed as he strutted out the door and took quickly to the skies.

“Goodbye.” Gretta murmured as she watched him leave. Then she closed the door and looked around her cabin. A new dungeon, and the world hadn’t even begun to recover yet. She’d have to prepare the rest of the townsfolk for their new neighbors. Well… maybe after a nap.

Nix, for his part, took a leisurely flight back to the Castle, watching the ground carefully for the tell-tale sign of small creatures. He had to be picky in this instance, too much more in his bag and he’d be unable to fly. Swooping down he surprised a shrew in the middle of it’s scavenging and just managed to scoop it up, smashing it in his grip to kill it. Into the bag it went.

The next unfortunate creature was a small quail, it too went into the bag, and Nix started having trouble getting into the air. Deciding that was enough he began a direct course for the castle however as he did his aerial survey of the castle once more, he noticed a bobcat slinking around in the grass nearby. Landing in the court he dropped his bag and took to the air once more, seeking the offending feline.

Finding it stalking a rabbit Nix dropped on it like a ton of stones. His claws sank quickly into the back of cat, holding firm even through its yowl of pain and the bucking the proceeded to follow. He next clamped down on its throat with his sharp carnivore’s teeth. The cat rolled, trying to squish him, but he held on and continued to savage it’s neck. Soon he tasted the salty-metallic tang as he broke the artery, blood spurted with every beat of the poor creature’s heart, and its struggles became more and more feeble until it stopped moving.

Satisfied that it was dead Nix let his grip go, crawling out from under the carcass. Once again he had proved the superior hunter, and this was his territory. Gripping the carcass he labored into the air, flying it over the castle wall and down to his sack of goodies. The carcass barely fit on top of everything else and he began dragging it toward the dungeon.

Through the halls and down the steps he went, dragging his cargo the whole way. It was exhausting work, but soon it would mean shinies. He could do almost anything for shinies. Deftly he avoided the traps, somehow he just knew where they all were. Then on the third level he simply dumped out the bag and flew over the spiked pit. Norbrant could take it from here, he was certain.