Lair

Chapter 008 - Resolve

By Skalsar

After creating the first [Drone], the other [Hiveworkers] started to evolve very soon.

Since they already collected quite some magic power, it was easy for them.

Even more because they aren't very big.

A normal [Hiveworker] is as big as a human childs fist.

The [Drone] variant is double that size. The size of a human adults fist therefore.

After "Hivemind" transported them to the lair, they lay down and some kind of shell appeared.

Surrounding the [Hiveworker], I could tell that it's some kind of egg.

No, it's more like breaking down to a lump of meat.

In order to evolve, the core rearranges the flesh.

Afterwards, the egg broke open and the [Drone] was born.

Now they will be able to hunt down a [Wisp]!

I hope so at least.

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>I don't like these flying things.

They seem to watch us, like some scout.

We should be careful with them.

>Yes, mylord.

Even more because they are pretty agile.

>But we shouldn't forget that the settlement has yet to face any real threat.

The scouting group found nothing dangerous, yet.

But the [Local Lord] seemed worried.

>True. But you know what happend to [Quart Village].

Other people were nodding now.

>I will think about the situation and call for you tomorrow.

With that, the meeting was over.

Rego left the large tent and returned to his home.

The settlement started to look like a very small [Village], just with tents instead of buildings.

The forest around the dungeon was nearly cleared.

Maybe two more days, or three.

And the wall was getting finished tomorrow, too.

Sure, as always, there were young adventurers who couldn't wait and died.

Trying to challenge the dungeon.

Maybe searching for a gem.

But in this world, that was normal.

The lucky feast, the unlucky die.

And with the [Adventurer Guild] outpost near the settlement, the risk lowered quite a bit.

>Maybe I should have gone in, too.Rego still wasn't sure what to make of the [Queen] that Lant saw.

Was it really a [Queen]? And one keeping a [Blazing Hellhound] at bay?

But what did they really know about [Queens]?

There wasn't really that much.

It's quite hard to reach the [Lair].

First you have to defeat the [Dungeon Lord], then you have to seize control of the [Dungeon Heart].

An [Explorer] can then open a [Portal] to the [Lair].

Inside the [Lair], the [Queen] resides. And a [Queen] is by no means weak.

Sure, weaker than a [Dungeon Lord], but no enemy to be taken lightly.

Not to mention that, with the death of the [Dungeon Lord], the monsters in the dungeon start raging.

Attacking everything, even eachother.

Most of them die after the first few minutes.

Those surviving, starve.

That is because the dungeon seems to be one big consciousness.

Like ants or bees maybe.

The [Dungeon Lord] controls everything and holds it together.

>But I feel like I'm missing something.Why should a [Dungeon Lord] who consumes everything to grow his dungeon, ignore a human?

People were greeting Rego here and there on his way.

But nobody talked to him or stopped him.

Everyone was busy to improve the settlement.

Just one surprise waited for him at his home.

>Surprise!

The ones who shouted were his wife Isilde, Lant, and Mardo.

Rego thought Lant and Mardo to be far to the south by now.

But they thought about it and came back.

>The settlement is a huge chance.

Giving him most of the gold, they decided to invest into the development of a [Village].

He couldn't hide how happy he was.

For him, Lant and Mardo already were like family.

There was also a second suprise.

After being attacked by the [Queen], a wandering [Healer] used magic to help Lant.

That encouraged Lant to learn about the deitys and maybe because he was still a [Novice], his class changed to that of a [Novice Cleric] after a level up.

The ability to use magic is quite powerful and rare.

Having to take lessons at an early age, consuming special potions, things like this help.

To become a [Novice Cleric] without that is like a miracle.

>We have to celebrate!They got some settlers together and spread the word.

Shortly after, everyone participates.

This night, the whole settlement decided to have a small festival.

It had been hard work to reach the point the settlement was at right now.

Contacts had to be made. Houses to be build. Farmlands and livestock.

Even sickness was quite a problem, because there was no physician or [Healer] yet.

Now everyone could forget all that for a night and be proud of what has been achieved.