After meditating for two days, with seeing only small increase in power, I decided to update my current core-room, spending next couple days on it. My domain is still recovering from the expansion, thickening constantly from mana, so I had limited room for a trap this time. The room was a thirty meter circle in build, with 4 meter tall straight walls, before turning to a domed ceiling. Like previously, I covered the dome in crystal vines, yet this time I created a small obsidian pedestal at the opposite side from the door, attached to the wall.

Pedestal had a bowl-like shape at the top, with a small sun crystal vine within. Above the pedestal, at the height of 4 meters I created an obsidian head of a constrictor snake, with my core placed within the maw, hidden from the sight behind the teeths. Only the purple glow with a tinge of azure revealed my position within.

As a hint, the floor within five meters from the entrance was made from white quartz, bordered with a waist thick rim of obsidian, shaped like a scales of a snake. Stepping out of this half-circle would get you killed, as rest of the floor is barely held up by a few rods of stone, along with underside of the floor being almost carved through by a grid of lines. When a person walks to the middle of the floor, it breaks to pieces. Same happens when trying to circle around at the edges. The pit underneath the floor is filled with strong poison from the vipers, filling the room with poisonous fumes if the floor breaks.

Elan keeps calling me paranoid with how I create massive traps enough to stop large groups from touching my core, yet I like to make sure they don’t get the chance. Currently Elan has been informing me about about the ranks for adventurers, which are simple enough as they use different metals for the ranks.

Basically they are divided into four main groups of Beginners, Adventurers, Veterans and Elites. Beginners use plates made with Copper, Bronze and Iron, while adventurers use Silver, Steel and Cold Iron. Veteran ranks use Gold, Black Steel and Platinum, while Elites use Mithril plates with small emeralds per rank. Above the normal rankings are Primes, carrying adamantite plates, with a diamond for each rank.

To my dismay, Elan estimated I can barely hold my own against a group consisting from a four to six experienced Iron Rankers.

!That can’t be right?! My defenses are above my rank, and surely they can hold better against a group skilled in using weapons?” I exclaimed at his estimations.

Nodding to himself while stroking his goatee, Elan continued his explanations, “Unprepared, yes. Usually Iron ranks have already a good teamwork, and guild with map the dungeon with Adventurer ranked group, scouting out all the traps and creatures. If they assume you’re rank 2 core, they’ll most likely send a group of Silver ranks capable of killing rank 1 monsters while alone. As you don’t have any monsters yet, you won’t be able to pose a threat to them. Unless they don’t do their job seriously, and somehow get themselves killed.”.

Shrugging to himself, he then finished. “Well I’m sure they will keep sending beginner ranks for harsh training in here, maybe even more silver ranks later on as you gain monsters. When the adventurers start first coming in, you will most like experience fast rank-ups until the fifth rank, as the mana you get from people dying is enough to give you a lot of it. After the fifth rank, you will need something more than mana to rank up. What that is, I don’t know that. The dungeon I was contracted earlier with, was only fourth rank when it was destroyed and I was captured.”

“Fine, I just hope they fall into traps or something. Until I get my next rank up, I don’t think my domain will be strong enough for a new floor. Seeing as I expanded to my limits at once, instead of doing it gradually. Besides, currently I only lack knowledge from absorbing different materials and creatures. For now I don’t have much to do besides wait for my creatures to form their core.”, I replied with dejected feelings.

Now I only had to wait for something to happen while I kept growing my mana reserves. I couldn’t even do anything useful without an avatar. With a start I remembered something from before I threw myself into creating second floor. Chuckling to myself as I found something to do when I get bored next time, I went back to my meditation.

***

Faran’s Dungeon, Elan’s POV

Flying towards the entrance to the dungeon, I thought back on what Faran has been doing during last month. While the creatures of his haven’t yet gained a monster core, Faran has been trying to do something with his mana.

And usually ending up wasting it. I thought with a defeated sigh. Why can’t he just be a little like those normal dungeon cores, being able to single-mindedly focusing on something simple, like gathering mana, instead of those experiments of his. He hasn’t even said what it is, that he’s trying to do, besides that it’s going to be a surprise.

Deciding to stop my lamentations as I reached the archway to the outside, I marveled at the lifelike depictions of snakes, seemingly flowing towards the outside. Arriving outside the dungeon, I noticed how they daylight was receding at the end of the dusk. As the hawks were usually resting at this time of the day, I saved my mana, and didn’t turn to my shadow-form.

Flying above the treeline, I conducted my customary scan of the nearby area for any new activity. When my gaze rested upon the area near the river, I saw a trail of smoke rising from there. Frowning, I thought back upon how Faran said that the Goddess of Wind, Ilessa is making mortals more likely to find him. I’m worried about being found out so soon, yet Faran seems to almost welcome it. I flew back to the dungeon to report that we might have visitors soon.

***

Valley near Faran’s Dungeon, Hunter Rilus

I threw some more wood to the campfire me and my pal Erwin set up near the river. He was a lanky fellow with a set of clothes made from furs he had hunted. He had a thin eyes an’ hooked nose, with prominent cheekbones and pointed chin. Poor Erwin couldn’t grow a proper beard, so he grew a sparse moustache. He kept a messy, long ponytail.

While we were huntin’ at our usual place a few days trip away from our village, the prey there seemingly vanished. That was a tenday ago. Finally we couldn’t take it anymore, as we had to gather enough pelts fer both of us. Erwin here needed some fer a new bow and arrows the trader was goin’ to bring fer him in half a month from now.

I needed enough furs fer endowment so I could marry that perky daughter of the next door widow. Her father was a lumberjack that died to fer a pack of wolves a year ago, and now the family is running real low on money. I’ve saved enough during half a year, so they can’t afford to turn me down when I ask fer the daughter, Anna. No matter if the daughter is twenty years younger than meself, just turnin’ a ripe sixteen.

Now I don’t mean to sound like I’m braggin’, yet I’m handsome fella meself. My head is full of shiny black, curly hair, I have a sharp eyes, broad, slightly crooked nose as some bastard broke it years ago. I have a strong, stout body. Far better than my pal Erwin.

As we had tracked the animals for a three days straight, we came upon this fine mountain valley here. Erwin keeps talkin’ like sumthing felt wrong, like he could’ve come here even without followin’ the tracks. Well I had a feelin’ I could get lucky by headin’ to the plateau over yonder. But fer tonight we camped next to the river, while rotating the watch. Both of us heard the wolves howlin’ when the dusk was endin’ and the night fell.

The night passed without problems as we broke the camp. When we talked about findin’ something to hunt, I pointed to the plateau near the mountain.

“I have a feelin’ we’re gonna get rich over there Erwin.”, I pointed to the direction I wanted to go.

“I don’t know Rilus, I get a bad feelin’ as if I’m supposed to go there. I don’t think we should go over there.”, Answered Erwin while looking nervously towards the plateau.

“Erwin listen to me. A bad feelin’ fer you, a lucky feelin’ fer me. Besides there are wolves around here in valley. The howls didn’t come up from the plateau last night. I say we go and check this out. It takes only a couple hours of hiking.”, I persuaded Erwin as he started having a cold feet. Damn this coward, he always keeps avoiding taking risks when huntin’. Without me pullin’ him along we wouldn’t get those occasional wolf hides at all.

“Allright Rilus, allright. I come with ya to check it out. But I think we should be careful.”, Erwin agreed.

“Grab you pack, I feel like this is gonna be our lucky day!”, I said a laugh, before making my way towards the plateau.

***

Near of Faran’s Dungeon, Hunter Erwin

I don’t like this at all. The bad feelin’ is getting stronger now, and Rilus just keeps goin’ forward. He always drags me to some risky business. Last time we almost got killed by a pack of wolves when he went near their den. Worst is that he had his eyes on a nice kid living as his neighbor. Her father even flattened his pudgy nose over a year ago when he caught him staring his daughter changing clothes.

As we kept goin’ through the forest, I noticed how his greasy hair gathered a bunch of leaves and twigs on it as usual. Rilus is a good hunter, yet he should keep his mouth shut more. I’m the only one that can stand his company fer a huntin’ trip. I don’t know why, but he thinks himself the most handsome fella in the village. Too bad fer him, none else does. Not with that flattened, pudgy nose, swollen eyelids keepin’ his eyes half-hidden, or that scrawny beard he’s so proud of. His body is normal enough, only he’s a tad pudgy fella.

After a short while we reached the mountain wall near the edge of this forest. I almost shit in my pants when I saw a friggin’ giant black snake with an open maw, gleaming in the sunlight. While I kept starin’ at the lifelike snakehead, Rilus suddenly bursted laughin’ and went fer the head.

“Erwin! We’re gonna get rich! We found a dungeon!”, he rejoiced while I gathered my bearings. My bad feelin’ grew and my back was covered in a cold sweat.

“Good fer us Rilus. Now let’s get outta here and report this to a guild fer a reward. I don’t like this place, it gives me the creeps.”, I said as I took a couple steps away.

“Now now, we need to look inside to see if it’s really a dungeon Erwin. The guild will have our ‘eads if we give them a false report.”, Rilus said while looking closely within the maw of the snake.

“Look! Here’s a path inside! I see some light there. Now come over here and stop yer shivering. We gotta see what’s inside. You take up the rear.”, he said while readying his bow.

Taking a deep breath, I also slung my bow from my back, and nocked an arrow. With careful steps, I approached that creepy doorway, and saw it full of lifelike carvings of snakes.

“The hell is with this creepy place? Is this place full of snakes? Rilus ye know I hate snakes. I don’t wanna meet a group of ‘em.”, I started nervously babbling when walking through the doorway to a small, hot and humid cave, with some weird, glowing vines on the ceiling.

Rilus hushed at me and looked towards the two tunnels in the cave, before checking the plants growin’ in the cave. Soon he took a sharp breath and picked couple of plants amongst the ferns growin’ there.

“Look this Erwin! These are worth at least a silver each! Don’t remember the names fer them, but herbalist Trent said these are used fer the healing salves or potions!”, with a joyful laugh, Rilus tried to look fer more, but those were all that he found. As he didn’t have an extra pouch upon him, Rilus reluctantly handed the herbs fer me.

“Put these in yer pouch, I try to look fer more deeper in the caves”, Rilus said as I put them away.

Feeling chills crawling up my back, as if something was watchin’ us, I told Rilus, “I think we should get outta here. The air feels different and we have the proof fer a guild.”.

He just readied his bow and told me with a greedy glint in his eyes, “It doesn’t seem to be dangerous. This must be a new dungeon as we haven’t seen any monsters. Now shut yer trap and lets sneak quietly forward. If it looks dangerous, then we get outta here.”. I shut my mouth and followed him to the right tunnel, sneaking after him.

As we got to the next area, the weird vines on the ceiling gave a dim light to the cave full of forest plants, and the humid air made caused us to sweat a lot. Rilus pointed to one part of the caves, and I saw a five rabbits eating something fifteen meters away, between a couple of pointy rocks sticking from the cave floor. He then pointed to the rabbits and readied his bow, me followin’ his lead. As long as they aren’t snakes, sure we can quickly hunt some rabbits for extra proof, I thought to myself.

Rilus quietly counted to a three, and we both released our arrows with a small twang of the strings. Our arrows hit two of the rabbits, one dying instantly, one giving a screech as it fell. I expected the remaining rabbits to run away, yet they turned to look at us, with a bloody maw full of sharp teeth, before bouncing at us with a screech similar to the one now trashing on the cave floor.

Paling, I yell at Rilus as I back away “Demons! Those are not rabbits! Run!”. Rilus seems to be frozen in place as the first demonspawn bites into his thigh. With a startling scream, Rilus drops his bow and tries to pull his skinning knife from the sheath, as he starts hitting the biting rabbit with his fist. Right after the other two also bounce at him. One attacks the other leg, and the other jumps at his flailing arm, biting into the forearm with a snarl. I see how the rabbits are slashing his flesh with their claws, splashing blood all over as Rilus falls on his back, screaming, while he drops his knife as he fumbles with it.

I turn away and keep running with tears streaking down on my face as I hear the desperate screams of Rilus, him yellin’ to save him. With a last look before disappearin’ behind a bend in the tunnel, I see how one of the vile demon spawns rips into his neck with its bloody maw full of sharp teeths. All I hear is last gurgling scream from Ritus as I kept runnin’ to the entrance, not turnin’ around fer a moment. I gotta escape from this hellhole! Ritus is already a goner, I can’t save him anymore!, I consoled myself, not thinkin’ how I left him for dead when those demons came at us.

***

Faran’s Dungeon, Faran

As the two hunters I tentatively named as Twitchy and Fugly, I noticed how I could understand what they meant with their words, yet details escaped me. Turning to Elan who was flying near the ceiling in his shadow-form, I asked him, “I don’t suppose I’m starting language lessons after this? And why do I understand what you are saying just fine?”

Glancing at me with a cocked eyebrow, Elan answered mentally with a confused tone to me as Fugly turned joyful from finding couple of herbs I left there as a sample. “What do you mean? I thought you knew we spoke an older form of Elven language? Those men are speaking in Empyrean, or common tongue, spread around the world hundreds of years ago by now fallen empire.”.

“I speak elven tongue? This is common tongue where I’m from. It is pretty much the only language there besides some ancient and forgotten ones. And the runic language. Should’ve asked about the languages earlier. Oh they’re soon at the bunnies!” I wondered before focusing my attention on the hunters. Elan had flown to the next cave while I just kept watching how the Fugly tells Twitchy to shoot at the group gathered there. I kept my two vipers in the first cave hidden, ready to kill one of them, as I wanted to kill only one of them “naturally”, while other one escapes.

As they shot at the bunnies, killing one instantly, I guided the bunnies to ignore Twitchy and focus on Fugly. Focusing on the battle, I saw how the first bunny bit through the hide trousers, starting to slash with the claws. Fugly started screaming and fruitlessly pounded at the bunny with his fist, while fumbling with his knife. As the other two bunnies bit at him, he was screaming even more, panicking against my little slashers. He slipped on the moss, falling on his back, and the bunny biting his leg pounded towards the kill. As the bunny ripped through the windpipe with its sharp fangs, Fugly gave gave a last gurgling scream, splashing the blood all over the place as the three bunnies savaged his corpse. During his last moments of struggle, Fugly managed to soil himself, just like Twitchy leaked something from his pants while escaping.

As the Fugly drew his last breath, unlike with dying animals, I could see a small part of his soul staying behind, while the rest was too hazy to see how it was formed. With animals I could see how it is constructed, and copy it, yet this piece seemed to contain something that the main soul left behind before departing. Curiously, I processed it like raw mana, clearing it from impurities I saw in it. Drawing it towards me, I suddenly knew parts of Empyrean language, as Elan called it, and some random knowledge about hunting and skinning. Killing the human also gave me a burst of mana, almost the same amount I can gain by meditating for a tenday. I almost regretted not killing Twitchy as well, but I needed a messenger.

As I absorbed the piece of knowledge and mana, Elan turned visible, looking towards me with a serious expression. “Now you see why I didn’t say anything about languages, as you will learn them eventually by enough people dying in your dungeon, and purifying the pieces they leave behind. Now, you must understand that while not purifying the knowledge grants you slightly more of it, it also gives you the memories and feelings related to them. Those new feelings can be addicting to a new dungeon. While you can clean these impurities later on with a bit of time, if you gather too much of them without cleansing them, you will start losing your personality. At the same time it gets harder to clear gathered impurities.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? This should’ve been basic information about what happens when people start dying in my dungeon?” I asked Elan, still slightly confused about how the new information seemed to gather to a different part of my mind.

Nodding, Elan kept explaining, “First of all, you’re already irregular dungeon core, so I had to observe if the method is indeed the same, as it would only cause a minor inconvenience to you otherwise, as you could cleanse the taint from one human easily. Secondly, even without me telling you about it, your instincts as a dungeon seem to awaken only when encountering a new situations involving them. If you knew about it, you might’ve suppressed the instinct of how to properly process it, as I wasn’t sure how the dungeon normally removes the impurities.”

Pointing at the Fugly, Elan stated, “Now you should probably absorb the rest of him and his gear. At least you will learn how to make some processed iron and whatever he has in his backpack.”.

Promptly following Elan’s advice, to the dismay of my bunnies in middle of their meal, I absorbed the now dead hunter and his gear. I also noticed how the information I have gathered so far as a dungeon, slowly flowed to the part of my mind with the knowledge gained from the hunter. I only had a nagging feeling that it should’ve been like this from the start, doubting that this was one of those suppressed instincts for dungeon cores I have yet to awaken completely. From the hunter I learned how to make a proper wood for bows and arrows, basic iron for the arrowheads and knives. I also learned how to make basic processed leather for clothes, pouches and so on.

What a poor fellow, I didn’t learn much, but at least he had some copper coins hidden on him. Now I at least know the basic form for the currency around this area. I thought with disdain.

Deciding that only proper gains from this event was new knowledge of how to create iron, copper and processed leather, I continued my occasional practice on how to condense a primitive version of my avatar of mana I now had within my soul domain. So far I have been able to condense mana to a shape of an orb, yet it wasn’t a solid looking enough. Just one attempt costs me a third of my current mana, but I was getting closer. At least then I could appear as a ghostly orb of mana, and try to learn how to speak out loud by sending my voice through vibrating condensed mana.