Post Victory Feast

The trip back home was short and uneventful, thank Trishda.. It was such a nice change of pace to be with most of my companions after spending a long time in the solitude of my Core chamber. Sumiré was as nice to hang around as always and of course, Adam and Eve had so many stories to tell me! We spent the following night around a campfire in the desert where everyone described to me the tale of their conquest against the Nihtu village in the canyon. It had been a prideful endeavour on my part. Taking on a small desert race who hadn't wronged me, just for the sake of expanding my domain later, unchanged. Nevertheless, I was glad it was over without losses on our end.

We had brought along a lone Nihtu prisoner and a baby Skrill-beast. They had been discovered amongst the ruins of the fallen village amongst others of their kind. A bargain was struck, a sacrifice towards future peace. Two prisoners of each species to be given to the dungeon and I wouldn't pursue them any longer. The surviving Nihtu would relocate further away, giving me Jessoh Canyon, and that would be the end of our conflict.

Arriving at the Great Elgolar Plateau, I felt a sense of joy upon seeing the natural structure, pop up from the horizon. A sense of belonging. Home. The cave opening that led into my Dungeon was now shaped into looking more like an entrance to the ruins of an ancient temple. Even the initial Cave Fisher room now looked like a temple, with its wall adorned in worn out depictions and markings. It also sported four new pillars, which also served as good footing for my monsters to crawl up and down from. I sent everyone to the large cave that was my second dungeon room. The Slime Cave and the lake at its centre, had become our dungeon's "terrarium", hosting most of the fauna and flora of its ecosystem. Staying behind with our two captives, I took control of my Dungeon powers, now that I was within my domain once more. My mana permeated the Nihtu Villager as well as the dog sized bat, that was ironically still a baby. The magical energy filled them completely, acting like an extension of my very nerves and mind. The small humanoid closed its eyes in terror, no doubt awaiting its end. "Aaand we're done.." I said to it casual.

"We.. what?" the Nihtu said fearfully. "We are done. Our deal has come to an end. You may leave.. And take the Skrill-beast, I have no need for it now." I said.

"Bu... but.. Are you not going to eat me? I am sacrifice..".

"Are you disappointed? Do you WANT me to eat you?"

"N...no?"

"Are you asking me?"

"N...no.. No!" it finally spoke up.

"Ok. Then go!". The Nihtu finally took off, giant bat in its embrace as it awkwardly waddled over the dunes.

I followed my allies to the Slime Cave. At my mental command, all the thinking inhabitants of our home, met us there. Fisher, Blu, Fiona, Fatma and all my critters. Sumiré ran to greet her mother and the two women shared a heartfelt hug. After a lengthy reunion, allowing everyone the time to greet and catch up, I interrupted them. "I would like to take this moment to thank you all! Thank you for your patience, your loyalty and for standing by my side! Our Dungeon home has expanded once more thanks to everyone's efforts. Two new rooms have been created and the living chambers have been expanded. They now have a barracks, with more space for future soldiers and now private chambers for our officers.." and I said that I gestured towards the Vorsani twins, Sumiré and Fatna.

Everyone cheered for them and I had to calm them down before continuing. "The new rooms are the Gardens and the Forges, one higher up the Plateau and the other further down, respectively. The Gardens will provide us with crops and live Flora based traps and the Forges, once manned, will help us create everything we need to thrive. Lastly, to celebrate, I have finally invested in some long awaited luxuries. This is something I prepared for you.". With that, I opened my arms wide, exuding mana in semi visible tendrils that knitted themselves into threads of matter. To everyone's surprise, a huge table began materializing before them. They all stepped back as chairs sprouted from the ground and the table was soon filled with all the food and drink one would expect to see at a King's dinner. For any critter who couldn't take a seat at the table, another batch of food was conjured on the ground in large terracotta plates. After a round of applauds we all sat down and dug in.

The meal wasn't excellent, if I was being honest. Magically conjured food lacked that touch of love but supposedly, as my Aether control went up eventually, the quality of anything I summoned would also improve. However, after living on berries and overcooked rodent meat for so long, even a plain tasting pheasant and wine, was like ambrosia to us! We ate, we laughed and gested at the expense of one another. Just like a family. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. Fiona and her coyotes played around us. Blu put on a show using her, newly developed, Water Manipulation magic. Spraying water in coordinated formations like a beautiful fountain. The highlight of the entire evening, was when Sumiré stood at the behest of her mother and sang for us. I was dumbfounded. Her melodic voice lulled me into a state of relaxation. My face slumped into my open palms as I watched her. Her beautiful dark locks bouncing back and forth as she swayed rhythmically to her own tune.

"Will you show me Gardens my Lady?" her soft voice echoed in my ear. After blinking a few times, my mind registered the girl standing in front of me. I had to shake myself back into reality before even attempting to form words and I still couldn't wrap my head around it. This gorgeous young woman wanted to spend time with ME? Not only that. She admired me. Seemed to like me. No matter what wonders I had witnessed in this new world, this was something I still struggled to come to grips with. I stood as she took my rough hand into her own small, soft one. We left the party, with only Fiona following us as we climbed the stone staircase. We went past the Living Quarters floor and reached the Dungeon's new expansion, the Gardens.

The room was four times the size of a basketball court and filled with small trees, vegetables and flowers in organized rows. The ceiling was high and looked like the starry sky from outside! Sumiré's jaw dropped. "This is so beautiful!" she exclaimed in wonder and whirled around once amongst the trees. "There are even clouds in the fake sky! And they're raining! How?" she asked. "Water and Fire magic for the clouds. Like an indoors, climate control magic that I made permanent by expending mana constantly to maintain. It's a bit costly right now so I turn it on and off when I need to but I hope that in the future, I'll find a way to make it self sustainable. As for the stars.. those are Sun stones! Like the ones you brought me when you first arrived. I produced more, directly into the ceiling and and made small tunnels that lead to the plateau's top. Those tunnels have small mirrors that I purchased, installed into them that reflect the light from outside right onto the stones to charge them. So, during the day we have natural sunlight and starlight at night. What do you think?" I explained, failing to hide the pride in my work.

The girl looked around her in amazement, soaking everything in. "I think this is amazing. YOU are amazing Lady Minoa! You have created so many wonders in so little time. I can't wait to see what more will come out your great halls!" she said while squeezing both of my hands and staring into my eyes. My knees became weak and thank Trishda, Fiona bumped into us as she played around, breaking the awkward moment. We sat amongst the flowers and Sumiré told me the story behind the lullaby that she had sung for us. I told her stories of my "old world" after she practically begged me. I tried not to reveal too much but she was amazed nonetheless. We talked for at least an hour until finally she yawned and layed back onto Fiona's fluffy side. I did the same, the Blood wolf having no problem becoming our pillow for a while. "I wish to live in this adventure with you for many more years to come.." she whispered as she fell asleep. I wish I could tell her how grateful I was for all of this. How I was basically living my dream in this world and she was this glorious "cherry on top" for me. That i wanted her to stay in this adventure with me..

I closed me eyes as well, taking in the beautiful aroma of the surrounding flowers. My Aether control, painted a picture of my domain around me, allowing me to perceive even without my sight. To my surprise, the girl next to me was glowing with power! Or rather.. not power exactly. Potential? She didn't have a Core like me my monsters but there was something there. Like an Aethereal nucleus of strength. I began meditating, cultivating Aether and mana and sending it towards that nucleus. The power I gathered was formed into strands, the strands became threads and those were knitted into sheets of cosmic power that I used to "blanket" her nucleus with. As my power permeated her being and filled her empty mana channels, I enveloped them, infusing them with the energies I had gathered. My mana and Aether tenderly caressed the fibers of her very being until it began soaking them up! My little experiment was having an effect and yet I didn't know what that was.

[ Congratulations! Aether Cultivation has reached Rank 6! Congratulations! You have cultivated "fragments of potential" in another being! Hero Core fragments formed in Follower, Sumiré. Experience earned by Sumiré will continue to be stored until she has fully formed a Core of her own.

New achievement earned! "Initiate Core Forger". Experience earned!

Congratulations! You have reached Level 15 as an Arsàni Fire-Breather. Fire Resistance +2. Fire Manipulation Magic +1. Natural Allure +1. Apprentice Swordman +1. ]

"What.. the fuck...".

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Race: Superior Dungeon Core Lv.15

Avatar: Arsàni, Fire-Breather

Age: 29

HP: 350/360^

MP: 175/180^

LvL.16: 13%

Aether: 259

Gold: 299

Free Stat Points: 4

Physical - 15 (Near Heroic)

Mental - 6 (Above Average)

Social - 6 (Above Average)

Magic - 12 (Beyond Peak Condition)

Skills

1) Bound (Rank 3)

2) Progeny (Rank 1)

Passive Skills

1) Fire Resistance (Rank 5) ^

2) Natural Allure (Rank 4) ^

3) Minor Regeneration (Rank 4)

4) Fire Manipulation Magic (Rank 7) ^

5) Apprentice Swordsman (Rank 2) ^

6) Crafting (Rank 1)

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