“Before we get to Smithtown, I need to hit you with a ton of questions, l, especially if ti is running short,” I said. The mountain of questions I had was calling too loudly to ignore any further.
“I’ll answer what I can, but rember the soul oath,” l said.
“Speaking of the soul oath, that can’t be everyone who does anything with the Arena, right? I assu, at so level, people get exempted from it?” I asked. I found it hard to believe those at the top would be willing to place themselves in a position of control like that. l just didn’t answer, which, honestly, the silence did sowhat answer. This all depended exactly on how the oath worked, of course, but a ‘no’ wasn’t new information. Only a ‘yes’ was any real data given to .
“Okay, better topic instead, lots of odd dungeon questions that you can much more likely answer. The diredeer in the one dungeon seed a lot more intelligent than other monsters so far, and they ford so kind of cult around the dungeon core. Is that normal?” I asked. That whole situation was bizarre the more I thought about it. Why had the dungeon core wanted a religion like that anyway?
“Dungeons can do anything, and the more remote or longer they’re allowed to grow, the more that can change. The only real general rules I can give ya ain’t that different from what I told ya day one when ya went out to the first dungeon without a core. Also, keep in mind that this is just what I know. Whatever information may be tucked away in so noble or royal library sowhere could be entirely different. Dungeon cores are natural mana orbs that absorb enough energy that they draw in sothing from a universe very closely aligned to themselves. That sothing combines with the orb and becos a much more alive thing that we call dungeon cores, primarily because they start to form dungeons around themselves. Sotis, they team up with other cores, which we don’t understand at all. Sotis, they decide they prefer working nial jobs and not being galomaniacs. Sotis, they’re lying and trying ta turn their new location into a dungeon. I know of at least two dungeon cores that have beco full-fledged people sohow, and another person who works with a series of cores as a way to summon creatures from other universes. What I’m saying is that I can’t tell ya what’s normal and what isn’t for cores, only that when left alone, they usually grow into giant problems,” l explained, sohow managing to answer a lot and nothing at the sa ti.
“l, anyone ever tell you that you can talk a lot without saying much?” I said jokingly, hoping I didn’t offend the man.
“Only my grandkids have been allowed to do it more than once,” l replied, still smiling, but I decided to take the hint just in case.
“So, what exactly is going on with the archives? Is this just a case of idiots wanting to burn books?” I asked.
“Not exactly. So of the lower people probably just want to get rid of a few books they don’t like, but those at the top are just doing it to control their own positions. Too much free knowledge out there and they won’t be able to hold their own secrets as easily. The archives have been fighting to stay open since before the first person stepped through the doors. Elody was just one of the many master librarians who kept the place running smoothly and safely, and apparently she was the last one willing and able to continue. I’m sad to see it go. It was a great idea, and maybe if they weren’t in such a rut with expansion, the focus wouldn’t have been nearly so strong on it,” l said.
“What do you an by rut with expansion?” I asked, wondering if he ant the archives had stopped growing or if he ant sothing grander.
“Yeah, this one, ya wouldn’t really know. The Spiral tends to go in cycles of expansion and breaks while everything gets settled out from the new additions. It never fully stops. So prizes are given out, and random conquests happen—yer world, fer example—but the System isn’t doing full universal-level integrations of its own accord right now. This has been one of the longer lulls in that, nothing record-breaking, mind ya, but the longer they last, the more restless the nobility tend ta get. Without new universes, it’s hard fer them to expand, and their little stalemate becos all the more tenuous. So so of them start to play gas with the people they see as below them or in any way threatening. Which is another big reason I didn’t want ya there during the takeover. Good news though, the faction that is taking over the archives certainly ain’t the sa faction Korl is working fer, and man, are they gonna be angry when they find out we got lost in the shuffle,” l said, smiling at that last part.
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“So, are these large-scale factions rival royal families or sothing else?” I asked. I could think of several possibilities, from giant corporations to a more mafia-life system.
“Both royal families and factions exist, and don’t ever assu all mbers of the sa family are part of the sa faction. There’s been more faction wars started from a family feud at a royal party than probably anything else,” l answered with a tinge of anger in his voice.
“Interesting, it doesn’t sound that different from Earth, just on a much larger scale. Oh, about Chip, you said he was just doing what he does. What does that an? Why were you so surprised I had him?” I asked. Chip had woken up from his sleeping position on l’s head, reminding of l’s earlier reaction.
“Yer pumakey, ya really haven’t noticed?” l asked.
“Noticed what?” I had no idea what he was talking about.
“The reason these little guys are all over the black market is that they recharge yer core constantly by being in close proximity. Haven’t ya noticed how much he’s been eating, or probably why you’ve been feeling so great every morning?” l asked. I had, but I had figured it was a combination of the life magic and finally getting used to this place.
“Oh, Chip, are you the reason I’ve been able to push the dungeon simulations even further?” I said, suddenly realizing the actual reason I was able to go further. It wasn’t just the increase in my Soul-Core. It was Chip actively boosting my core. As though in answer, Chip leaped back onto my lap and curled up to resu his nap.
“Almost certainly, and speaking of, how far did ya manage to push yourself? I assu ya ain’t two-fifty yet, or ya’d have so more questions. Where are ya at?” l asked.
“One eighty-two, but I think I can push further when we get so free ti, assuming this bus has enough food for and a shower I can sit in while my head stops screaming,” I said.
“It does. Let’s wait ‘til we get set up in Smithtown fer that, though. We don’t need ya out of it if anything weird cos up on the road,” l replied.
“Hey, what about that backpack we found?” Cecile interrupted with a shout.
“Oh yeah, good point, Cecile. I found this on one of the weird diredeer cultists,” I said, producing the pack from my System storage.
“Wonder where he got that. See that insignia there on the side? This ain’t so newbie’s gear. I don’t see how diredeer could have killed soone with this, but still lost to you guys. Sothing don’t add up. What’s inside?” l asked, looking at the pack with a glare. I had seen the marking before, but it wasn’t like I had any idea what insignias belonged to who or even if they were that.
I opened the backpack as l asked and dumped the contents gently on top of the table between rows of seats. A dozen mana orbs, a few knives, and several potions spilled out of it. l imdiately started to grow hands, each one grabbing an orb. Eight of them were green, two white, so I knew what those were. The last two, though, one was sky blue, and the other one was grey.
“Yeah, this don’t make any damned sense. All of these orbs have invested skill ranks, and most of them are rank three. Plus, this one right here is a Shield orb. That ain’t sothing a nobody has, especially a nobody who is gonna lose to a random dungeon monster.” l held up the sky-blue orb. “I don’t even know what this grey one is, and I like that even less. Are ya okay if I put this all into a special container in my System storage? I think we need to really look over these before we risk any use,” l asked. His color had turned back to the orange-green hue, which I now connected with worry.
“Of course, and the rest of these things?” Elicec agreed and then asked, pointing to the other items on the table.
“Harder to see what those can do, but let’s be careful with them too. Dave, put that backpack into yer storage, and don’t take it out again unless I tell ya. We need to keep this find under wraps for now. It ans sothing, but I don’t know what,” l said.
“Secret’s safe with !” Timon called back from the front. I turned around to take a look at the driver. It was the first ti he had actually co into view. I was staring at a nearly six-foot-tall praying mantis wearing a Hawaiian t-shirt.
Many of the native mana-infused animals from throughout the Spiral have found themselves as part of illegal black markets. The pumakey is one of the most sought-after, and the trade of them has been heavily restricted, but this hasn’t stopped the poachers. The few that remain in their ho world are closely guarded. Considering just how valuable a pumakey is, though, it’s unlikely they will be able to protect them for long.
Taken from Lorntal, Paladin of Conservation’s Speech at the Grand Gathering
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