Chapter 21: No, really. We need to up the ante!
Atha: Dual sword wielder, dungeon core. Impatient.
I slowly untangle myself from the lovely mating ball I was in, and stretch on the grass.
"This was," I moan out, as Dean chuckles.
"A lovely feast. Thank you all. I really needed that," the incubus says, as he plants a lazy kiss on Augustine's neck.
"Stop it. I'm tired," I hear Augustine mumble. He is half-asleep, curled up against Vincent.
"Well, as pleasant as this all is, we really need to speak about my dungeon," I say. They all give me strange looks.
"You have been a dungeon core for how many years?" Dean asks. I don't think I like his tone.
"Twenty-five. My entire life," I state, my achievements at the tip of my tongue.
"And you never went pass the slime stage in a dungeon's life?" Dean asks.
"Look, I know what you are getting on with, but," I begin. He scoots over to me, and places a finger on my lips.
"I don't want to hurt your feelings, but you are a better adventurer, than you are a dungeon core. Even the hamster dungeon core saw battles, before it was taken from its sewers," Dean says. I can't help myself. I bite his finger. He pulls it away, and places it in his mouth. I just roll my eyes at him.
"I didn't bite you hard enough to draw blood," I say, but he just shrugs.
"Oh, I know. I am just getting a taste for your saliva," Dean tells me. I huff, and begin to search for my clothes.
"I have an idea," Vincent pipes in. "We all know about the Dungeon Union that sprang up 1,500 years ago. As direct opposition of the now disbanded Adventuring Union."
"Go on," I say, as I pull my shirt over my frame.
"Well, do you know why it never worked out?" Vincent asks.
"Because the dungeons wanted to show up Leander too much, and he came down on them in... force," I bite my lower lip. "You don't think that, if he gets a whiff of my world domination aspirations, he will nip them in the bud?"
"I think this is precisely what he is going to do," Vincent says. "Look, his fake dungeon core is powered by the mana of the Father of Monsters..."
"A myth," I retort. "Something he made up, to keep the dungeons in check."
"People have tried to destroy his hourglass, and the dungeon cores of his lovers and friends. They are indestructible, Atha," Augustine says.
Sometime during my conversation with Vincent, he has propped himself up on his elbow. His skin is glistening with sweat. I remember how I had a turn at both him and Vincent for a round, and then got a hand job from Dean as a dessert. I smile at that.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Naga. We are planning your world domination plan," Dean says. Personally, I think it is ironic that he is the one to say such a thing. I'd expect either Augustine or Vincent to remark on my lecherous grin. Not that I can see that my grin is lecherous right now, but I know myself, so, I can guess.
"So, what do you suggest, Vince?" I turn back to Vincent, who is pulling up his pants.
"Dungeons, as resource suppliers," Vincent says. "Think about it, Atha. Money makes the world go round. You can say that there are successful dungeons out there, but how many of them have survived in the new regime? More than twenty years, I mean?"
I close my mouth then, and ponder over the question. There is a trend with dungeons. Especially murder dungeons. They'll create traps, mine resources, do trading with other dungeons. Then, one too many parties will disappear, and the Huergaz adventurer's guild will be contacted. Either platoon 23 will go and take care of it, or another SSS ranked platoon.
"You already have Dru, and she has a monopoly on Blue Bell Honey," Augustine tells me. "As I understand it, dungeons need animals, minerals and plants as schemas, so they can create resources, right?"
"That is the gist of it, yes," I say. "But I wanted to be glamorous."
"Those times are over, buddy," Dean pats me on the back then. I hiss at him.
"We had sex, you can't call me buddy," I snap.
"Technically, you had sex with Augustine and Vincent. I never entered you. Tine, you should buy bigger condoms for Atha and me. Good thinking on even having them on hand, though," Dean smirks at Augustine, who rolls his eyes.
"I did tell Ashley that I needed bigger condoms, but she started talking about thumbs..." Augustine says, working himself up for a proper rant.
"Anyway," I say, and manage to get their attention. "Should I turn this dungeon into an office?"
"No," Vincent says. He has the audacity to scrunch up his nose at my former home. "It is a dump. No better than a cave. Except, I have seen prettier caves."
"Yes, Atha. You can't be known as a hobo dungeon. Even the hamster dungeon core had a man-made dungeon," Dean says.
"You mean, an excrement filled sewer?" I retort, not amused at the way my home has been deemed unworthy.
"He did fill it with gems," Augustine adds his two coppers to the mix.
"Fine, fine. I will seal it up. Pity for the mana stones," I mumble, and begin to slither towards the entrance of the cave. It would be a pity. A chapter of my life being closed. But I will collapse it, and start anew.
"Wait, you have mana stones in there?" Augustine calls after me. He is suddenly running. Before long, he blocks my path to the cave, and spreads his arms wide. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"It never came up," I say, eyes downcast. "I have made barriers with the stones, before."
"You can make barriers?" Augustine looks at me, like he is seeing me for the first time.
"I was a huge fan of Atha, you know. There was this time in my life, when I dyed my hair blonde," I say. I feel a hand on my shoulder. Just when did Dean come up to me?
"We can make use of the cave, but you need something to mine the stones," he says.
"Yes, it would be nice, if you can sell them," Vincent pipes in from my other side.
"Have I mentioned that the ore vein is a couple of million tons worth?" I ask, wanting to impress them.
"And you created slimes, instead of stone golems... because?" Vincent asks.
My palm meets my forehead. Why the hell have I never thought about making stone golems? Leander built his empire on the backs of stone golems!
