Chapter 2

The Core

 

I come to and instead of being surrounded by the bright white room I find I am instead covered in a darkness. Where in some way odd way I instantly know that it is a darkness and not a void, emptiness, or nothingness. In this same odd way, I know the room is empty, that is except a small blue crystal that is three inches long and one inch wide. The blue crystal is glowing faintly and the edges of it seems to emit an odd pink hue that doesn’t light up more than a few feet around where it lays. Not helping with lessening the darkness more so helping with changing the feel of the space in the center of the room. I am in a room that is exactly ten by ten feet. With stone walls and a dirt floor. I am the Crystal. I’m the CRYSTAL?!?

Crap.

<How am I the Crystal? I thought I was going to be a dungeon. This makes no sense!>

Focusing on Crystal, me, I have a sudden realization.

<If I am the Crystal, how am I looking down and able to see myself and the room as a whole? Not that I am complaining but shouldn’t i only be able to see from its point of view?>

“It’s you” Comes a harsh husky feminine voice from a being that stood hunched over in the far corner of the room. Baggy grey robes covered everything about it other than an oversized green head with large, pointed ears that stuck out from the sides of her head and one wrinkled hand clutching a ancient wood staff as she slowly strode closer. “It’s your core, you so to speak. If destroyed so to are you. All cores start off small, some can become as big as the tallest mountain though I have not heard of any achieving such a feat in my lifetime. You.” Her sickly brown eyes look down a long green nose that was more warts than nose.

Her eyes flick up and down my Crystal making me feel very exposed. Suddenly wishing I had arms to cross over myself.  As her thin pale red lips curve into a horrible and crooked smile far too wide for her already overside head. It revealed several rows of sharp teeth. A long thin forked tongue flicked out to lick her lips, inadvertently running along each tooth leaving them glistening in its wake. “Are pretty decent for a brand-new core, and such a big room, your energy must be massive.” The wink she followed up with might have counted for cute if her eyelid wasn’t wart covered and her jackal like cackle didn’t leave me terrified.  

 

<Uhm, who are you?>

 

“I am your companion good sir dungeon; I am pleased to have a male dungeon to serve again. It has been, far, far, too long.” The giggle that comes from this thing is not fitting at all to its terrifying appearance.  she was only three feet tall but was hunched over so she stood closer to two. She held a cane in one hand and had the other handheld to her back like I had seen in countless retirement homes. At the top of her wrinkly head in a tight bun was a coil of grey hair, looking enterally out of place even on such an obviously elderly creature, seeming more like a thin hat instead of hair.

 

This must be who Aphrodite Urania had mentioned. <Well thanks for being here. Do you have a name?>

 “Of course, sir dungeon, my name is Grinnwilla the Seamstress!” She keeps her large smile as she bows her head and shares her name, seeming to pause before lifting out of it to eyeball my core for some reason.

 

Choosing to ignore just another oddity to this increasingly odd creature, this Grinnwella the Seamstress. Wow that’s a mouthful. <Welcome dear Grinnwilla the Seamstress! That is quite the mouth full though, is it your full name or a title? I can’t imagine that would be fun getting addressed that way every time.>

 

“You can call me Grinny or Willa if you will it sir dungeon, how may I address you?

 

<You can call me…> What could she call me? For her name suggested she was truly she. Judd? No Judd the dungeon didn’t have a nice ring to it. What was the purpose of a dungeon? I mean I had heard all about different kinds back on earth, not really fiving much attention to such trivial things when real life woman existed. The only dungeons I had ever investigated into was sex and torture dungeon and they both were outside my preference, especially the torture some of that gave me nightmares.

“Call you what sir?”

The ugly little green grandma looked at me patiently bringing me back from the internal spiral I had went down. Good question, I don’t think I want to be Judd the dungeon. A name should say something about you right? What are dungeons good at even. I think I need more information.

<Willa, what are dungeons for?>

My question seems to catch her off guard as her she freezes instantly. “No name sir? Well, uhm dungeons are good for several things. They provide valuable resources to those who come to them and even more for those who conquer its various levels, monsters, and challenges. Some even seek to destroy Cores but they only think of the short term,.”

<Do I have to kill people? In my world Dungeons were things of make-believe and lore that would have the prime goal of consuming all who enter, growing more conniving and desirable to catch better and stronger foes.> Not wanting to kill anyone without need, Ian idea started to form. ’m a pervert not a murderer!

Again, my question seems to catch her off guard as she actually jumps back in startlement, the grey robe covering her hunched figure ruffling and catching under her causing her to stumble further. Luckily, she catches herself with her wooden cane, speaking after taking a moment to think about her answer before replying. “No…sir… it is not a requirement to kill, however it is the fastest way to grow and become stronger. There will also be those that seek to destroy you. I have served dungeons who offered alternative routes that challengers could take if they would rather take those routes instead of braving the dangers. Most of those dungeons offered valuable resources that they too gained value from, however. As such, it would gain both when the resources would be gathered and when the challengers participated in each challenge. More if it ties directly onto your dungeon Theme”

 

Perfect that is exactly what I was hoping to do! There’s that Theme again, the Goddess had mentioned it. <What is a dungeon theme?>

At this question she looks directly at my viewpoint where I view my room and her and back down at the core. A few times, utter confusion on her face. “You, have not viewed yours on your Status screen… Sir?”    

Name

 

Not sure what she means by status screens, but I’ve played enough games in my life to have a basic understanding. I mean come on, some of those animators really knew how encapsulate the female form. Heh. Hmmm on a hunch I think Status screen.

 

Status: Second Life LV:1

Name  :Enter Name:                                                 Race: Dungeon Core

Dungeon Theme: Physical                                       Rooms: 1

Condition: Good(Newborn)                                    Core health: 25/25

Dungeon points: 7                                                     Attributes: Locked:

Companions: 1                                                          Contracts: 2   

Mana 5/5                                                                    

Wow, ok so very easy. Will it and it goes? I can work with that, looking at this Status screen I see everything displayed in front of me. Awesome it’s very easy to follow, I note with joy. Looking over the Interface in front of me I see I still need to enter a name, still not sure what I should enter here, deciding to come back to this line. The race, as the Goddess had said it would be, was a Dungeon Core so that makes sense. Still not sure about everything that means, but seeing what I sought as the next line I would explore it further later, as I read the word and found it was suddenly the key of my focus.

Dungeon Theme: Physical

What? Wait. Does that mean what I think it means? Hoping this works I quickly focus on the Dungeon Theme and a smaller interface popped into existence overlaying a portion of the larger one.

Physical

Physical is exactly as it sounds, baby! HAHA! Your dungeon will grow with each physical act committed within the boundaries of your domain. This can be in a variety of ways if you reach into the farthest spaces of your imagination dungeon *wink, nudge*! Otherwise kill, maim, beat up, destroy, obliterate. It really can’t get any more physical than that, can it? How you gain your growth affects your future opportunities, be true to your Theme and you will find your truest path.

 

Did my screen wink at me? Okay then. If I was reading this right though, then I know exactly what I could do! I could-

“Sir dungeon!

“I said I was sorry!”

“Hello?”

Refocusing my gaze, I find Willa is standing close to my core, ten feet away, but I could sense that she had tried to come closer more than once.  She was yelling and waving her hands frantically looking between my core and where my perception viewed currently from the top of the room. Odd. Hmmm, why would she be worried I wonder?

<Oh no, nothing to worry about! I’m not mad if that is what you are worried about, I was figuring out what that status screen was. Which I did thanks to your help!> Which wasn’t exactly untrue, and she looked so upset when I got lost in thought. Thinking of something I figure no one can help me better then my companion, right? <Willa what does it mean to have you as my companion?>

This time when I ask the question, she full on stares at my core and just blinks rapidly for a few minutes. Muttering under her breathe. “How are you this aware so young?” Before continuing in a louder voice “Sir dungeon we are bound by the power of the goddess, that bond is waiting to be sealed by the contract you were blessed with. If I could know what contracts, you have I would know how we can complete our connection...”

Willa’s voice trails off and she gulps, causing several warts on her neck to shift with the movement. As soon as she started rambling, instead of telling me I wanted to know, I began focusing my view like I was glaring, it clearly had an effect.  Focusing back on the status screen and on the Companions and Contracts tabs it brought up both.

 

Companions: 1

Grinnwilla The Seamstress: Goblin Seamstress Level 1. Sent by the Goddess Aphrodite to aid and guide you in your upcoming adventures. She is bound to you by the Goddess but retains her own will and cannot be forced to do anything against her desires.

 

Contracts: 2

Forced servitude:  You may initiate this contract without the consent of the other party. You may overpower a creature’s will or spirit with your own, it will be a puppet that you must give orders too, lacking a will of its own.  The contracted gain a small boost from your attributes.

Physical contract: You may Initiate this contract only with the consent of the other party. This bond can be made in many ways, a simple conveyance, through an avatar or a companion of your choosing, physical contact by you, or intimate physical contact with you until completion (You’re welcome- A ^.*.). Though the bonds strength is considerably different in which way it is made. The stronger the bond the stronger the growth and benefits from this contract.

 

 

 

Ahh, there it is Grinnwilla must be worried I would use that Forced Servitude on her. If dungeons aren’t “aware” at this point, then she may be worried I am going to make her a puppet.

 <I would never force you to do anything you would be truly against, I will need you to do, probably many things you don’t want to do though as am just a core. Together we can rise strong if you will help?>

My words seemed to have caught her off guard as she continued to shift her gaze from my core to my perception for a while longer. Suddenly letting a stream of words flow forth in a rush, clearly glad to know she is not in danger of being a mindless meat puppet.

“I am sorry, Sir, Dungeons I have been bonded to two before and they were not aware as you are now even at their end. Let alone within moments of being created. I usually must be careful and make sure I am bonded before they start trying to go into the raw state that consumes a Dungeon before it slowly develops a will. Its desire to consume everything is all it seeks. I was protecting us both.”  By the time she had finished she was heaving and kneeling on the floor, eyes staring up eyes burning into me, glistening with unshed tears.

 Even with an ugly wart covering part of her left eye, she looked so pitiful, even if I hadn’t already said I wouldn’t force her, I knew I couldn’t force her into the contract. Anyone really. I might enjoy the sight of the fairer sex, a lot, even I had lines I wouldn’t cross though.

<Then it, it seems we are the same page.>

Her eyes widened before she fully broke into tears blubbering incoherently. Her shaking hands clasp before. The green grandma looked like she was ready to faint at each statement concerning her safety.

Clearly this had bothered her greatly in the short time we had been together. I knew if I waited, I would forget to ask about it. Past girlfriends made sure I knew about that character flaw, in detail. <Willa, what happens if you are turned into a puppet? Do you not get a second chance as I did?>

Willa shakes her head slowly side to side.  “No this is the only life I get, and I have gotten very protective of it in my years. Newborn Dungeons have a need to eat. With me being right there and forced to stay gives them ample opportunity to try and try again to consume me until we can form a contract.” She has a far away look as says this, staring into nothing without blinking for some time.

<Willa?>

<Willa?>

<GRINNWILLA?> Shouting her name seems to bring her back from wherever her mind had taken her. Unless she really is just THAT old. She blinked rapidly before speaking.

“Sorry sir Dungeon I-“

<Nothing to apologize for I am sure, so how do we make a contract to make sure we are both kept safe?> I cut her off before she could continue, choosing to change the subject and reassure the odd elderly green creature.

Her grin was so wide it revealed row upon row of tiny, terrifying looking teeth. Reminding me of a picture of a shark’s mouth I had seen once, if I had spine, I would have felt a shiver.

 

Grinnwilla surprisingly shifted back into control far faster than I would have guessed, looking at her now, you would hardly be able to tell that she had just been bawling on the floor.  She stood there with her cane writing in the dirt floor of my room, stooped over almost in half as she wrote out four words, each with a number in front of it. She got these while she made me repeat the wording of the contract description to her over and over, until I grew so bored with repeating, I tried to will it so she could see the description and to my surprise it had.

Leading us to this. 1.Conveyance   2. Through another   3. Touch 4. Intimate touch.

Grinnwilla looks up and gestures with her cane. “The prompts and messages are not the clearest, but they will sometimes give you clues of what is the best if you just look enough. Yours luckily was obvious. It gives you four clear ways to make the contract, and usually when listed like this the first is the least and the last the strongest. The Goddess herself left a clear message of which one you should use.”

A look of unease passes her face before she says her next statement.

“I am just not sure what the difference between Touch and Intimate Touch.”

Her look said she had some idea, but so did I, to make sure I focused on the idea of physical contract with Grinnwilla, causing a prompt to appear once more in my view.

 

You have initiated a Physical Contract with Grinnwilla the Seamstress. Level Intimate touch. You must set the terms and cause her to come to completion to maximize the full effects of the contract. This contract can only begin if the other party agrees. You will have to set the terms before you begin.

 

I had hardly finished reading before realizing that Grinnwilla speaking, focusing on her to see she was smiling her toothy smile and hearing only the last of her words.

“I need no terms other than for you to make me grow as you grow, so I am not left behind. I will do all I can to aid you”

I no longer needed to smile, but I felt as if I held one now as I said. <Call me Sir.>

 <Terms Agreed. Willa, Let’s make you cum>

 

 

 

Dear reader, the next chapter will be a *Smut* chapter. Meaning mostly a long sex scene. If you do not wish to take part in the glory- I mean if you wish to skip the chapter, every chapter directly after a *smut* chapter will have a recap of some sort that will cover any changes, level up, new skills, extra nipples in weird places, the important stuff.