Dungeon Core Academy: Books 1-7 (A LitRPG Series) by Alex Oakchest (book suggestions txt) 📕

CHAPTER 15

My second visit of the day brought me to someone else who was restrained. Only, the witch was restrained with two iron chains around every limb. Not that I expected her to have abnormal strength, but it seemed only prudent to take more precautions around her.

Of course, the time would soon come when I needed to take no care at all. After I got her to fix whatever she’d done with Shadow, I could have the evil little witch killed, and then dissolve her in the alchemy chamber and feed her essence to my dungeon mates, giving them part of her powers. Before that, though, I needed her to cooperate.

She stared at me groggily, saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth.

“This really isn’t that kind of dungeon, you know,” I said. “Chaining up prisoners and the like. I tend to just kill heroes, dissolve their bodies, and be done with it. There’s no need for interrogations or any of this unpleasantness.”

“Unpleasantness?” she said, forcing a smile. “I was going to ask how much you charge for your hospitality. I feel super rude staying here for free.”

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Perhaps you could pay for your first night by reversing whatever you did to my kobold.”

“To my kobold?”

“My kobold.”

“Come on, Mr. Core, let’s not be so childish.”

I, a dungeon core in his second life, was being talked down to by a teenage girl, now. Demons below, how much I would love to kill this girl! Alas, some pleasures had to be resisted.

I tried a different tack. “I suppose if you aren’t capable of reversing the spell, then it is unfair of me to ask it. We all have our limitations. Being a mage is tough, tough work, I hear, and it takes a lot of practice. You will get there, little wretch. Don’t be upset with yourself in the meantime.”

It was her turn to laugh now. “Wow, you cores are manipulative. I mean, I don’t know much about dungeons or the cores that live in them. But I know that you’re really mean. And rude. You’re mean and rude blocks of rock. Even so, I didn’t think you’d try to play mind tricks with me. Silly core, do you really think it’s a good use of your time to play mind tricks with me, of all people? Think about it!”

“Yes, it would stand to reason that someone who plays with minds is adept at guarding her own.”

“And don’t you forget it!”

“I suppose there’s nothing I can do, then. I’ll have to let you go.”

“Great…wait! Getting sneaky on me again, are you?”

“Fine, I think we’ve established that there’s no point messing around. I’ll just be blunt. Have you ever heard of a narkleer?”

She bit her lip as she thought about it. “A type of monkey? Like a macaque?”

“Nothing so nice. They were created centuries ago. Nobody truly knows why, and anyone who is unfortunate enough to meet one can’t imagine a single reason for such an abomination to exist. You might like them, though. They can use telekinesis to disembowel a person. After eating said bowels and guts, the waste is merged with a skin-like flap on their back that looks rather like a cape.”

“Sounds lovely. Can I meet yours and give it a nice scratch behind the ears?”

“You’re brave, I’ll give you that. Kainhelm?”

A big, skeletal, gangly leg took an oversized stride into the chamber, followed by the other leg, followed by the rest of Kainhelm’s hideous frame. He was covered in his red paste since I didn’t want his death energy to kill the girl. His skin cape flapped behind him.

“This is the plague rat little strumpet, is it? She stinks. I can smell her flesh,” he said.

“Hey! You try living with a bunch of pirates. See how much chance to get to have a bath!”

I couldn’t believe it.

In a dungeon full of monstrosities that would make most sane people flee screaming, Kainhelm sat at the very top, wedged in his throne as the king of the hideous. He was sneering, evil, disgusting being – and that was coming from someone who liked him.

And yet, this girl wasn’t scared. Not even in the slightest. Even if she logically had reasoned that I couldn’t afford to hurt her yet, her body should have shown an instinctual fear response at the sight of him.

There was something wrong with this horror of a girl. She wasn’t right in the head. Still, I had to persist. I would not let it be said that I was a quitter.

“I’ll leave you and Kainhelm alone for a while,” I said.

She scrunched her face at Kainhelm.

“Now who’s trying tricks?” I said. “You are still mildly sedated. Just the right amount. Enough to keep you awake but to dampen your mind tricks.”

“You’re no fun.”

“Kainhelm,” I said, “You have my full permission to kill her in the most horrific way possible.”

I floated out of the chamber now and I waited, out of view.

“Right, you poxing trollop,” growled the monster. “Old Kainhelm will make you suffer. He will…”

Damn it, I wasn’t hearing screams or begs for mercy even now! This just wasn’t working.

I floated back in, incensed that she had called my bluff, and resolving to never, ever play cards with her. “Okay, Kainhelm. You tried your best. You can leave.”

Kainhelm left, muttering to himself. Anna laughed. “That’s the best you have? I’ve seen scarier sheep. You’ll have to try harder, Mr. Core.”

Damn it. This girl wasn’t scared of the dungeon and didn’t even blink at the idea of being tortured by Kainhelm. How in all hells was I supposed to get through to her? I mean, I supposed we could make a deal, but I