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

Shadow waited for Eric to give a response full of bravado. To make a threat.

He said nothing. That was when Shadow really started to get worried. Because Eric was a pillar of strength. Now it seemed like that pillar was crumbling.

“I just need one thing from you, and all this can go away,” said Riston. “I’ll need to you to swear, in front of my guards here, that the core kidnapped the children. That you tracked him here because you suspected he was responsible for the recent disappearances.”

Eric said nothing.

“Swear that, and I’ll know that you weren’t a part of it. I’ll be able to tell Chief Galatee what really happened, and you can leave.”

Shadow felt her heart thumping. Eric was a barbarian. A mercenary by trade. He’d already left Core Beno’s employ once, giving up the promise of gold because the working conditions were too dangerous even for him. He had no ties to Beno.

It would be so easy for him to accept Riston’s offer and walk away. There was a time when Shadow would have accepted it if she was in his shoes.

“Well?” said Riston. “What’s your answer?”

I could barely describe her as a girl. Weaker than a pond reed battered by a storm. Skin paler than chalk. Her hair was dirty and tangled. Holes in her trousers and scabs on her hands from where she’d been crawling.

But that wasn’t all.

Her eyes were soulless and almost fully black. Her skin had begun to corrupt. It had probably started at her feet, like most corruptions, but it had spread to her neck. Not long until it covered her completely, and then she was lost.

She hadn’t just gotten lost in the caves. This was much worse than that. There weren’t many people, creatures, or spells who could turn someone into a wraith.

She had half a day until it claimed her completely. Maybe less.

The question was, would she trust me to get her out of here? I needed to be nice. Personable.

“Hello, little girl,” I said. “Are you okay? No, of course you’re not. I’m here to help you, alright?”

She retreated back toward the wall.

What could I do? I couldn’t forcefully grab her. I didn’t have arms! How was I supposed to make her trust me?

Maybe I knew the problem.

I was trying too hard. Trying to be nice, to speak as the townsfolk did. And because it wasn’t in my nature, it probably seemed fake.

Let’s try again.

“You look like crap,” I said.

She stared at me.

“I don’t have time for your games,” I said. “Something bad has happened to you. Boo hoo. Bad things happen all the time, and worse things will happen if you stay. I already told you about the rats, didn’t I? Now grab hold of me, and I’ll get you out of here.”

The girl put one hand on the ground. Crawled forward a couple of feet. I floated closer to her now. When she didn’t back off, I risked getting a little nearer.

“You’ll have to grab hold of me tight,” I said.

I heard a droning sound coming from one of the tunnels. There was something about it. A haunting aspect, like the wailing of a lost ghost.

The sound was joined by another, and then another.

The girl stared at me. Pale face. Dark eyes, lifeless. She spoke, but the words wouldn’t come out. I watched the shapes her mouth made.

They’re coming.

Shapes suddenly flew out of every tunnel around us.

Giant insects emerged from hidden places. Buzzing so loud the sound echoed in my ears. The girl opened her mouth. Looked like she was silently screaming.

She was becoming a wraith, alright. Part of the transformation was losing your voice. Shouting to get help was probably the last sound she’d made. She was lucky the other kids had been playing nearby.

The closest thing the insects resembled were mosquitos, but not just any kind. These were mosquitos dreamed up by a mad mage. Better yet, by one of the demented creature-spawning demons in the underworld. Some were taller than a man. Spindly bodies, web-like wings that on close inspection were made of skin. Human skin, in fact. I’d done plenty of hero killing, and I’d know human skin anywhere. Some of them had abdomens bulging with blood. All of them had arm-length spikes jutting from their arses. They looked like the ends of a knight’s lance, except sharper and stained with blood.

Their thirst was palpable; I could sense it in the air, their utter desire for the girl’s blood. They’d come to drain the girl before she became a wraith.

“Hold on.”

She grabbed hold of me and clung on to me. I floated through a tunnel. I brought to mind the route I’d taken to get here. I took every turn in order.

The buzz grew behind me. The tunnels were alive with it. The insects were made for flying, whereas my floating ability was still relatively new. They were going to catch us.

Luckily, we were underground. Whether it was my dungeon or just some random cavern, I could use my essence underground.

I channeled it now. I imagined something emerging from the ether behind me, shaped by core essence.

Steel Door created!

Essence Remaining: 4630 / 4738

Dink! Dink! Dink! 

The insects hadn’t expected a door of steel to appear from nowhere, and they slammed into it.

It gave us time to get out. Maybe the insects knew the caverns well enough to find another route, but by then…

A series of hammering broke my thoughts.

I heard steel bend. Tear.

And then the buzzing was back.

These things had ripped through steel!

The girl gripped tighter. A mosquito caught up to me. I could sense it inches away. Gaining, gaining, reaching for the