The Dungeon Fairy: Three Lives: A Dungeon Core Escapade (The Hapless Dungeon Fairy Book 3) by Jonathan Brooks (the false prince TXT) 📕

was nearly twice the Hill Dwarves’ Level, as Sterge and Gwenda had increased theirs to Level 7 from all of the creatures that had been killed up to that point, and had proven to be quite formidable.  Alone, her Boss was responsible for approximately 75% of all the Raider deaths since the section had been fully explored – but the Rewards were too great for many to pass up without at least trying.

She needn’t have worried, however.  The three others in the group – who she now learned were Raider Level 11 after they too went up a Level during their foray into her dungeon – were more than a match for the room.  While Sterge did his best to defend against the Werewolf, getting essentially beat up in the process from her creature’s enormous strength, the Elf and Gnome systematically destroyed the individual Forest Wolves swarming around them.  The healer kept Sterge alive with short bursts of healing, which nearly proved the Human’s undoing as he ticked off the Werewolf, but Gwenda kept him alive with her Magibarrier spell and slowed it down with her Sapping Fog.  Once all of the smaller Wolves were dead, they concentrated on taking down the upright wolf hybrid without too much trouble.

Still, almost everyone had been wounded in one way or another, and were exhausted from the fight.  The Rewards they gained from defeating the entire section were obviously appreciated, but they didn’t leave right away.

“Dungeon?  I’m not sure if you can hear us, but we’ve come to you for some help.”

Tacca had overheard them mention something about needing some help when they had been outside – thanks to Shale spying on them – but had forgotten it while she enjoyed herself watching them delve through her dungeon.  Now she was intrigued and wished she could answer, but doing anything inside of the room they were in was relatively impossible.  Thankfully, she didn’t have to communicate with Gwenda for the Hill Dwarf to go on.

“You see, with the arrival of so many people down here, we’re worried about the future….”

Tacca listened to the small Caster to explain the problems they were going to be facing soon, as far as food and shelter for so many people during the winter month coming up.  The Dungeon Core knew exactly what the Hill Dwarf was talking about, because it was something that Tacca knew all too well.  She vividly remembered opening up her dungeon to the outside world almost a year ago, and the sight of snow covering the mountains was incredible.  She also knew that the temperature out there was so low that anyone caught outside for more than a short amount of time would freeze to death.

But what am I supposed to do about that?

“I don’t know, Tacca.  Technically, you shouldn’t do anything about it, as a Dungeon Core.”  Shale was right, she knew, because that would be like trying to manipulate things outside of her dungeon, which was a definite no-no.  It was bad enough that she was communicating with some of the mortal races, Raiders no less, but to actively engage in helping them?  She supposed that it was better than actively engaging in trying to kill them, but having that kind of influence outside of a dungeon was not only bad, but was impossible as well.

She couldn’t provide food as an environmental object, or even as a Reward, and while living off of Minor Healing Potions was an option – which she thought was technically possible – she wasn’t prepared to make thousands of them every day in order to keep everyone alive.  Nor did she have the available Dungeon Force to do that, even if she wanted to.

Tacca was about to dismiss their call for help as impossible, etching a note on the floor of the exit as they left to that effect, but she suddenly remembered how enamored Sterge had been of the dirt when he had first stepped into her dungeon.  It was almost as if he was more fascinated by its rich texture than anything else in the room, and she had wondered why at the time.  Now, though, after everything she had learned about the two Hill Dwarves and the surrounding area at the bottom of the mountain, she knew why: He was a farmer before he became a Raider.

Was he looking at the dirt because it was perfect for farming?  Or was that just my imagination?

“Well, your environmental objects are certainly full of Dungeon Force, which allows them to hold onto and grow your plants so quickly, even after they are destroyed,” her Dungeon Assistant mentioned.  “But I don’t see how that could possibly matter—”

Shale couldn’t see it, but Tacca could.  I think I have a plan.  You’re definitely not going to like it, but I think it could be beneficial not only to me, but to the other Dungeon Cores in the nursery, as well. 

“Oh, no – what are you planning?”  She briefly told him her thoughts even as Gwenda and the others started looking for the exit.  As she had thought, he wasn’t pleased.  “You are out of your mind, you know that?”

I know, but you love it.  Makes things interesting, doesn’t it?

“Interesting?  Maybe.  Dangerous?  Absolutely.”

Tacca couldn’t help but giggle as she quickly etched a note on the floor of the exit tunnel, where the Raider group would see it on their way out.

Look towards the east in two weeks’ time,

Where you’ll find the answer at Wentrylock’s base.

 That was it.  She wanted to add more, but she ran out of time as they activated the Rotating Stone Bridge trap blocking the exit tunnel and entered.  They stared at the two lines of text she had placed on the floor, shrugging at each other when they were done.

“That…doesn’t really tell us much, does it?  I mean, it doesn’t actually say