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

“Then how do you explain the fact that it wasn’t destroyed?”

“I…don’t know.  But I don’t really think that this is some sort of trick, or at least I hope not.”

“Why?”

“Because of this right here,” Gwenda responded, pointing at the very last part.

…your current strength, only death will find you if you continue to delve without a group.  Leave the dungeon now, and spread this information as far and wide as you can.  Prepare yourselves, as the invasion is coming.

In addition, take these to help with your endeavors, as you will likely need help communicating with the rest of the continent.  Be safe.

It was a little heavy-handed, granted, but it was for a good cause.  Through Shale, who had been assisting Council Leader Malachite and Lapis in investigating what was going on (especially lately, as there really wasn’t anything going on in her dungeon), Tacca knew only too well the situation with the loss of both Dungeon Cores and Dungeon Assistants to the north.  While her words sounded as if she was concerned about the intelligent races living around the continent – and in partiality, she was – the former Fairy was hoping that they would be able to help stem the tide of destruction by attacking these invaders directly. They just had to know about them first.

True, it was a bit selfish that she wanted to save the Cores and Assistants instead of the intelligent races, but who knew what would happen to them if all of the dungeons were destroyed?  The Council Leader had mentioned something to Shale about all of this upsetting the “balance”, but it wasn’t something of which Tacca was aware.  All she knew was that her people were dying, and she was currently helpless to prevent it.  Except what she was doing by relaying this information, of course.

“It wants us to leave?  B-but that’s crazy!” Sterge shouted.

Normally, yes – that would be crazy.  But this isn’t just about me anymore.

“I really think the dungeon means it—look!”  Gwenda pointed to the two small stacks of things on the floor near the placard.

One was a stack of pure gold nuggets, each the size of a fist; the other, a much smaller stack of spherical gemstones of different kinds, uncut and raw.  Both of them were possible for her to create due to her Mountain Environmental Access, though she didn’t try to shape them into coins or cut gems.  It was a literal fortune, but Tacca didn’t think it was time to mess around.

“What?  Why?”

Despite the riches waiting for them, neither of them moved to pick up the gold or gemstones.  Tacca didn’t understand it.

“Like I said, I think it’s because the message here is serious.  Why else would it offer more wealth than either of us has ever seen before in an effort to shoo us on our way?”  Gwenda finally moved, picking up two of the gold chunks and putting them into a bottomless bag she now had on her hip.

“Just two?”

The female Hill Dwarf nodded.  “Yes; any more and things will start looking suspicious.  I think we can melt these down in Heftington without too much trouble and exchange them in Fiona’s shop without drawing too much attention.  Come on, let’s go.”

Without another word, Gwenda took off at a run for the recognizable exit passage located on the wall next to the bottom of the slide, completely ignoring the rest of the large room, with its mountainous terrain and different exits branching off to different pathways.  “Just like that?  You’re not going to explore?” Sterge asked.

“What?  No, not after everything we’ve learned.  There is one thing we still need to do, though.”

Sterge caught up to the other Hill Dwarf in a few seconds, running with her as they exited out the straight pathway leading outward.  Tacca hadn’t wanted anyone exiting to have to walk all the way back up, as she had originally intended for the exits to join up with the original exit staircase, because it was a long walk up thousands of steps.  Instead, she had the main exit heading straight out from down below, where it would eventually let out about 300 feet below her entrances.  Technically, it was a little bit longer distance to walk, but there wasn’t nearly as much vertical movement this way.

“And what else, pray tell, do we need to do?”

Tacca watched Gwenda slowly smile as she answered.  “Why, we need to go down that slide again, of course.  That was the most fun I’ve had in a long time!”

Chapter 3

The silence once the two Hill Dwarves finally left – after sliding down the chute again – was a bit disheartening, because it meant that Tacca was all alone with her thoughts…and Shale, of course.

“You made the right choice, even if it isn’t the most beneficial to you right now.”  The Dungeon Core knew her Assistant was right, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t disappointing.

  Unfortunately, that is true.  I’ve already been unlucky enough to get to this point, so I guess there’s no sense in borrowing trouble.

“Unlucky?  What are you talking about?  You’re still here, aren’t you?”  Shale appeared confused, which was reflected in the changing colors of his Mood Clothes.

Obviously, but I’m talking about the invasion by those six-armed people.

“How so?”

You should know, after having worked with the Council Leader and…others…concerning these attacks.  I’m pretty sure it was you that had mentioned that my attack was more than a bit of an outlier compared to those Malachite suspected were instigated by these invaders.  If that isn’t bad luck, then I don’t know what is.

Shale seemed to think about it for a while, hovering in front of her Core.  “Or you could consider it good luck – on the behalf of the people of this