The Crafter's Dungeon: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 1) by Jonathan Brooks (literature books to read TXT) 📕

needed to know to survive longer.  Unfortunately, the same reason so many Cores were being destroyed led to very few Fairies sticking around for long.”

Sandra was fascinated at the story, even though she was still thoroughly confused about almost everything.  What reason was that? she thought, when Winxa paused for a moment.

The Fairy continued without indicating that she had heard Sandra.  “That reason was this: while the ambient Mana found around your Area of Influence is a consistent and reliable source of Mana, it’s definitely not the fastest way to grow stronger.  Wild beasts, creatures, and even insects – when killed by your dungeon monsters – will provide a larger boost to your available Mana, which will then allow you to create additional and more powerful monsters.  That alone would be reason enough to cause the Dungeon Cores to go on a rampage and slaughter everything in sight; however, with the knowledge that killing anyone from a sentient race will multiply that mana boost by nearly ten times, it usually leads Cores on a mission to find the closest village or town and expand their Area of Influence far enough to send their monsters inside to kill everyone nearby.

“As you can guess, Heroes don’t care for this outcome and will do everything they can to stop a Core that is threatening their friends and families.  Thus, thousands upon thousands of Dungeon Cores have been destroyed over the last millennia – all because of the murderous, power-hungry, homicidal souls infused inside the Cores.”  Winxa paused.  “No offense.”

Although Sandra could tell the Dungeon Fairy didn’t actually mean that last part – because she obviously didn’t care for Dungeon Cores – it didn’t really bother her because she wasn’t sure she even belonged there.

“And now you know why I probably won’t be here long, because it’s inevitable that you’ll get ‘hungry’ and want to kill and absorb me – and no matter how many times I tell a Core that I literally cannot be harmed by them, they still try it anyway,” Winxa tiredly added.  “But, while I’m still here and you’re still on my good side – do you have any questions before I continue?”

Sandra didn’t know where to start, as she had she felt like millions of questions were just waiting to come out.  However, she thought there was one that was most pressing at the moment.

What contract are you talking about?

Winxa was so shocked at the question that her wings actually stopped fluttering and she fell to the ground with legs that had turned to jelly.  She fell on her rear end and sat there looking at Sandra as if she had grown another head.

What?  What did I say?

Chapter 5

“Wh-what do you mean?  Every Dungeon Core – even if they are so insane that I can barely communicate with them – know about the contract; it’s literally written into the structure of their core!  There’s no way you couldn’t know about it – it’s impossible,” Winxa stated, still sitting down and staring at Sandra.

I don’t know what to tell you, but I’ve never seen any contract regarding “Dungeon Cores” before.  I’ve seen sales contracts that my father used to set up with suppliers, but I’ve never seen anything like what you’re describing.

“Your father was a merchant?  That seems so…normal.  Tell me, how did you die?”

Sandra dredged up the story from her memories, which was difficult given that it seemed like such a long time ago.  However, after a few false starts, she was able to relay the story to the fairy; though, as she did, the anger that hadn’t fully manifested while she was in that featureless expanse of nothingness started to come to the forefront of her mind.  By the end of her tale, she was so furious that she wanted to hunt down the bastard that had killed her and strew his entrails all over the land of Muriel.

Unconsciously, she lashed out with her senses and “ate” another portion of the cave wall near the Fairy.  “Whoa!  Watch where you’re doing that!” Winxa exclaimed, fluttering out of the way of Sandra’s “attack” on the wall.

Sorry.  It’s just that thoughts of what that man did to me make me so angry!

“Hmm…Righteous Anger…that’s not something you see every day in a Dungeon Core.  Or ever, for that matter. If you’re indeed telling the truth, you shouldn’t even be here.  The Creator only makes contracts with those that deserve to be imprisoned in a Core – like murderers and rapists.  Also, while female Dungeon Cores aren’t exactly unknown, they are few and far between.”

Winxa was floating again, which Sandra assumed was just in case the angry Core decided to eat some more of the wall.  That thought lessened some of the rage she felt at remembering her death; she had no intention of harming the fairy, who had – despite her attitude towards Dungeon Cores in general – only been trying to help.

“So…either the Creator made a mistake – which I highly doubt – or you were brought here for a reason.  Why you were set down in between the borders of four different races, I don’t know – but there has to be a reason.”

Which four races are you talking about?  Sandra had only met a few elves and one dwarf in her previous life; they were a rarity because travel between the racial homelands was difficult.  A series of massive dungeons blocked most travel access points around the borders of Muriel.

“Oh, I forgot – you probably weren’t informed of your location when you signed the contract.  Or not signed, or whatever.  Anyway, you’re right at the northeastern corner of Elvish-controlled land, the northwestern corner of Gnomish-controlled territory, the southeastern side of Orcish-controlled area, and the southwestern edge of the Dwarven homeland.  This area has been all but abandoned, as from what I know, all of the