NOVEL FROG Chapter 21 - Skitterchatter
The former Goldtongue General may not be the most extreme, or even the most recent example of the fiends depravity, but a gruesome one nonetheless. Once a powerful general of the Adventure Kingdoms' standing military, and sworn defender of Wall Aurelius, her capture at the hands of the Demon Lord's minions and subsequent torture was a worrying enough prospect in regards to military protocols and procedures. When the true extent of their crimes was revealed, and she returned to the wall as the "Mouthpiece", her mind broken and her very soul fractured and shackled, the soldiers there experienced true horror. She had become the most powerful Banshee in known history, and only the Adventure King himself could put her down, and only after her wail caused thousands upon thousands of deaths. - Marcus Welt, Undead Researcher, "A Treatise on Banshees: Undead Vocal Skill Users"
After dealing with our losses, my monsters have scattered. I quietly resolved to build a memorial for them if time permits. I might not be much of an artist but a carving upon one of my stone walls should be possible.
So I set to looking for a good spot which is what gets us to the current situation. The one where I'm staring at a giant mass of chitin, hairs, and eyeballs, sitting squarely in my entrance hall.
I have to be honest here, I completely forgot about the shaman's former mount.
As I stare at it, it shuffles and raises its body, then looks in the direction of my pen body before it hisses and chitters.
Surprisingly, I can understand it, much like the thought-communication with my minions.
"Kin of my master, have you finished thine grieving? I would have words with you."
Well, that's about the last thing I expected. A talking spider.
"Neither did I expect to find something such as you and yours here, but nevertheless such is the truth of this world. I must thank you, and that tiny winged creature of yours, for freeing me from the vile green one's thrall."
Okay well first of all, I didn't mean to think that out loud, but good to know that your mental ears are sharp. Second of all… you are welcome?
"Then whom were you directing your… nevermind. That simply won't do, however. I owe recompense, at the least. I find myself unable to provide much, but there is one thing I can gift thee. I would ask an additional boon in exchange, however."
Err… I'll hear you out at least. I can't really promise anything.
"That is well. I would ask you to please release me from my duty and watch over my master's fragment in my stead."
At this, the spider produces the wand that the shaman once wielded. From up close, I can see that it prominently features a purplish gem shard, and as soon as I inspect it, I know what it is.
A part of a dungeon core. A being like me. One that has shattered.
"It is as you say. I am a former dungeon monster, held here by the corruption of my master's power. I wish to join him in the great beyond."
Before that, could you tell me a few things? How can I understand you? And how are you alive outside of your masters domain? My knowledge tells me that's impossible.
"I have advanced beyond the first tier. This, for dungeon creatures like me, triggers a fundamental change. I don't know the specifics, but it enables us to exist without our masters' influence for a short time, albeit under excruciating agony. It also enables us to speak and be heard by other dungeon creatures. To communicate with yet others, we need a voice as they do. The only reason I am still alive is the shred of my master's power that these fiends used to control me. Now, have I answered your questions? Will you grant me release at last?"
I sigh, but I can feel the spider's resolution, and call over Siegfried heavy hearted.
He has found himself an actual sword, probably from the swordsman goblin, and after a short explanation, he proceeds to walk up to the spider.
It lowers its head and freezes. Siegfried delivers a clean thrust to the spider's head. It shudders and falls to the floor, where it begins dissolving immediately, its physical form bleeding away into energy rapidly.
We watch.
After it is dissolved, I ask Siegfried to bring me the wand, delivering it onto the stage carefully. The more I inspected it, the more another of my instincts urged me, and they hadn't guided me wrong so far. I focused and claimed the thing as I would with a room, and the screen that came this time, accompanying this foreign sensation, I could not ignore.
Dungeon Core Fragment absorbed.
Affinities detected.
Compatibility detected.
Lesser Affinity (Evocation) acquired.
Wow that was weird. For a second there, everything tasted purple and I could smell the color blue.
I feel much better now, brimming with a reservoir of power I didn't have before. Much like the manipulation of light, my instincts tell me that I can do a new thing, so I do the thing and watch as a block of stone materializes midair and falls to the floor.
What?
I double check my other space quickly but all the rubble is still there. I didn't even have a perfectly square piece in there to begin with. I imagine a small stone orb and give it a small amount of energy, and it forms midair just as I envisioned it.
The reservoir of energy within me has dimmed slightly, but it is already filling up again.
Holy shit, I can create matter now.