Raising Wonders

Chapter 15: Dungeon (Part 3)

It was an odd dream. For one, Chloe immediately realised she was dreaming. She no longer had her usual nightmares, and since then her dreams had been peaceful. This one however, wasn't hers. She could see the city of Toren, its people in the summer. There was not a speck of snow to be seen and the outside of the city was green with grass. The streets were active and the port was filled with boats ready to set sail. Things however were strange. The expression of the people were anxious and the Adventurers Guild that Chloe loved was mucked in shadow. This was a time before. The time the dungeon was first born. How she knew that, Chloe didn't know, but a feeling in her chest told her so.

Time sped up to winter. The Upper district had changed a lot, the others had begun to wane. A blizzard hit and threatened to overcome the city's walls. Compared to the life of summer, the people were cold and unmoving. She could feel their desperation to stay warm, to survive. She could feel the lives within ebb away to nothing. Things however became better with spring and the people bounced back.

As the months passed she could see beneath the city as monsters began to be kept beneath. The slaughter of their arena, and the people who suffered amongst the violence. It was strange. Though the dungeon disliked it, with each monsters death it grew stronger. When the people cheered it grew stronger, when they despaired it grew stronger. The emotions of the city swayed what it was, confusing it to what it wanted to be.

The next winter hit harder than the last. The Adventurers guild was empty. The Church was pushed to its limits. More people suffered but at the same time, they persevered. The dungeon accepted it all, wondering just what it all meant. The next summer months flew by in a flash but as the new winter set in, time slowed and someone new appeared at the gates, a man in a mask. A flood of information entered Chloe's mind as the events of the past few months sped through the city, all watched by the curious and growing dungeon. What am I? What do I want to do? Who should I be? The questions swirled in its consciousness and suddenly Chloe's eyes were opened.

**

"Chloe!" Mask held the sleeping girl, gently shaking her, "Chloe wake up!"

"Ung?" she blinked awake.

"Are you okay? Can you hear me?" there was a serious and clear concern in his voice.

"What happened?" she looked around confused. Mask held her just off the floor. It was clear she had fallen asleep but trailing along the ground to where she had just woken was a thin stream of ice.

"The dungeon did something to you. Do you feel anything strange?" He gazed at her intently. "How's your body? Do you feel tired? Is there any pain?"

"No... I'm fine." Chloe shook her head and supported herself. "In fact I feel really good." Her body felt light and full of energy. "I... I did have a strange dream though. I saw the city and I think I felt what the dungeon felt."

Mask frowned, "That's not a good sign. It means you could be compatible with the dungeon." He sighed, releasing half a chuckle, "You just keep getting more interesting don't you?"

"I'm fine being just me," she managed to stand and stepped away from the dungeon core. "But..., what will you do with it?"

"Once it's safe we'll remove it. That job will go to someone else and they'll need to make sure the city infrastructure is stable first. Not quite my area of expertise."

"Do you have to?" Chloe asked tenderly. Mask eyed her surprised. "It's just, in that dream, I felt its feelings. It's not a bad dungeon. It wants to grow up and find itself.... Like I do."

"If you say so then it can only be true," Mask smiled and patted her head. "For now we'll have to hide the core. Like I said before, what we do with it will come later and that decision will rely on the people of Toren." He kneeled down, "But if you are that concerned, I promise you we won't destroy it. If it comes down to it, I'll make sure it's moved somewhere safe."

"Really? You can do that?" her eyes shone.

"Not me, but I have friends in high places." As he stood he picked Chloe up. "Let's head back up. By now our dear Handler is probably quite busy. We need to finish our plans before the Paladin can start his."

Chloe gripped her hands tightly, she already knew what waited at the end, "Are you okay though?"

"I'm okay," Mask lied perfectly. Truth be told his body was weak and his energy drained. The confident smile that radiated beneath his Mask however didn't fail. "You don't have to worry. I only fight battles that I can win and I will win."

"I believe you," Chloe leaned into him as they made their way out of the chamber. She had to believe him, otherwise, who else could she?