Alistair reviewed the prompt for the loot on the Red Creeper Vine, and was surprised to see that because the mana monster was immobile that it counted as a trap. Looking around, Alistair found the remains of a person. As he floated up to it another prompt came up.
Alistair realized that this was one of the vital quest points in a dungeon. Most dungeons that he could remember had the Dire Warning quest, which when cashed in had a pretty nice reward. The problem with that option was that he didn’t have multiple levels and bosses for Adventurers to attack, and he didn’t know when he was going to start having Adventurers. The holy shrine was nice, but then again he was in charge of casting the mana, but the God or Goddess choose how much that would be. Still having a blessing by them would be great, but wasn’t certain when that would occur either. The mini boss was out of the question as he only had four monsters at the moment to summon. So as he looked at the final choice, and went over the advantages and disadvantages in his head. True, it would cause some types of his monsters to be hunted and he would spend mana regenerating them. However, he had mana to burn at the moment and it would keep Adventurers busy on the level without seeking his main boss. Selecting the Ghost option, Alistair sighed at the thought of it, a part of him wanted to press the shrine option just to see what it would have done. Oh well, he thought, maybe next time.
Alistair looked over his pack of Salamanders and started heading off down the tunnels to the Rat Swarm. The Salamanders seemed to be moving quickly as they passed all manner of tunnels. Finally, Alistair could hear a small chattering or squeaking of rats, but as they got closer Alistair realized that the little squeak or chatter was coming from not one, or ten, but several hundred rats. Alistair’s first time of seeing the swarm through the salamander’s eyes was scary enough for him to reconsider attacking it. Hundreds of rats climbing over one another; fighting, biting, licking one another in a massive mound made Alistair uneasy. Yet when his pack was finally spotted, the swarm quieted for a moment as hundred of rats beady eyes turned and looked at the salamanders. They began to swarm forward, like a tidal wave of filthy hairy vermin. In response, Alistair had the salamanders form a line and began biting at the lead rats as they closed in. While he had, the boss Salamander began using its Tail Slap killing several in one stroke.
However, the press of bodies began to overwhelm his Salamanders. Rats began falling over their dead pack mates coming forward faster and faster. Finally, the hair on the Rats began smoking as they got closer to the fire auras of the Salamanders. The Boss Salamander could no longer use its tail, so it bit and clawed at everything it could, trying to keep its head above the swarm. Three of the tiny salamanders had died in the press of vermin. The last one was under the belly of the Boss Salamander protecting its flanks by weaving under it. Fire finally started as the corpses of the rats caught on flame. The screeching intensified in terror as the vermin tried pressing against their brothers to get away from the flames, but were trampled instead. Finally as the hundreds turned to tens, a prompt popped up.
Alistair dismissed the prompt and saw that the tiny salamander and boss salamander were eating the remains of the fight. Alistair took a chance and dismissed the possession spell. His body began to solidify inside the small clearing of burnt rat. The boss salamander looked up at him with its mouth full and Alistair gave it a pat on its head. The two survivors should be able to eat in peace Alistair thought. Before he could teleport back home another blue prompt came up.
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Thankfully, Herma and Alistair had talked about his choices for level 5. He went ahead and spent 2 points on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Thankfully, a full blown headache didn’t occur again like it had when he did 4 points into one attribute. With two left over points, Alistair placed them in Dexterity and Constitution. Looking at his abilities, both Herma and himself agreed that he would take the most utilitarian ability available, and at first glance that looked like Fire Mana Control. However, as his newly increase intelligence worked for him, he knew having an ability, but with nothing to power it, the ability was useless. So he selected Fire Aura, and felt a small blaze of heat began to wrap itself around him. Part of him when he got to skills looked at Runic Oscillation and wanted to learn it right away, but Herma had said that it was a skill to be used over years of study and mediation. Hardune had fallen for the same trap of all powerful skill, only to realize that the first time he used it, it took him four months to fully realize one rune. So with his extra skill point he purchased an upgrade with his Dungeon Construction and then purchase his new skill Trap Construction. Information flooded his mind on how to create a town hall, market and upgrade some of his existing buildings. Knowledge of blacksmithing came to him, as well as, riddle making. It seemed that a trap was either physical or magical. The Physical part created traps by forging them in the forge, much like iron puzzle games. Whereas the magical traps required Alistair to forge an Iron Tablet with a riddle inscribed on it. Stepping threw his doorway to the pocket dimension Alistair hear the cries of laughter from children outside of his house.
Alistair opened his front door as two children ran pass him shouting at one another. The first child was a young elfish lad, green clothes tied about him in a flowing elvish style. He was apparently playing with a small dwarf girl as her feet echoed off the paved ground around the fountain. Herma appeared out of her house laughing at Alistair. “Well, you wanted the wild mana monsters. Now here they are. Joshin and Helga come here!” She said with a shout.
The two children looking to be around the age of ten came running over smiling. The boy gracefully bowed, while the dwarf girl with dirty blonde hair did an awkward curtsy. Alistair smiled and the boy brought himself back up. The boy spoke first, “My lord, we fought and lost to your noble self. How may we be of service?” And once again a blue prompt came up.
With a smile on his face Alistair choose to make Joshin and Helga citizens of his pocket dimension and dungeon. Alistair saw two prompts come up before the children. With eyes wide with innocence and joy the children dismissed the prompts and went back to their play.
