Book 3: Intelligent Design

Following our victory on the tenth floor, we had spent several days letting some of the stress bleed away. While there were always more threats out there, my biggest goals from the moment the orc invasion had started were complete. Both my family and Earth were as safe as I could make them in the here and now. That didn't mean I wouldn't work to ensure the future of Earth, but it did mean that the doom that had hung over my head for so long had finally started to retreat.

Corey had been the one to actually surprise me the most with the change. For the first time since they had shed the persona of our initial meeting, an impatience seemed to be stirring within them. It was nearly time for the arrival of Traveler, and I knew how much Corey respected the other core. It was just unexpected to see their manifested form running around like a kid on Christmas every morning, checking if Santa had shown up yet.

"Interesting, so if we were able to get you these materials, you could build a tank capable of holding the experience?" I asked Trolke. I had cornered the giant over breakfast for a conversation on some ideas I had. The amount of experience we had gained on the last floor was enough that a large chunk of it was wasted. I wanted a way to avoid the waste, and considering I knew Sanquar had managed to refine some experience with basically nothing, it seemed plausible we should be able to.

"Yes, but as I said, I'm not an expert in this. I can make something capable of holding it, but unless you can find someone able to facilitate the transfer, or you can do it yourself, the bleed off is likely to make the whole thing pointless. It will be like making a water barrel out of a sponge," he replied. I wasn't overly concerned with the second part. I was far happier that he was sure it was possible.

"Either way, that's good news. Now that the bunkhouse is more or less finished. What does Pryte have you working on next? I'm going to need to get a workshop going pretty soon. There are several ideas I finally want to try," I said.

"Yes! How soon?! I want to try things too!" Gamma said, from above the table next to me. They had been a surprising close companion the last couple of days. We had drawn up a pretty detailed blueprint for what I was now calling our future workshop, or at least the first version of it. I was sure more changes would come as our abilities grew. Gamma was incredibly focused on some ideas they had for mana orb growth and wanted to work on trying to awaken one once we could.

"Remember, Gamma, we talked about this. Try to be patient. As much as we may want to do things immediately, few things are instant," I replied. Some of what I had focused on in this last week were Alpha, Beta, and Gamma's lives. I wanted to better understand what each of them truly desired out of their new existences, and how I could best work with them toward those goals.

"Sorry, Mr. Trolke. I will try to stay calm," Gamma said. I wasn't sure when they had started adding the honorifics exactly, but as long as they managed to maintain their calm, it was now almost a constant. Contrast that with Beta who who was basically never respectful, but I had already realized that was mostly a facade. Beta cared a lot for our home and the new empire; some of it they had picked up from books with Alex and the other kids, but mostly they saw it as their duty to ensure our safety.

Beta had convinced Alpha to help with nightly patrols, and now, between the two of them, we were given daily reports on anything suspicious. So far, I hadn't considered anything notable, but Pryte was happy with the information, and it gave Alpha something tangible to do as well. Alpha was the hardest to get a good feel on, but they seemed to at least enjoy the nightly patrols. I hoped that meant something toward their growth.

"It's appreciated, Gamma. Pryte does want me to get to work on the main house next. He says it's important that the entire royal family have personal bedrooms for when future dignitaries visit. Your workshop plans will be part of that. I should start breaking ground tomorrow," Trolke replied. Before I could ask anything else, a chat window appeared in my head.

>Corey: Everyone, quickly, Traveler is here!

>Dave: Maud, could you find Pryte? I'll go check on Corey.

>Maud: Yep! Can't wait to meet their friend. :)

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

>Beta: Alpha and I are already here. They did not come alone. For now, I bow before Corey's judgement, but I am watching them! They could be spies after all!

>Alpha: Spies!

"Well, looks like we may need to shift around priorities slightly. Traveler has arrived, and I assume the other strangers with them are some Reltleons," I said, after closing the chat window.

"Interesting. Pryte had said a Traveler's gate was potentially in your future, but I didn't really believe it. Most factions aren't so willing to just let the Reltleons build their own outposts," Trolke replied.

"We don't exactly have a plethora of options on better connecting ourselves to the greater Spiral. We can't use the Spire porters for just anything, and honestly, I didn't mind my interactions with them in the past," I replied, as I stood up from the table, followed by Gamma in the compass floating after me.

"Fair enough, well yeah, guess I should join you, gonna need to work in whatever building plans they have into this place. You're quickly heading for an actual settlement here at this rate," Trolke said, dashing to catch up to us, his large feet thundering as he did.

We found Corey in their robot form on the far side of the bunkhouse. It was where Timon currently had the van parked, leading me to guess that it had been what they tracked when finding their way here. "I am glad to see you, Traveler. It feels like it has been much longer than it has," Corey said as one of the Reltleons, an older-looking one with a longer white beard, placed the dungeon core onto a picnic table.

"Yes, I was also glad to hear you and Dave had secured his home, and who are these new cores?" Traveler asked.

"Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. They also came from the same world I did, but only recently have we begun to teach them the ways of the world. I was hoping for your help with that, as you have done much in teaching me," Corey responded.

"It is my pleasure to meet all of you, and I would very much be glad to do everything I can to assist you in your awakening," Traveler replied.

"Traveler, this Trolke, and that gnome hurrying across the yard is Pryte. You are probably going to need to work with them to figure out just what kind of building we will need for the gate," I said, introducing them to the people they would most likely spend a lot of time interacting with in the near future.

"Good to see Dave wasn't lying about this relationship, and good to meet you as well. I sent Maud to find the others so that we can have a full meeting," Pryte said, joining us. As though on cue a chat window popped into my view.

>Karlinovo: Dave, this is Santa. I know who I am now, and I'm trapped in a dungeon on your planet. It is imperative you find me!

>Dave: Wait, what? Where are you?

>Maud: Uh, who is Karlinovo? :/

I closed the chat window as I waited for a response, and blurted out something that was possible I should have kept quiet. "Pryte, that dungeon in Antarctica, I think we need to go there now!"

"What, why all of a sudden?" Pryte asked.

"Traveler, how much do you trust your companions?" I asked, turning to the dungeon core.

"Completely," they responded, which was good enough for me at the moment.

"The figure connected to my soul chat somehow was drawn into that new dungeon, and when it happened, they remembered who they were," I said, considering the implications of their identity. It was just too big a name to fully share yet. But we had to save them. Karlinovo represented a wealth of knowledge we needed.

"Okay, and I assume you're going to tell me just who they are," Pryte replied.

"Not yet, I will on the way. Traveler, I apologize for cutting our meeting short; something critical has come up. I will hopefully explain more when we return. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, I want Elody, Timon, Rabyn, Connie, and the Brothers on the bus. Maud is staying here for communication whether she likes it or not," I said, heading for the bus myself. Pryte was following at my side, looking confused.

"The doors are closed now, we should be safe in here, who the hell has you this worked up?" Pryte asked the moment we were on the bus.

"You aren't going to believe this. But the name in my chat is now Karlinovo," I said, watching Pryte's face change from annoyance to understanding.

"Damn, is it actually him? No, don't answer that. It makes more sense that it's him than anyone else. Of course, his soul was drawn to the only other one to do his experiments," Pryte replied.

"Has his mind just been floating freely out there the whole time? How is that even possible?" I asked. I knew from my own experience and my class abilities that a soul separation was entirely possible, but could you really continue to live without your body?

"I honestly don't know, but you know who would? Karlinovo. That man could be the greatest resource this faction will ever have. The moment the others are here, we are heading for him," Pryte said just as the bus doors opened.

Teaching other cores is one of the greatest things another dungeon core can do. Once we have truly freed ourselves from that madness, it is the burden we must take upon ourselves if we wish to enlighten more of our kind. I know not everyone agrees with me on this topic, but I do not entirely care. I believe that all dungeon cores are worthy of the same rights accorded to other species, and through helping them learn of the world around them, they will also understand they deserve those rights.

Equality of Sapience by Traveler-2

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.