Monster Breeder-182. Dungeon Descent, Part 8 (Jonny/Brenda)
Hey, Jonny, what’s a ‘METRO-AIL?’
Simply asking that in our internal monologue brings everything I know about it to the forefront of my mind where she can read it.
This ancient human Mall, long since buried by time and magic, once had a subterranean transport connecting it to other areas of metropolitan commerce. From all I know of history, these were fairly common in large cities, depending on the country. Huge, enclosed wagons moved people on rails through long, dark tunnels to parts unknown.
Scary
. It was a different time, my love.
The word, ‘METRORAIL’ in large capital letters (with the ‘R’ having fallen off centuries ago) hangs above a staircase leading down, thus prompting Brenda’s question.
“That way leads to the Dungeon’s third Floor, and the Dungeon Core,” Jing announces. There’s no need for us to go there, though, because our destination is right in front of us.
Another assembly of huge letters above this entrance reads, ‘TOMES-A-TRILLION’ in the ancient human language common to the region.
“Look! Here it is, the Library!” Tink squeals, eagerly buzzing forward into the once-splendid repository of books.
It’s remarkably well-preserved. There are obvious signs of decay: the touch of age is everywhere, from the faded signs and rusty racks to cracked tiles and the musty smell of ancient tomes. On the other hand, all traces of chaos have been swept away. No broken glass litters the floor, the stands and bookcases are all upright, and torches burn in sconces to illuminate the premises.
There’s no question that someone, or multiple people, care for this place and may have done so since time immemorial. From my knowledge of ancient humans, I know this wasn’t originally a true library. This is a book market repurposed into a repository of knowledge after the fall of man. I can hardly fathom the wealth this place represents.
Is it really that big a deal? Isn’t this just a bunch of old stories?
I can see where you’re coming from, Brenda, but the reality is starkly different. Depending on how much crossover this place has with our Hometown public library, we could be talking about a massive leap in recovering ancient technology. Humans once had weapons, farming abilities, and medical knowledge on par with what Third and Fourth Tier monsters can do—even comparable to some Fifth Tier monsters at scale.
That’s crazy! So, these books contain that kind of power…
Tink leads us over to the children’s section and proudly shows us her collection. “See! I told you the Prophecy was real! This guide has everything; you’re even on the cover,” the Fairy girl taps her foot on a magazine that claims to be a ‘Strategy Guide.’
Jonny! Look, it is you!
A heroic figure with a passing resemblance to me strikes a pose on the front. He’s wearing a green tunic and brandishing a glowing sword. “It tells us where the dungeons are that hold the keys to defeating the Demon Queen, the enemies we can expect, and where to find the Claw-Shooter! This is exactly the kind of Supernatural Aid we need to win.”
For some reason, I notice a copy of some literary analysis book called, ‘The Hero With a Hundred Faces,’ got misplaced in this section of the Library. Clearly, it’s had a profound effect on my impressionable Fairy lover.
““We’ll take a close look at this ‘Guide,’ Tink. I’m sure it’ll be invaluable,”” I say in our shared voice.
“I’ll put it in my purse for safekeeping,” Olindia says, gingerly taking the ‘manuscript’ into her possession with delicacy while the Fairy girl watches with a hawklike stare.
Jing perches on my shoulder and whispers in my ear, “Thank you for humoring my daughter. Fairy Prophecies don’t always come true the way you’d expect, but it means the world to her that you’d listen.”
Brenda and I turn our head to meet his gaze and say, “I promise to take good care of Tink. We haven’t known each other long, but she’s already a special person to me.”
The Dungeon Fairy gives a solemn fist-bump to my stony cheek.
“Everybody, you’ve got to see this, it’s hilarious!” Gale exclaims while flipping through a picture book about furry monsters arguing over oddly colored eggs and ham. She’s using her Water Magic like telekinesis to turn the pages. Thankfully, her control over the moisture is fine-tuned to keep the paper from getting wet.
Somehow, Olindia has already found and started drooling over a book full of half-naked men and women showing off their muscles (for some reason, the bottom half of each page contains dozens of empty numbered squares). Rosie and Monal are making lewd jokes and giggling like schoolgirls over a book about female anatomy with the lady bits on full display. Chris’s fascination with her new powers is evident by her attention to a book about igloos, ice holes, and winter sports. Then we see the source of their ill-gotten gains—Flou has split up into a half-score of bunny-eared Fuzzy Slimes bouncing about while searching the shelves.
““Is this… going to be a problem?”” I ask Jing as I watch Tink peeking over Rosie and Monal’s shoulders with a scandalized expression but looking through the gaps in the fingers covering her eyes.
“Not at all. We haven’t seen any guards in this area for a while.”
“Mr. Jing, sir, Gale has to go pee.”
The Fae man answers while pointing, “That way. Look for a sign with the silhouette of a human wearing a skirt.”
I have to ask as Gale scampers off, ““There’s not plumbing here, is there?””
“Hmm?” Jing tilts his head in confusion.
““It’s just, this place was abandoned by humans centuries ago. There’s no way the bathrooms still work, right?””
Huh?
Why wouldn’t they?
Things decay over time, Brenda. Ancient human constructs required constant maintenance even during their prime. It’s not something you’d necessarily see from daily living in the Forest or in a monster settlement, but you know that metal rusts and bugs eat paper, right?
Sure.
It’s stuff like that, and a million other little things. I’m surprised there aren’t any termites, cockroaches, or moths down here.
“Ah. Well, there are a couple of things you may not have considered. Firstly, where did you think the sewage that made the smell of that putrid Slime came from? Elves have to go somewhere.” True, he’s got me there. “Secondly, the Slimes actually help keep things in working order around here. They eat all manner of pests, clear pipelines of clogs, and their Cores provide multiple utilities.”
I bet you could keep food cold or heat it up using White and Orange Cores!
“Thirdly, there’s the mana in the air from the Fountain. That stuff tends to keep entropy at bay for a while.”
Eh? You’re memories are helping, but it seems like a complicated subject. How does he know about ancient human concepts?
Well, I suppose an older Fairy like Jing who lives near a Library would know a fancy word like, ‘entropy.’ Wait… ""What’s a Fountain?""
“You don’t know?” Jing asks, then continues after seeing from the look on our face that we’re clueless, “It’s a massive confluence of leylines resulting from an upheaval of natural energy from deep within the earth. That power isn’t something you or I can harness, but that’s the job of the Dungeon Core sitting atop the Fountain’s mouth. It consumes natural energy to grow, releasing the excess power as mana while creating Slimes to defend itself. Consequently, the airborne mana creates an excellent environment for Slime membranes, promoting their development. We thought you knew all this considering it’s the reason for everything here—the Elves’ whole operation revolves around harvesting Cores.”
The Elves are… collecting Cores? Guarding the Fountain and the Dungeon Core?
It’s all coming together. The Misty Grove, the Dungeon, the Elvish guards… the only things we don’t know about are how the Metrorail fits into this, and why they need so many Cores.
Other than the fact they’re super useful? If Alex came up with this many applications for the Cores in a week, who’s to say the Elves don’t have a few?
““So, Jing,”” I begin.
“Call me Papa.”
““Uh…”” Before I can respond, we hear Gale’s voice calling, “Hey, I found something really cool! Everyone come and see!” The others don’t take much convincing, and I’m not far behind them. When we reach Gale, the Rainbird is hovering beside an otherwise unremarkable stretch of bare wall. She’s practically vibrating with excitement. “After Gale went tinkle in the pot like a good girl, I was flying by this spot and felt something—moving water!”
Before her wingmaidens can get revved up, I point out, ""Not to rain on your parade, but we know there are pipes in the walls on account of the toilets.""
“There’s a parade?!?” Gale says, looking around as if she might spot it, having completely missed my point.
“He’s saying that water in the walls wouldn’t be unexpected,” Flou clarifies.
“Oh.” The Rainbird looks disappointed for a moment before cutely cocking her head to the side with a puzzled expression, “But the tiny rain on the other side says there’s a large empty room there, too. Are you sure that’s not important?”
Ah, she’s sensing the humidity inside a secret chamber!
Impressive.
““That’s brilliant, Gale!”” Brenda and I say together. I heft our stony fist and approach the bare edifice.
“Woah there, big guy,” Tink says as she flies down to hover in front of my face, giving me a noseful of her wonderful, minty scent, “As much as I love to see you flex those muscles, let’s think for a second, here. If there’s a hidden chamber, there must be a secret entrance!”
“That makes sense,” Chris says as she paces in front of a nearby wall-mounted bookcase. “Okay, my lucky foot starts tingling when I’m right… here!” The Snow Bunny lifts her paw, reaching out blindly to stabilize herself, and her hand lands on a tome that slides forward at an angle. There’s a mechanical
*click*
within the wall, followed by a section of stone depressing inward.
“Whaaa~! So cool!” Gale cooes as she hugs Chris in celebration.
Buns get all the luck!
After we congratulate her, Brenda and I find the stone panel easily slides aside with some slight pressure to reveal a staircase leading down. Having come this far, none of us are inclined to retreat in the face of a possible secret treasure-trove.
“Did you know about this, Dad?” Tink asks Jing.
“No, we had no idea this existed even after all these years down here exploring the Library. None of my bodies have seen the Elves using this chamber.”
Does this place predate the Elvish occupation?
It’s not impossible, I suppose.
Once we reach the bottom of the staircase, we find a metal door with a push bar that opens on a private sanctum. It’s a surprisingly cozy hideaway beneath the Library inside a Dungeon. There’s an old-fashioned drinking fountain with running water, a private bathroom with a flush toilet, an electric reading lamp, an office-style swivel chair, and a big mahogany desk.
The writing setup is more post-apocalyptic. A quill, an inkpot, and scattered pieces of parchment decorate the desktop. Leatherbound tomes sit in a squat bookcase near-to-hand.
A secret library within the Library!
At the moment, I’m most curious about the signs of electricity. A step forward and a press of a button illuminates an ancient eleedee light in the lamp. ““Where is the power coming from?”” I wonder. A cursory inspection reveals an airtight package of more eleedees in a drawer. ““Incredible, they're still intact.””
“Eh? It’s just this little guy,” Tink says as she lands on a wall-mounted box bearing the symbol of a jagged yellow line. She kicks a latch that opens to show us the Blue Slime Core slotted into a receptacle with a ‘+’ and ‘-’ on either side. The Core’s blue glow crackles with energy. Damn, this would be amazing to take back to my home town!
“Hey, can someone read this? These look important,” Gale says while staring at the books on the shelf.
That’s your cue, Jonathan!
As the resident human who actually got a rudimentary education—no offense, Brenda—
None taken, my love
—I tear myself away from the fascinating power grid to see what the fuss is about.
“
Ritual Mechanics for Dummies
?
Elementary Spellcraft and Sorcery
, the
Atlas of Greater Territories
,
On Fairy Prophecies and Other Prognostications
!?! These are… Alex and Gabby are going to have a field day!”
The value of these tomes goes far beyond even that of the Library itself.
“Jonny, Brenda, take a look at this. Doesn’t it seem familiar?” Flou asks as she extends a handful of papers in our direction.
What… are we seeing?
I recognize the handwriting at once despite only having had a glimpse of the original. If this body had blood, it would’ve run cold. ““I-It’s—These are descriptions of God Beasts.””
“Oh! Oh!” Olindia exclaims, “I remember hearing about pages torn out of the Book of Monsters! This, like, totally has to be them!”
“Yes, that’s right,” Flou agrees.
I grip a sealed envelope in our stony fingers and stare at the name written there. ‘“This is Saint Lilith’s study.””
.
!
182. Dungeon Descent, Part 8 (Jonny/Brenda)
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