User blog:Gnomehunter/Dungeon Crawling wwyd response

No sooner had she opened the door and set down her equipment when her parents turned to look at her from the table. Her mother was crying and her father had a somber expression on his face. They both attempted to greet her. “Rosalyn...welcome back”.

“Mother? Father, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Richmond. He’s. He’s come down with the pox”. Her mother covered her mouth to hold back her sobs. Rosalyn’s stomach flipped.

“No! But how? When?”

“We don’t know where he might have got it. Just that he’s had it for a week now. We were going to try to contact you so that you could have a chance to see him”. Her father led her to the door of the bedroom they had shared as children. But he stopped her from opening it. “Rosalyn, you can’t. He’s contagious”. Rosalyn’s eyes welled up with tears.

“All the time on the road I spent, fighting bandits and monsters, and now the scariest monster I’ve encountered is right here at home”.

“There’s nothing we can do”, her mother replied. “We’re just glad to have you back, so we can be together a little longer”.

“Rosalyn? Is that you?” Richmond asked weakly from the bedroom.

“Richmond? Yes, I’m here. I just got back!”

“I’m glad. I missed you”.

“I’ll be here as long as I can”. She answered. Richmond coughed and went silent.

“We have to let him rest”. Her father said.

For three days, Rosalyn stayed with her family, trying to help them as best she could. But on the fourth night, she woke up long before any of her family. In the early hours of the morning, she gathered her supplies, readied her equipment, and bid a final goodbye to her loved ones. She did so by dropping a sack of coins on the table, hoping somehow it would make up for her disappearance. And she left the small house, trekking through the village and onto the path that at last led her to the dungeon that lay near the village. She looked at her recently acquired map, hastily drawn and marking several locations of treasure chests and monsters. As the sun began to rise, she marched straight into the darkness

Deciding to test the map’s accuracy, she took the winding passage that led off to the right, into a single chamber that supposedly contained one monster and one chest. As she crept quietly through the passage, she stepped into the chamber to see it almost littered with jars.

“Somebody hiding?” She asked aloud. When nothing responded, she smashed one of the jars to pieces. Nothing happened, so she carefully smashed another one. As more jars crumbled, she began to notice a small voice, floating from one of the jars. It was all the way against the wall, so she walked past it and nudged the small treasure chest. Carefully opening the lid, she found a long length of rope.

“Useless”, she murmured, and closed the lid without taking the contents. Leaving the room, she walked back to the first chamber, this time taking the other door. It led her into a large chamber with 3 other doorways. One to her left, and 2 more next to each other across the other side of the chamber. But right in the center, she spotted a monster. The girl’s body was planted firmly in the ground, a large spotted mushroom cap on her head. “Matango. Do your best not to alert her to your presence, keep as much distance as possible, and try not to breathe”. She repeated the advice of another adventurer to herself as she tried to step quietly across the floor. Slinking behind the girl, who was facing the corner of the doorway...right where she was trying to go. Standing almost behind the girl, She glanced at her map. It seemed the two doors led to the same room. She picked up a small rock from the floor, and threw it back to the corner she had come from. It hit the floor, causing the monster to turn in the direction of the sound. Rosalyn hurried around the mushroom and down into one of the doorways. Dagger at the ready, she was hardly surprised when a skeleton jumped out from a nook in the corner. The girl tried to grab rosalyn, but it wasn’t enough by herself. Rosalyn jabbed the handle at the lower leg bones, knocking it right off. The attacker uttered a small grunt of surprise, toppling over as Rosalyn ran by.

“You’ll be alright”, she said, almost to herself. Reaching the storage chamber, she located the chest in the middle of the room. Inside was a large metal key. Pocketing it, she looked toward the passage she had just come from. There was nothing in sight, so she walked, trying to be more careful, into the neighboring passage, hoping it might allow her to evade the matango on the way back. The third passage in the room led into a huge pool of water, and she couldn’t spare the time to see if it was worth exploring. The passage she was traveling through was much brighter, and when she rounded the corner, she saw another little girl, this time looking like she had flames on her chest and feet.

“Oh, a visitor-oh. It’s a woman. Hello”. Rosalyn almost felt slighted by the girl’s remark, but knew the cause.

“I’m sorry I can’t be the man you’re looking for”, Rosalyn answered brusquely.

“Oh, no it’s just…well I don’t see many visitors here. But what brings you into our home? I don’t usually see female travelers”.

“I have to find something to help my sick brother”.

“Oh dear, I hope you succeed”. Rosalyn suddenly realized that the lantern girl might be able to help her.

“Wait, would you know any other mamono that can use healing magic in here?”

“Hmm...there are a few who can use magic, but I’ve never gotten to talk to them about what kind of magic they can use. Perhaps you could find some treasure?”

“I guess I’ll have to count on that”. Rosalyn prepared to hurry onward when she turned back. “Wait. What are you doing here?”

“Huh?”

“Doesn’t your kind only come about from a lantern that’s been well used by people?”

“Oh, well yes. I last remember traveling with my current master. He dropped me when he was running and never looked back. It was just as I was starting to gain awareness. When he didn’t come back, some of the others in the dungeon helped me finish my transformation”. She looked past Rosalyn into the passage, as if she was hoping the man would appear before her.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you find someone else who can make you happy”.

“Thank you!” The girl brightened at her words, but Rosalyn was already on her way. The light from the monster disappeared and she peeked out of the doorway at the matango before her. It was looking towards the neighboring passage that Rosalyn had originally escaped into. Thanks to the monster’s lack of attention, she was able to sneak around her and back to the third unexplored passage.

Into the curvy, narrow hall she walked, until she reached a split that continued on forward, or to either left or right.

“Escape passage. Chamber with another escape. Lots of ways to get out. Forward. Big monster. Big chest. Right. Another monster. Another chest? Both locked. Have to be careful of the bigger ones. Right it is”. She strode down the passage, until she reached a door in the wall. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it open. The second thing that caught her eye was the locked wooden box in the corner. But she also noticed the slimy green tentacle woman resting on the wall nearby.

“Oooh”, the girl enunciated, as she straightened and began to slowly advance toward the intruder.

“Of all the creatures, why a tentacle?” Rosalyn asked. Of all the stronger monsters that might have been able to fight back or give her trouble, this was the worst she could have encountered. Tentacles vastly outmatched a single human, especially in close quarters. They were especially unfavorable to fight, given their often uncontrollable urges when close to a woman, human or monster. And you couldn’t attack them without risking getting close or using excessive force. “Stay back!” She shouted, holding up her sword and pointing it at arm’s length. The tentacle froze, and Rosalyn bolted for the chest.

“Hey! You can’t just take that treasure, it’s mine to guard. Buuuut if you really want it maybe there’s something you can do for me”. The tentacle grinned, her lewd intentions clear. Rosalyn fumbled with the key, before managing to open the box. The golden light spilled out and she covered her eyes.

“GOLD! USELESS GOLD” Rosalyn screamed.

“Awwww, what’s the matter, cutie?” the voice said from right behind her. Rosalyn jabbed the hilt of her sword behind and heard a grunt, and she whipped around and bolted for the door. Something grabbed her leg and she crashed to the ground. “Now, listen”, the tentacle said crossly, as one of her tendrils wrapped around Rosalyn’s ankle, “I don’t take kindly to robbers who won’t even take the time to talk. I think I need to teach you a lesson”.

“My brother needs help right now, and I won’t let anyone stop me now!” Rosalynn pulled a dagger from her belt and threw it. The tentacle flinched, but it sailed right past her head. The eyes on her body were staring straight at Rosalyn, unconcerned by her distraction, so she poked the  tendril with her sword. The girl yelped in pain, but her grip loosened and Rosalyn fled.

“I’m sorry”, she muttered, rushing into the corridor. Trying to put as much distance as possible, she ran back the way she came, towards the chamber with the other chest. As she burst into the room, she stopped, trying to catch her breath before taking in her surroundings. The room was lined with bookshelves, and along one of the walls was a massive desk. In front sat a woman, who looked up at the source of the noise.

“And what brings you here to my chamber in such a hurry?” She asked dryly. Rosalyn ran towards the opposite doorway but a barrier appeared in front of it before she crossed the room. The room with the treasure in it was also locked off. She turned to the speaker and stated firmly

“I have to help my brother. He’s sick, and I need something to heal him”.

“I see. But I’m afraid I can’t let you pass by me. I’ll need you to at least pass 1 test. You can try for access to the treasure, or you can try for access to the passage, where my lady is awaiting all challengers who reach her. If at any point you wish to retreat, say so and you can return the way you came”.

“I can’t turn back now”.

“Well then, would you like a test of your wits or your strength?”

“I think I like my odds in a fight”.

“Well then, I will test your abilities”. She lowered her hood, and Rosalyn could see her discolored, gray skin and sunken eyes. She clutched a staff, and stood up straight, muttering something. ‘Lich’, Rosalyn thought. The identified monster raised her arms and a horde of skeletons rose from the floor, preparing to mob their master’s opponent. Rosalyn tried to gather her concentration, sweeping the skeletons off their feet. She stepped around the disconnected leg bones and kicked one, using it to trip over the ones furthest from where she stood. “It seems you know a thing about mamono combat. Then take this!” Raising her staff, she shot a slow beam of purple light at Rosalyn. She stepped around it, but more emanated from the staff, restricting her movement. The lich stepped forward and brandished her staff as a weapon, striking at Rosalyn who managed to catch the attack. As they tried to hold their position, the lich seemed to shift her attention. “Behind you”, she stated flatly.

“What? Do you think I would fall for such a cheap trick?”

“No, truly I would not try to distract my opponent, but if you are intent on returning home, it is pertinent that we deal with that which is trying to interrupt our battle”. She stepped back, conceding ground to Rosalyn, and waved her staff. A light burst from her staff, and something was now surrounding Rosalyn, covering every inch of her body.

“What did you just do to me!”

“Merely a basic defense spell, it’s right here, I just need to-” she wasn’t looking at Rosalyn, but at the floor, as if trying to shoo something away. Rosalyn looked, when she saw something wriggling beneath their feet. It jumped. The lich cried out in shock and began clutching at her cape. “Pesky slime! Get off of me, you won’t have any success with-” she trembled and collapsed to the floor. The skin that she had cast on Rosalyn vanished. “No-!” As the lich tried to stand, something leapt out of the cape, straight up into the air. In the dim light provided by the torches on the wall, she saw it, a little mass of slime with a single eye. It lunged, and as Rosalyn tried to step back, it landed on her shoulder slithered up her neck and with a SSHHHHCCCCLLLLCCCK wriggled into her ear.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH” She screamed, falling to the ground.

“No! No, no”, the lich collected herself and tried to help Rosalyn who was flailing on the ground. The lich summoned some chains to hold her limbs, and placed the girl’s head in her lap. “Young one, I’m sorry. This is a parasite slime. It is trying to take control of you and there is nothing to do but to let go”.

“I can’t! Not when I was so close! I have to get back home!” Rosalyn could feel the slime in her head, the voice insisting that she give in. Her vision swam as the lich looked down at her, and despite the restraints holding her, she could feel her strength fading as every nerve in her body was being stimulated. Tears ran down her cheeks, as her lucid mind clung to the few memories it could. “My brother is going to die. My family wanted me to stay so that we could be together, but I left because I thought that I could do something to cure him. Like I’ve done before”.

“I will stay by your side. But you have to let the transformation happen-”

“Help Richmond!” She whispered.

“What could I do?” The lich asked, concerned. “If they were to set eyes on me-”

“Because I love them, all of them, and you’re the only one who could, because I can’t!” The lich looked at Rosalyn, whose speech was slowly starting to become less coherent, and who was staring at her with such a fierce expression that she found her solemn unbeating heart stirred.

“Very well. I will see what I can do”.

“Thank-” Her body convulsed.

“Now please, let the transformation commence. It will only be more intense if you continue to resist it”. Rosalyn answered with another scream as her determination evaporated into another expression, thrashing with what little power she had left. The lich sat there quietly, holding her former opponent. “I’ve seen more than a few monsterizations. But this one looks especially intense. It might take you longer to recover”.

---

When the trembling ceased, she placed the newly birthed monster against the wall. Slime poured out of her clothes, pooling beneath her to form a large cushion. The girl was fast asleep, looking as if she was the happiest creature on the planet. The lich stood up, walking to the final passage. At the end she placed her staff on the door, and it slowly opened. Inside, she approached the throne where an imposing echidna sat reclining on a throne. She sat up and smiled at her visitor.

“Hello there...I heard quite the noise from your chamber. Any interesting challengers?” She glided off her chair and across the floor to face the lich.

“I encountered a female adventurer who was insistent on challenging you”

“Oh! I don’t see them often. A shame she couldn’t make it”.

“Because a parasite slime got in”

“Urgh. I thought our defenses were adequate”.

“I will seek help to strengthen them. But it got the girl I was fighting”.

“Ah”.

“And in her dying words she begged me to help her fatally ill brother”.

“Well she wasn’t dying per se-”.

“I believe you understand my meaning. I can’t break the promise I made. And it could take a while before she recovers. Of course there’s no way she’ll be able to leave”.

“Well. There’s no reason why we can’t try. What do you have in the way of healing abilities?”

“I have read a lot on infections and diseases. So many ways for humans to die, it’s a wonder they work so hard to prevent it”, she replied, the last comment to herself.

“The perseverance of humankind is one of their most endearing qualities”, the echidna sighed wistfully. She moved toward the vault of treasure behind her throne, motioning for her guest to follow. Inside, among the piles of treasure, she located a box full of herbs. “Always good to have a diversified treasure hoard. If you find the illness is beyond your abilities, give them this medicine. It needs to be grinded up and mixed, with food or drink is fine. The boy should recover if he ingests it completely”.

“It is dark. I will take it now”

“Do you need help with a disguise?”

“I think I have it under control”.

---

When she knocked on the door, it flew open and a human couple stood in the doorway.

“Rosalyn is that-?” The woman asked, but faltered when she saw the figure in the heavy cloak.

“Madam...I’m afraid Rosalyn is unable to return”.

“Who are you? What have you done with Rosalyn? The man demanded.

“I am merely the one that she asked to save her brother”.

“No! I knew she was trying to do something. What happened?” her mother asked.

“Can you do something for our son?” The man asked hesitantly. The lich looked up, and into both of their eyes. Her piercing gaze made them go silent.

“I cannot tell you what befell your daughter. She is not dead, but she will not be able to return home, and this was her last request. So I must insist on entry to your home”. There was some whispering, until the couple acquiesced and allowed her inside. She walked straight to the bedroom door, guided by the faint scent of death in the air. “Your son is close, but not gone yet. I am well protected, so I will enter the room to inspect him. Do not enter until I come out”. She entered the room, closing the door firmly and approached the bedside of the young boy. “Richmond?” she asked softly.

“Who’s there?” He replied weakly.

“I am a healer, sent by your sister Rosalyn to help you recover”.

“You met Rosalyn?”

“I did, and she proved herself to be clever and determined in battle. And of course, she was doing everything in her power to help you”.

“Where is she now?”

“I’m sorry, young one. But she will not be able to return”. Richmond coughed.

“I miss her. I heard her for a few days. Then she was gone”.

“Perhaps you will meet her again one day”. The lich tried to concentrate on the boy’s condition. She muttered an incantation to clean him and the air around him, adding a small amount of demonic energy to restore his strength. The boy’s breathing grew calmer. “Pox”, she murmured. ‘I can handle this. With demonic energy. It will save the herbs. But it will put him on a much faster course to incubization. Perhaps it’s best to minimize that’. “Richmond? I will give this medicine to your parents. You must take it as they instruct. And now I must leave. I wish you a swift recovery”.

“Thank you”, he replied. “I hope Rosalyn will be ok”.

“As well as she can be”. She patted the boy’s head, then left the room, to face the worried parents. She handed the herbs over with the instructions she had been given.

“How can we ever thank you?” The mother asked.

“Live. Live as much as you can. And do not forget the sacrifice your daughter made”. She pulled her hood up and left the house, through the village and down the wooded path, returning to the tomb she called home.