Dungeon at the End of the Universe

Now that my blessing was properly categorized as an Ability I had no need to do my trick with gathering mana and begging it to do the hard work for me. Instead, I could simply activate the Ability.

Then, over time, I would observe what the Ability did, how it did it, and learn. Gradually I’d learn to do it all manually. That’s how mastery worked.

But for now, I only needed a simple actiavation.

“Grant System,” I said with as much gravitas as I could.

Energies began to move.

It began with a small amount of mana that made a faint thread between us, a bridge. Then System Essence started to spill out of me and travelling along the connection, which was soon followed by an equal amount of Eldritch Essence.

I would have thought that that would be it. Unfortunately, as the twin stream of Essences reached Faellen, something got in its way. Whatever it was, it reduced the amount of Essence that actually made contact with the fairy down to trickle.

I frowned. Surely this can’t be the end of our experiment. We haven’t even seen m-

Ignore That activated!

-y Paradox Ability yet.

Ah, there it is. Let’s see what happens now.

I kept my metaphysical eyes peeled for any new development. What ended up happening was not something I could have predicted.

My senses, which I’d kept on the lookout for different layers of reality ever since I’ve first spotted that divine palace, told me something was wrong. Someone, somewhere, had opened a path to a different place.

And yet not at all at the same time. The wasn’t a portal or anything similar anywhere!

Focusing on the feeling, it even felt familiar. It was… just like…

The Wyld.

I didn’t know how, but we had been partially pulled into the Wyld. We still remained fully in Ferras, and yet we were also in the Wyld.

…
Well, what do we have here?

I froze. A memory surfaced. Again, I had this strange feeling about these System messages. They… didn’t feel like the System? I’ve also never seen the System speak in such a… person-like way, other than when answering queries.

Ignore That activated!

My Ability activated again. But, the notification is pulsing this time. I almost feel like it’s… arguing?

…
No, I don’t think I will.

And again with the strange message. Why is the System acting so weird?

Ignore That activated!

…

Final Stop activated!

I really don’t know what to think now. Even these normal notifications almost, just almost, felt like they were weird. In a different way than those earlier ones, but still weird.

…
Very well. Have it your way then.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the barrier around Faellen disappears. With it goes our partial presence in the Wyld as well. We’re fully back in Ferras.

The Essence finished flowing into Faellen. I can sense the Ability about to end, but I decided to add a little something extra. A single small thread of Universe energy moves along the mana bridge and get absorbed as well.

I don’t know what that will do, but based on my monster it won’t be anything bad.

“So, how are you feeling?” I ask.

“I- I’m feeling… wow! That’s a lot of screens!”

Before I can ask more, I get a few message myself. This time fully normal, with none of that strange non-System-y feeling.

Sufficient energy levels detected.
You’ve selected a Champion!

Dungeon fairy Faellen has become your Champion!
Faellen Goldenbrush of the Forgotten Court has become your Champion!

For more information on Champions and their role in a deity’s life, click here.

And then, as if that weren’t enough.

System Anchor candidate detected!

Would you like to appoint User [Faellen]?

Somehow, I smelled trouble.

Unbelievable! Just unbelievable.

Can you believe, dear reader, the audacity of that b- I mean, the audacity of the Wyld? That old bastard probably think that just because they’ve grown so much and become practically untouchable that they can do whatever they want.

Well I won’t stand for it!

This Narrator is telling a story here, and I won’t have no interference from the others.

At least everything else seems to be going relatively well for my favourite Dungeon Core. The Seeds are growing well, the Divine pest problem has been dealt with, even the adventurers are doing quite well.

And best of all, I almost never have to interfere!

Sure there’s the occasional poor selection of targets for adventurer training. But now that they have that ritual which took Zemis, they should be able to pick and choose.

Oh, and with the threat of the time police gone, for now, there’ll finally be some proper developments down on Lapis. I am fully biassed, but it’s one of my favourite parts.

Well then, while the little Dungeon Core finished dealing with… that whole thing, I need to go wash my hands.

I hate when I have to deal with the End, especially when I have to touch it directly. It always takes so much more of my energy that other stuff.

I still can’t believe the Wyld forced me to do that. Do they not have anything better to do?

As for the System… well, it is young. But it still shouldn’t allow itself to be pushed around so much. If it continues like that it’ll never become an integral Aspect.

…

Not that I have much say on that, but I’m in a rather… UNIQUE position.

Ah, but enough about me. Let’s go back to the Dungeon. There’s secrets to discover! Mysteries to unravel! Apocalypses to cause! And powers to gain!

Oh yes, so much power to gain.

wazzap

For the first time, scribblehub gets a chapter earlier that royalroad. (only about half an hour earlier though). Don't get used to it (lol). (I just can't be bothered to schedule it to release at the same time rn.