The broken dungeon core

Luna started her tale of her visit and how everything suddenly went wrong.

Luna, “I had gotten back to the village without incident and I was able to sneak in the Barkley’s barn and stored the luggage where we usually leave the things that we are returning to the village.

Everything went smoothly and I was able to get the items to pretend to be returning with that our parents had gathered while I was gone, and I made it home safely.

I joined our parents in the fields to help them with the remaining harvest and to get updates on what is going on.

The Barkley family has been sneaking more stuff out to the camps that are likely going to be the ones that most of the villagers are going to, the hidden vale their cousins found in the woods near the base of this mountain and on the opposite side of the village where the river connects to the lake there’s a curve in the cliff that makes it’s location difficult to find until you get right in front of it, although it is the closest to the village since the bandits aren’t likely to cross the river once it starts snowing it should be a good place to hunker down.

Our parents were able to inform them about our location and that it is a good sized cave not far from the river descending from the mountain, so some of the families are deciding who wants to join us here.

Someone was going to join me on the way back but I got teleported back here instead.

We were going to bring more clothes and cookware as well as much food as possible both jar preserves and fresh produce and another blanket if there was any room for it.”

Luna looks shaky as she tells of where things went wrong.

Luna, “I went to go act as a waitress at the tavern for dinner like I did last time, although they have always been rough and rude people, they were worse than usual.

The constant noise of drunks is already unpleasant but they were very grabby, trying to grope me whenever I passed by and eventually one of them had grabbed me and pulled me into his lap and when I tried to get out of his grasp he got angry and hit me, most everything became a blur after that since more than one person hit me and they wouldn’t let me go as they ripped my clothes and I was so scared that I started screaming for help and when I got a notification that I could get teleported to the dungeon core I couldn’t help but agree with the teleportation.”

Luna looks saddened and conflicted before she continued speaking.

Luna, “Unfortunately doing so seems to have caused the dungeon to suffer greatly, it’s already damaged core is even more damaged and as you saw inside earlier it made the dungeon bleed and some of it collapsed.”

Luna exhales depressively before she stops her wide eyed siblings from talking just yet with a raised hand.

Luna, “I am going to focus on transferring mana to the dungeon in hopes that it can repair itself, also I won’t be going into the village anymore since it is better for me and probably others as well if the bandits keep thinking that I just disappeared.

At most for the sake of getting supplies I will be going to collect the supplies and returning right back so unless we get notes the only way to get news will be from running into some of our hunters or someone at the supply drop location.”

Luna takes a couple of deep calming breaths before turning serious.

Luna, “Now we are going to seriously focus on preparing for the winter. Rocky you are going to have to watch over Misty so I am going to give you tasks that you can do here and close by, you will be in charge of keeping the canteens filled with water and collecting food where you can find it wherever you head out. When I bring back vines to make baskets with you and Misty will remove all of the leaves, and once I get a way to wash and dry the dirty clothes then the two of you will fold and put them away. We are going to stay busy so be ready.”

Rocky, “You can count on me, I won’t let you down! I can even handle going to get the supplies too!”

Rocky stands up and shows his little arm muscles and tries to make himself look bigger and braver than earlier had me believe.

Luna doesn’t take his nonsense seriously but shows her appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

Luna, “I know that you could handle it but since I am going to be out hunting and setting traps anyways it will be better for me to go get it on my way after setting up the traps and then collecting whatever got caught on my way back. Meanwhile you taking care of the area near the dungeon with Misty will be more efficient.”

Rocky, “Oh, alright, if that’s what’s best then I’ll get it done. Just make sure you stay safe and don’t let those bandits near you again.”

Luna gives a halfhearted laugh and smile while a teary Misty tugs on her sleeve.

Luna, “What’s the matter Misty? Are you alright?”

Misty, “I don't want you to go, can’t you just stay here with us? Momma and daddy are going to come here soon can’t they bring everything then?”

Luna, “Sure, I guess I could do that too, but I bet everyone is worried with how I disappeared so I think I should meet them on the way at least once before I stay here full time.”

Misty mumbles her own okays.

Luna, “Now let’s eat a little something before bed I’m just going to have an apple myself but you two can pick something else if you want as long as you have enough to sleep through the night soundly.”

They each make quick work of some fruit and berries before going to bed, while Luna returns to my core room to give me all the mana she refilled since earlier and she eats a little mana grass before she joins her siblings in their bedding.

She falls asleep quickly from her exhaustion but she sleeps restlessly with enough tossing and turning to wake her siblings more than once before daylight returned to announce the new day.