Uno

I was sleeping soundly, for the first time in what felt like years. There is something deeply enjoyable about this soundless abyss. That’s why I was quite pissed when the words waking me up were so rude.

[What is this?] A voice of a middle-aged man sounded. And then, a really, really loud shout followed. [WAIT! YOU CAN DO THAT?!]

[Somebody is trying to sleep here!] I grumbled, speaking in the same way that I used to activate abilities. Somehow it worked and the being responded.

[You can hear me? MIRABELLE! Argh, so much for looking like an ancient, divine being.] He grumbled too. Wait. I know that voice.

[Brighton?] I probed.

[Oh, so you remember me. Good. Why weren’t you talking earlier?]

[I was sent towards your world without much warning, you know?]

[Ah. As expected from Paidel. Ruthless.] God sighed with remorse. [I too wasn’t the best host. If only I knew… But there isn’t much I can do right now. Maybe just offer my apology.]

[Ummm… sorry for asking, but aren’t you, you know - a god? There shouldn’t be any things that you can’t do.] I asked, thinking about how complicated it was starting to be.

[Normally - yes. But, you see - Yana is a bit different in that regard.] His voice slowed down. I just knew that there was more to the topic.

[Like what?]

[You see-] He started talking unwillingly only to be interrupted by much younger, lighter voice.

[Oh, let me explain! You and your useless pride! Bah.] After berating Brighton, the voice continued. [I’m called Mirabelle and I’m the Goddess of Luck and Chance. Nice to meet ya, youngling core!]

[Hello?] I answered weakly at that intrusion to our conversation.

[Howdy! Now to continue our discussion. You see some time ago - thousands of years in the past - natives of this planet pretty much fucked themselves up during the magical war.]

[Mirabelle! Language!] A voice from the background screamed in indignation.

[Don’t be so stiff. We’re all adults here.] I could sense her wide smile through these words. [By meddling with powers they didn’t understand pretty much all of the planet's mana was thrown into chaos. Children were born horribly mutated, both flora and fauna faced near-extinction and then grew madly aggressive, normal magic stopped working. That kind of bad.]

[I see.] Yup - like people on our planet thought would happen after a nuclear holocaust. Well, maybe without the magic part.

[Everything was in chaos. Stabilizing both the planet and its inhabitants took a lot from us. There were more gods then though. And when we were thinking that Yana was on a way to recuperation they did it again.]

[I’m sorry?]

[They fucking magically nuked their planet. AGAIN!]

[...]

[So, little core you’re now on a planet sliding down a one-way ride to hell. Most of the gods were so pissed that they simply left the planet, searching for… “other job opportunities”.] I briefly wondered what were job opportunities for gods. [So now we’re stuck, seeding dungeons and trying to use them to both cull number of the sentients and get them strong enough to stop this madness. And preferably reclaim territories known as badlands. We established the System to take care of sapients and help them fight the beasts and most importantly stop the spread of the corruption. Which turned out better than expected. Sadly it cuts down our power and ability to intervene.]

[Okay… What are badlands then?]

[It’s the place where you are. The borders of it, anyway. Full of mutated creatures and mad, desperate people who hunt them or just try to eke a living. Living here is better than starving in the bigger cities or dying in bloody clan wars. Or worse, race wars.]

[And what I can do?]

[A few hundred years ago I would’ve said - help us. Now? Just survive. Now that you created your dungeon both mutated creatures and surrounding people will find you. It’s only a matter of time. After all, your mana is clean and tasty - like an oasis in the desert.]

[Shit. Then I’ll change my question. What should I do?]

[Shore your defenses, kill invaders, be it beast or man. And survive.] Her voice quietened for a moment. [We’re nearly out of time.]

[Any tips?] I asked hopefully.

[I can see that you’re a bit stuck. If you’ll stand by us, in the end, some of my or Brighty priests will contact you. And hopefully, help you. Also…]

[Also?]

[Remember that your mana manipulation isn’t limited to innate abilities!]

[But I don’t have access to other skills!]

[Duh… maybe people down here have already forgotten this, but System is only a crutch! Nothing more!] She laughed at the end until whatever they were using for communication ran out of gas.

Then I turned on my Mana sight and trembled.

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! WHY ARE THERE MORE OF YOU?!

***

Mirabelle

Hahahahaha, it was so nice! Such a naive little core! Now only to make sure it survives and in a few decades, it will be ripe for harvest. Lovely. Maybe she won’t have to leave this planet after all. At least it could add a few hundred years to the planet lifespan and as such provide her more opportunities.

As she was planning and wondering a loud and obnoxious voice entered the Goddess' ears.

[Mirabelle! What were you thinking?!] Brighton shouted, always much-too-proper and inflexible. [If this core, no - this person - stays on Yana it will no doubt be harvested or even corrupted. Isn’t it why we were not sending any truly sentient souls to act as dungeons?] His fury was clear. Now, how to pacify him… yes. Of course. The fabled greater good trick.

[The chance was already lost. As a foreign being there is no way to get him out, so we need to bet on his resilience. Besides…] She lowered her tone, hissing like a snake. [Did you take a good look at these constructs of his?]

[I did, but I still don’t understand how…]

[It doesn’t matter how!] She interrupted, joining their bodies together. There was a need to distract him, Brighty was weak under pressure after all. [His creations should be able to survive in the badlands unimpeded. What’s more - sentients may learn how to create them!] She closed in and whispered deviously. [And most importantly they can - in time - gain sentience! And then there will be a whole race of corruption-resistant beings which can once again colonize the planet!] Her laugh was overwhelmingly loud. Spirits surrounding them had already hid. They knew that laugh.

[But… His soul could be lost forever. He could get harvested. Or worse.] God of science still had objections, the last vestiges of his integrity, but the voice of reason was quieter and quieter still.

[It’s for the greater good, brother.] Mirabelle took out heavy guns. [What worth has one future when it can save the whole world?] And us, she added in the depths of her mind. Brighton was clearly hesitating, so she finished. [Besides he was sent here by a Fallen Angel. Smuggled even. Do you think that anybody but demons tracks such transactions? We’re safe.]

[Yes, you’re right. What worth has one sentient, when the fate of the world is in peril?] Strength returned to Brighton's eyes.

[Yup. I gotta rest - this mirror thing took a lot from me.] She smiled again, this time much sweeter than before.

[I won’t stop you then. Rest well, sister.] With a slight bow Brighton left her realm.

After she was sure that he wasn’t going to come back she laughed.

And laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

Spirits were trembling.

***

Uno

Calm. Like a fucking leaf on the wind. I need to be calm.

There were now five of these Drones, waltzing around the place, looking for something to do. How did they even get here? I have no idea. They simply spawned when I wasn’t looking. To tell the truth - when I was sleeping after creating my dungeon.

At least they kinda shine when hard work is involved. These guys don’t tire and don’t nag me about things. On the downside they were totally, utterly stupid and stubborn. Like rocks given soul. I guess they kinda are?

Under my watchful Analyze their structure was shown as the same rock/duct tape combination as the first one. Truth to be told I can’t even differentiate which one was created first. At least under their watch, four rooms were fully excavated and prepared for further usage. And I mean for real - like somebody licked the floor clean. Also, every iron bar, piece of wooden furniture or some random odds and ends were somehow absorbed. When I focused hard enough I could feel them - blueprint-like explanation and meaty, material innards. Curiously skeletons dotting this place were left alone by the raging cleaners.

Right now all the space I had available underground wasn’t really that big. From the still collapsed entrance a small tunnel was running ahead only to branch out after five meters to the left and the right. In both cases, there was a small room, with two cubic meters of empty space inside. Continuing ahead after three more meters, the tunnel ended with - once again - two branching rooms. In the right one, my onyx core was lying on the floor. These two were also about two cubic meters and stood there bare.

The small, but cozy dungeon I guess.

Or it would be if not for the veritable rat invasion. They were streaming in one after another, digging through soft dirt in the collapsed entrance and in the room I was in. Clearly, something lured them in and the first one was only the beginning.

At least my drones were useful for something - their graspers squeezing invaders to death and shovel-like arms cutting off their heads. What’s more, I was able to absorb their bodies, learning how they were made. Blueprints - again. And thanks to that I learned that they weren’t called molerats, but simply Grey Rats.

Grey Rat

Small, mutated critter common in the badlands. They serve as a source of nutrition for pretty much every predator and even some desperate sentients. Their meat is tasteless and stringy, with a repulsive odor. Grey Rats are omnivores sensitive to heightened concentrations of mana, especially those of a non-corrupted kind. They are named after their fur color and use enlarged fangs and teeth to fight against their foes. No known magical affinity or special skills. Like most of the badlands beasts, they contain an inner gland used in cleansing mana.

Threat level: E-

Now, wait a moment. Two things - first one... there are threat levels? That changes things. Especially since my Drones are threat level E. This was not much, just enough to take care of these rats. Which in turn makes me stronger, but due to the lack of experience counter I can’t feel for how close to level-up I am.

How could I guess that there will be a moment when I’ll miss all these computer programs installation bars...

And secondly - mana conversion gland? Now isn’t that interesting. I would have to get a bit butchery-like on it, but right now I need to do something even more important.

That is to make myself some guards. And maybe traps?