soooooo Yeah, this is just a quick thing that i was going to leave tacked on to chapter 14, but it seemed to important for that...... so here you go, a side story that answers a lot of questions you probably had after reading last chapter..... then again it might just add some new questions for you.......

Now since i got tests and stuff for the next 12 days, I'm not going to be able to write all that much..... Also i'm going to be working on my current side project because that's currently coming out pretty fucking awesome in my opinion, plus i can write that inbetween all my studying in bits and pieces (I prefer writing D.I.'s chapters all in one go.....)... anyway if your interested in a Dark (I think it might be my darkest story so far....) story with a tamer MC, check that out here: Oathbound Icon....

now on to the chapter.... which i will maybe edit later.... depends on if i can remember to.... or if anyone finds any serious errors.....

ENJOY!!!!

Instinct

Waynor had left not long ago to port the “Guests” back to the entrance and watch over the negotiations between them and Hanna, Unfortunately with his leaving someone else came here. Someone that I was not particularly fond of and now had more than a few questions for.

I watched as Loria began walking directly up to where my and Waynor’s cores were, she wouldn’t be getting any closer than that.

“You can stop there, Loria. All mites, please see to other duties and leave us in private, there is something that must be discussed between us that is not for you all to hear…” (Instinct)

I watched as the various mites working in the room began to leave, even the ones that were hidden and acting as secret guards for Waynor and my cores. There was no need for them, and if what I suspected about this Loria that Waynor created was correct then it was best they weren’t here. Besides judging by what she had displayed with the “Guests” she probably knew where each and every mite was and what they were thinking, there could be no advantage to keeping them here for this.

“Hello again Instinct, it seems you have something you’d like to discuss with me as well?” (Loria)

As the last mite left and the door to the core room was shut and sealed from the outside I looked at this creation Waynor made, at the thing he named Loria. If she was not going to play games anymore and avoid acknowledging what she was capable of than neither would I.

“What actually are you?” (Instinct)

The creation smiled at me, it was beyond irritating how beautiful Waynor had made her appearance.

“I’m simply the Lord Waynor’s first muse, the one he gave the gift of the name Loria.” (Loria)

“Don’t lie to me Loria, I may not have the authority to strip the soul Waynor made for you from existence, but I can kill you easily enough. I know for a fact you’re far beyond a muse, you’ve displayed power that dwarfs what Waynor designed the muses to have. Now answer my question loria. What. Are. You?” (Instinct)

The smile fell from her face, and instead a look of determined seriousness took its place. She had probably noticed by now, she might not be able to sense anything from me or Waynor as we were beings far beyond her power but I couldn’t mask their presence anymore.

“So you made a few creations of your own, does Waynor know?” (Loria)

“Of course, he allows me to do whatever I so please with a set amount of his power whenever I so choose. He knows all about these two, he just doesn’t know how different you are from them…” (Instinct)

At my words my two creations stepped away from where they had been hidden behind columns leading up to the pedestal holding Waynor and my cores. Loria looked over them both with some level of curiosity, but soon seemed to dismiss them entirely.

“So you made muses, an interesting choice. I was under the impression you weren’t very fond of me or my kind…” (Loria)

“No, I’m just not particularly fond of you, and I doubt these two are anything near being whatever your kind is now. When was it that you planned to actually evolve, with all the power you’ve been saving up a normal muse would’ve been able to evolve long ago then evolve twice more times over…” (Instinct)

“Ah, well I thought it best if I followed my own path instead of evolving randomly. Lord Waynor encouraged me and allowed this when I refused his offer of evolution the first time, didn’t you know this?” (Loria)

I was in fact aware of the agreement about her evolution with Waynor, he was more than accepting of it in fact he thought it was interesting how she wanted to handle things. Ever since he seemed to stop even monitoring how much power she had accumulated, and now that I checked it was a ridiculous amount for just one rank 5 monster to have. It was at the level of a weak rank 8, maybe even enough to evolve her straight into something at rank 7 in one go.

“Yes, but this is an entirely different matter. With all that power inside you, you aren’t even a muse anymore you’re something else entirely and that makes you dangerous. So tell me Loria, what exactly are you? What is it you are planning to become?” (Instinct)

She just looked at me, her expression had become a flat emotionless mask.

“I am what I’ve always been since I first met Lord Waynor, his devoted servant. I merely plan to become a more capable servant for him, that is-…” (Loria)

“Oh, and what servant requires so much power? You know I figured out why you were always felt so off to me after you were named because of these two, did you know it only takes 600 points of animus to make a named muse? How much did Waynor use on you? How much did you accept and use to enhance your own powers? 1,000? 10,000? And he used mana as well, so of course you would be different. Once he named you, you were able to use the access power to make yourself into something far beyond a normal muse.” (Instinct)

“And you see that as a problem?” (Loria)

I glared at the muse and did something I never would have done if Waynor was around here to see, I manifested my will-body. I manifested it right in front of her, close enough that if I were solid and to lean forward even slightly our noses would touch.

“Yes, I very much do... Do you have any idea what normal dungeons would do to a monster they created that acted as you have? They would unmake you, ripping the very power that formed your body, mind, and soul from you and erasing you from existence entirely. That’s EXACTLY what I would do right here and now if Waynor wasn’t so fond of you for some reason, he seems to enjoy the fact that you keep some things to yourself for whatever reason. You know what he said when I brought this up with him? He said it was fine, that you were an interesting and loyal creation…” (Instinct)

I looked deep into her eyes so she would understand just how serious I was in this moment.

“I myself don’t think of you that way. I think you’re a flawed and dangerous creation with annoying feelings towards your creator and far too much freedom to act as you please. I think you are a threat waiting to happen and that one day you’ll cause Waynor to feel despair, I think it would be better if you didn’t exist at all Loria.” (Instinct)

She hadn’t even flinched, hadn’t reacted at all.

“I assumed you might feel that way about me, it’s been obvious that you disliked me. I assume it’s some mixture of jealousy, anger, and possessiveness towards my lord that has caused you to hate me, that’s fine you can hate me as much as you want we never needed to be friends we just need to be able to work with each other. So can I still work with you Instinct, can I depend on you to do what’s best for my lord Waynor?” (Loria)

I truly hated this woman in that moment, I hated her because even if she couldn’t see into my mind she was still touching on the truth. I wouldn’t kill her, at least not while Waynor still enjoyed having her here and alive. I suspected she already knew this, it’s why she was able to call my bluff so calmly and I hated her even more for it. Even still there were a few things I would have to ask her, and if the answers weren’t all correct then I would kill her and happily face the consequence of Waynor’s displeasure.

“Yula, Tula, scan her with both of your full power and if you find even a hint of deception tell me.” (Instinct)

I never took my eyes of Loria as I talked to my two muses, she was still a possible threat and I would never take my eyes off her while she was still such and in the same room as Waynor’s core.

“Now Loria, I’m going to ask you some simple questions and if you lie or I don’t like one of your answers I’m going to end your life and try my utmost to strip that name from you so you can never return.” (Instinct)

“I’d expect no less, ask whatever you wish I have nothing to hide from you…” (Loria)

I watched her face carefully as I began to ask my questions, if I saw even the slightest hint of deception in her expression I’d kill her at that moment.

“Are you a danger to Waynor?” (Instinct)

“No.” (Loria)

“Would you ever do Waynor harm?” (Instinct)

“No. I would gladly cease to exist before I considered harming my lord…” (Loria)

“Will you ever upset him or cause him displeasure?” (Instinct)

“Perhaps, but never will I desire to do so.” (Loria)

I had to control myself from ripping into the power holding her together when she said that, it was not technically an answer that was wrong or made her a danger but the mere fact she openly admitted she was capable of doing such a thing… I had to work very hard to repress my desire to just be rid of her right here.

“…Will you die if Waynor asked it of you, even if it meant killing yourself?” (Instinct)

“Yes.” (Loria)

“Will you follow all of his commands?” (Instinct)

“Yes.” (Loria)

“Will you do those two things for me as well?” (Instinct)

“Maybe, but only if I feel it is to the benefit of my lord Waynor. I serve none other than him, not even you…” (Loria)

I truly wanted to kill her, it didn’t matter if she was giving acceptable answers I just wanted to see her gone. Loria was too free, too uncontrolled, and too much of a risk in my opinion. It would be better if she weren’t here at all, if this unpredictable and potentially dangerous creation had just never been made. Unfortunately she meant every word she said, that was clear by the look on her face and the silence of my own muses. And unfortunately she was right we didn’t need to be friends, we didn’t even have to remotely like each other, we just needed to be able to work together for Waynor’s sake. Even though I hated her, truly TRULY hated her, I could work with her now that I could trust her not to be a threat to Waynor.

“Then I only have one question left, why are you here now?” (Instinct)

I watched as the muse simply raised her left arm and pointed at the human that Waynor placed into a seal, the one that was Hanna’s brother. The one that was called Ulisus.

“I’ve seen the thoughts and mind of that man, he is a direct threat to Waynor’s life. I’ve come here for your help in removing that threat.” (Loria)

I looked at the human, I had always been uncomfortable having him in the dungeon especially in the core room. He was after all a complete unknown, all that I knew of him was that he was important to Hanna and that Waynor wanted to save him to keep his pet happy. It was not difficult at all to imagine him posing a threat to Waynor, and unfortunately Waynor didn’t even seem to consider this at all. I had planned to carefully observe him and perhaps convert him into a monster so that he would be more easily controlled, but if he was such a threat that it prompted Loria to take such secretive actions…

“Fine, he is only one human after all. It might break Hanna though, have you considered that?” (Instinct)

“…Yes, that could prove to be the best time to have her join us formally. She would be so unstable she would likely reach out for any sort of comfort or familiarity, I believe that it would take little to no real effort for you to convince her to offer up her humanity. In fact you might even be able to get her to overcome many things…” (Loria)

“I was under the assumption that you and her were close, friends even. You would put her through this without regard for her own feelings?” (Instinct)

“I’ve considered her feelings, I’ve considered many things to try and find the best solution for everyone. This is it, and if needed you can even tell her who it was that really killed her brother and why he died. With the right timing that single truth would lead to her embracing an offer to cast aside her humanity and truly serve Waynor…” (Loria)

“She would hate you, hate you more than she ever has anything else. She’d view it as a betrayal.” (Instinct)

“And in her state it would be all too easy for someone with your skill to shift that hatred and feelings of betrayal on to another. Someone like her own brother…” (Loria)

I looked at Loria and tried not to let my shock show on my face. What she proposed was devious, it could even be called the ultimate betrayal to her friend, but it was also perfect. It would probably work out just as she envisioned, and it could prove to be the final push I need to teach Hanna what her real relationship with Waynor was. She would embrace that truth, and she would hold it close for the comfort that it would bring her in her broken mental state. She would finally decide to stop fighting my conditioning and she would accept being nothing more than Waynor’s pet.

I backed up and returned my will to my core.

“I see, very well I will help you with whatever it is you need to carry out your plan. What would you have me do?”

Loria just looked at the seal holding the human and his soul in a fixed state.

“I need you to talk to Waynor, to help convince him of something he would never consider if it didn’t come specifically from you. I need you to convince Lord Waynor to move Ulisus before he attempts to save and awaken him.” (Loria)

I agreed to what she proposed and as she turned away to leave I called out to stop her.

“Wait, you are far too potentially dangerous to be merely the guardian of the first level. These two will watch over you and aid you for now, then when I have convinced Waynor they will replace you as the guardians of the first level of his dungeon. Whatever it is you plan on becoming, it is not suited to the role Waynor initially made you for and I’m sure he will see that soon enough himself. You should consider very carefully what it is your purpose actually is Loria, and I hope for your sake that the answer you come up with is beneficial to Waynor…” (Instinct)

The woman turned back and smiled at me as my two muses walked up to accompany her at her two sides.

“Of course it will be, I’d do anything for the one I love. That’s something you understand clearly yourself isn’t it Instinct?” (Loria)

As I watched her leave the room and the mites begin to return and go back to whatever duties they were seeing to prior to Loria’s arrival, I had just one thought.

The two of us will never get along, I really do truly hate that woman…… At least I don’t have to worry about her becoming an enemy to Waynor though, or have to deal with trying to explain why I killed his current favorite creation…………………………..

Yeah, i've noticed that after writing all these chapters things have really changed.... like how i now consider 2500 words a "Short chapter" and closer to 5000 and "average length chapter"..... That's kinda messed up, i mean B.B's first few chapters were like 1000-3000 and i was cool with that..... now i look at a 1000 word chapter and i go "Wow... that's just so lazy, there should be at least double that for it to count as a chapter....". plus it's getting harder to use countless ellipsis in my stories now (I blame throne of all: tournament of the gods..... damn that shortening ellipses rule, it's changed me.....)..... anyway just something i noticed....

anyway before you ask no the two new muses aren't in love with Waynor in that special way, and no they don't follow only Instinct since they were still made with Waynor's power even though they are very loyal to her. in their minds its: Waynor > Instinct > Other "Nobles" of the dungeon > them > lesser creatures....

and last but not least remember to comment, rate, review, follow, favorite, share, and check my site (yes i added this to the end of chapter stuff.... there be some new stuff there to about a future competition.........)

Now i'm off to do some studying and work on O.I......

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AaronDragon out........