Chapter Four

Adventurer

Wraith

Wraith hiked through the caverns doing his best to retrace the path the mind-flayers had taken, and he had studied through the elder’s brain. He stepped back into his old dungeon and set down his dungeon core and walked over to the far wall. He placed his hand on the wall and channeled fire mana through his palm into the stone and then melting into the lead behind it. His hand grasped around the hilt of the rapier Blackened had given him and he pulled forth the Hell-blade. Wraith heard a sound behind and whirled lunging forward. The Stryker pierced itself on the obsidian rapier. The blade ripped the mana out of the Stryker and the dust fell to the ground.

Wraith gathered the few books he had and sat next to his core. Wraith pondered what he had to do next. Going after Dryad wasn’t possible, he didn’t have the strength to take on all her sparks with his body. Dryad had presumably crushed many other dungeons before him. Wraith looked down at his hands and cocked his head as an idea came to him. These other dungeons would presumably want revenge as well, if he could find them he could make avatars for them and with their combined strength would be able to take on members of the Old Ones.

“But how to find them,” Wraith asked himself.

He would need to ask an older dungeon, someone with connections. He couldn’t go to Devouring or Blackened without revealing himself and spoiling his surprise attack. Wraith reviewed his list of acquaintances and resolved that Ruin was the most trustable of his allies. He knew that Ruin was at the edge of the desert to the south. To find him he could probably ask about mysterious places where adventurers had disappeared recently.

Before he could leave though he had to address the problem of his core. Taking it with him would put him in constant danger but leaving it behind would leave it defenseless. Wraith considered putting it in a bag of holding but dismissed that idea. It would cut off most of his senses and prevent him from absorbing mana. He would need a way to travel between his dungeon and whatever location he was in at the time. Wraith closed his eyes and scanned through his list of spells. Coming across a teleportation glyph that could be made permanent, it required a massive amount of mana to create and operate and would take a humanoid an entire year to make permanent. Wraith created two mithril disks four feet in diameter and inscribed both with the glyphs and runes. He poured mana into the runes and activated them. He placed the two circles forty yards away from each other and stepped into one pouring mana into the runes and was transported to the other circle.

Wraiths problem of protecting his core was mostly solved but it left him with another problem. How would he transport the disk? He could in theory carry it around like a shield but that could damage the runes and wouldn’t fit his own fighting style. He created a black canvas sack that could hold the shield, but it was cumbersome on his back. Wraith examined the bag removed the shield from it and then enchanted it with an extra dimensional space and placed the shield in size and then folded up the sack and created a leather pack and placed the folded sack inside it.

The amount of mana it took to operate the portal was absurd and Wraith estimated he could only afford to use it about twice a day and still have enough mana to cast spells. He also needed a way to get items he created with his power to his body. He couldn’t very well call himself a dungeon if he didn’t have access to a dungeon’s greatest power. Wraith thought for a minute and reached into his head his skin parting for his hand to pass as he caressed the piece of his core. He had a connection to his core at all times with this, could it create things on its own?

Wraith concentrated on building a bullet of silver and imagined it coming out of the shard of his core in his skull. There was a vague feeling of discomfort, but it quickly vanished as a small bullet dropped out of his core and into his mouth. Wraith spat out the silver bullet as it started to burn into his body grimacing at the pain but with a faint smug smile of satisfaction. He stood and turned to his core covering it with a layer of thick mithril and lead to protect it from scrying. He planted a large garden of herbs and plants.

Wraith looked at the finished floor in the ruined tower and was dissatisfied. He needed a guardian he couldn’t make intelligent guards, but he could potentially create something that was very low in intelligence that’s instincts would naturally make it protect his core.

Wraith searched through his patterns until he came across one he hadn’t used yet that he had bought at dungeon conclave, the beast was territorial by nature and fearsome fighter and would attack anything no matter their strength. Wraith summoned all his remaining mana and formed the large body of the creature. A long serpent body with black and red scales with seven heads, the body lay their dormant and Wraith stepped up to it placing his hands on two of the heads and pushed his consciousness into the dormant brain cells that only worked to pump the creature’s heart. He pushed into it the instincts of all beasts, to eat, breed, raise offspring and protect its territory imprinting the idea of the tower as its territory. The Hydras eyes blinked open and it hissed and lunged at Wraith and its heads passed through its body. It tried to attack him several more time until Wraith struck it with a fist crackling with electricity.

Wraith beat down the hydra dominating the beast pushing at its natural mana with his own until it submitted to his authority and was absorbed into his dungeon as a rogue monster. While not ideal the dumb brute would protect his core. Wraith stepped out into the city and crawled into the sewers below the city. He began stalking the Strykers and one by one he dominated the undead beasts until they all were rogue monsters under his control. He used some of his regained mana to open up a channel from an underground stream into the city flooding the streets making it an ideal lair for the hydra and putting any attackers at a disadvantage.

Wraith marched through the kobold Maze and the first Level of his Dungeon dominating all the monsters that have moved in expanding his territory back to its original boundaries. Wraith stepped out into the sun the light burning into his skin. Annoyed Wraith muttered a spell that shielded his skin and he began to run towards the nearby town.

Wraith ran nonstop for the entire day and night the next day arriving at the town the next evening. Wraith slowed and walked into the town. The place looked odd to him having never seen a settlement of humans that wasn’t a ruin. Ember’s descriptions guided Wraith to the tavern and he walked inside the metal plates on the heals of his boots clacking on the wood. The tavern room was quiet and the town’s folk looked at Wraith with fear, a group of seven figures in black cloaks sat around the common room.

“Your finest meal and room for the night,” Wraith said in a Imperial accent he had been practicing having learned it from adventures.

“No rooms my Lord you can have anything you like to eat,” the innkeeper said his fat body trembling with fear.

“Any room will do,” Wraith said with a sight looking about the room his eyes sliding over the black cloaked figures and settling on the comely looking girl mopping the floor her dress tight on her body showing off her curves. Wraith felt something stirring inside him and was disconcerted by the instincts his body was injecting him with. “I’m passing through and just need to spend the night.”

“No rooms you can have anything to eat, on the house,” the innkeeper said.

“You don’t have a room in your stables?” Wraith enquired he had noticed that while he been running for days the body he was in was feeling sluggish and slow and for the first time he realized he would have to sleep.

“Listen fool, there aren’t no rooms here,” one of the black cloaked men said and stepped up to him his body obscured by his cloak.

“I didn’t realize you were the proprietor of this establishment,” Wraith answered calmly.

“Last chance man, get lost,” the cloaked man hissed threateningly.

“Or what?” Wraith asked.

The man stepped forward in the blink of an eye and stabbed a steel blade into Wraith stomach. The blade passed through his armor and the thief pulled it out to stab again and then stopped looking down at his bloodless blade, “what the hell?” the man asked himself in shock.

Wraith realized he couldn’t let this man speak and reveal his secret, so he grabbed the man by his throat yanked him forward and twisted his neck one handed snapping the man’s spine and tossing him to the ground. Tossing back his black silk cape Wraith settled his fingers on the hilt of his rapier and revolver.

The black cloaked men, bandits, stood up and looked in shock and horror on their fallen comrade and then at Wraith. One of the men pointed at Wraith’s hip, “Gods damn it he’s got a Imperial Revolver he’s a thrice damned Sherriff!”

The bandits produced knives and one of them pulled out a flintlock pistol and grabbed the innkeepers daughter placing the barrel of the gun against her blond curly hair. “One move imperial and this brod’s brains get splattered against the wall. Drop your gun and sword now or all these fine townsfolk die.”

Wraith sighed inwardly but he knew he wasn’t in any real danger and that he had come here to find information and build his cover story. He unfasted the snakeskin belt and let his hell-blade and revolver drop to the ground. “Anything else or can you let all these good people go home now?” Wraith asked.

“Kick them over here,” the bandit captain ordered.

Wraith did so, and the captain nodded and then pointed the gun at Wraith and fired. Wraith groaned as he let the bullet tear through his flesh instead of dissipating. The bandits rushed him, and Wraith’s hands flew through gestures as he blasted out a chain of lightening that passed through five of the bandits before striking the wall. The bandits dropped, and the others rolled for cover producing small flintlock pistols and light crossbows. Wraith leapt forward grabbing the innkeepers daughter and spinning her around. Using his arm to block a blow from a shortsword that would have cleaved open her skull.

The woman gasped, and Wraith hissed as the leather vambrace lessened the blow but still bruised his skin. He grabbed a chair and swung it up catching another sword and used the chair to twist the sword out of its wielder’s hand and grabbing it. Still shielding the woman with his body Wraith began to duel with the Rogues one hand casting spells while the other blocked attacks. Wraith summoned a spectral apparition that carried his rapier to him and Wraith dropped the bronze shortsword and drew the obsidian blade.

Hellfire burned along the runes on the blade and Wraith stabbed forward stepping in with the blow his blade passed clean through the bandits leather armor and Wraith breathed in sucking in the golden light of the man’s soul spark. He slashed again and cut open the throat of two bandits. The other four bandits turned to flee but Wraiths spectral servant placed his revolver in his hand and Wraith fired three shots and then hurled his blade. The three shots each took the bandits in the back of the skull. While the blade pierced the leg of the bandit who fell screaming to the floor as the unholy blade pulsed in his wound inflicting excruciating pain with each second.

“You will be hanged in the morning,” Wraith said and turned to the innkeeper. “Are there anymore bandits in the town,” he asked.

“A few sir they’ve taken over the church and have been robbing the crypts and passing travelers,” the innkeeper replied quickly. “Thank you for protecting my daughter.”

Wraith looked back at the beautiful woman and the strange instincts of his body rose up again. “It was the least I could do to keep such a beautiful thing alive in the world,” he replied in character causing the blood speckled woman to blush. “Please have a room and meal prepared when I return from dealing with the bandits.” Wraith said and strode out into the night. The bandits were not prepared for what came for them. They tried to barricade the church door and hide in the catacombs, but Wraith blasted the wood apart and flew down the crypts tunnel the bullets and bolts passing threw him as he slaughtered them all. He returned to the inn his body covered in blood and his body sore from the blows he had been forced to take to preserve the illusion of his normalcy.

The innkeeper and a couple of the townsfolk were dragging out bodies and the innkeeper thanked Wraith for his service. “Food and drink is in your room the finest we have, what is your name sir?”

“I am Sherriff Varanid Mecovali Wraith,” Wraith replied.

“Thank you again Sir Wraith,” the innkeeper said shaking Wraith gloved hand.

“It was nothing that any sheriff in my position wouldn’t have done,” Wraith replied and went up to his room. He stepped into the room and unfasted his armor tossing it on the ground and peeling of his shin guards and boots. He turned then to see the innkeepers daughter standing behind a small table piled with grapes, salted pork and beef with freshly baked bread and a bottle of wine with a crystal glass to serve it from.

“My Lord,” the woman said. She had changed and was wearing a very expensive lowcut red silk dress that did little to hide her figure. “I will be serving you tonight.”

“Thank you I apologize for undressing in front of you. Had I known you were here…” Wraith said but the woman smiled.

“Think nothing of it my Lord, you are this town. Your every wish is my command,” she said pouring a glass of wine and holding it out to Wraith.

Wraith took the glass of wine and put it to his lips drinking the rich red wine its aroma thick and heavy. He held it out to the woman. “Please I feel awkward drinking alone.”

“I couldn’t…” she protested.

“I insist,” Wraith said resting the crystal against her lips gently and tilting the glass back slowly allowing her to drink deeply. “What is your name?”

“I am Arora my Lord,” she said liking the red wine from her lips.

Wraith stepped forward and followed the instincts of his body cupping Arora’s neck with his palm and drawing her closer to him brushing her lips with his. She didn’t resist, and Wraith pushed the table out from between them and pulled her up against him as he kissed her until they both had to break for to breathe. Wraith laid her out on the bed and ran kisses up and down her body.

After an hour had passed they both lay back in the blankets naked and panting. Arora lay her head on his chest and ran her fingers over the taught muscles of his chest. “What brought you this way?” she asked.

“I am searching for a place I was sent to investigate,” Wraith answered. “One of our operatives went missing there but I can’t find any maps to where he was only rumors. Have you ever heard of the Ruin of the Djinn?”

“Passing rumors of it from travelers from the south, its at the northwestern most edge of the Dead-Lands. You aren’t headed there right, away are you?” she asked rolling on top of him straddling him with her hips letting her hair form a curtain around his face.

“I’ll be staying for a few days I need to get a new horse my old one broke its leg and I had to put it down. I’ll also need to buy supplies and maps,” Wraith said uncertain of what she was asking but trying to say what he thought his character would.

Arora nodded and sat up. “I should go,” she said quickly.

Wraith was confused realizing he had obviously upset her somehow and he reached out and caught her wrist. Wraith tried something he had never done before and tried to touch her mind with his consciousness. There was only the slightest resistance as his vast superior mental powers bypassed her psychic gates without even alerting her to what was going on. Wraith dug through her emotions and found to some amusement that she was in love with him. Sex for him was merely a pleasant part of his cover but she had hoped to win his heart and marry him. She was afraid that others would notice her infidelity and shun her.

Wraith pulled her down on the bed and rolled on top of her. “I love you,” he whispered the false words dripping with passion he injected into them. Arora smiled and bent up to kiss him as Wraith made love to her again before they both fell asleep. Wraith dreamed, he had never dreamed before and his dreams were haunted. A woman and two children called for him and he stumbled through a forest chased by monsters as he searched for them through a forest of leafless trees. He called out a name he couldn’t remember and then looked down and saw a blade sticking through his chest.

Wraith woke the next morning and disentangled himself from Arora’s embrace as she breathed heavily and sighed as he disturbed her. Dressing and equipping himself Wraith stepped out into the sunlight whispering another spell to protect his skin. He found the best horse the town had to offer a mare in her latter years. The map maker informed him it would take him a week to make a copy of the maps Wraith had requested. Wraith found an old shack and locked the door and stretched the walls and doors with magic. He opened the bag of holding and pulled his portal and laid it on the ground. Pouring mana into the disk he opened up the portal and stepped through into his dungeon. Wraith looked down at his core and blew out the two dozen soul sparks he had collected floating out spiraling around his core.

Wraith sat down opened his codex and began reading very slowly as he translated the celestial language in its elven script. Wraith’s awareness of what the book was grew but he realized he still had far too go before he understood its power. Standing up Wraith went to the portal and opened it up again stepping through. He slid the mithril disk into the bag of holding and rolled it closed and hid it in his armor. He stepped out of his shed and looked at the setting sun and walked back to the tavern. Eating down in the common room he went up to his room and removed his armor. There was a knock at the door and he opened it and Arora slipped through into his room.

After an hour they lay entangled again and Arora heavy breathing filled Wraith ear as she slumbered. Wraith looked down on the woman and felt a confusing miasma of emotions. She was nothing to him and yet this living flesh he inhabited urged him to protect her. It disgusted him, and he felt the sudden urge to kill her then and their he looked at her the sack of meat containing a soul analyzing her body when he noticed something. He probed out with his mind and encountered a bundle of life growing in her womb. Wraith was stunned, he had created life. As a dungeon core he was used to creating monsters, but this thing was something that could grow and learn and would not be bound by instincts or the ability of a soul spark to control its body.

Wraith felt disgusted with himself, he hade mated with a human one of the lesser forms of life and created an abomination. Wraith summoned his rapier to his hand ready to end the woman’s life once and for all and destroy his creation, but he stayed his hand when he looked at the budding life form inside her. Regardless of the woman that infant was his offspring he could sense the raw power in it. Created by a piece of his core the child would not be human or a dungeon, but it would be more than one of the mere mortals? Could he kill something like that?

Wraith set down the rapier and stood up. Arora muttered something, but Wraith cast a spell that caused her to fall into a deep sleep. He dressed and armored himself strapping on his sword and revolver. He knelt by the bed and looked into Arora’s womb.

“Hello little one,” he said to his offspring. “I know not your destiny and I cannot stay and guide you but should you ever need my aid go to the place known as Wraith Eminence and there you will find me.” Wraith imprinted those words on the budding life and then used his mana to strengthen Arora’s body and form natural armor around her womb to protect his child. He stretched his mouth wide and pulled out five silver, gold and platinum bars as well as enchanted scimitar and layed them by Arora. He looked down on her and banished all the instincts and emotions his body tried to push on him. Wraith knew that she would never be the same, alone and with child the world would shun her as was common for those who bore children out of wedlock, while he knew this would make it hard on his child Wraith had no attachment to the woman and he and left. He took the horse he had bought and stole the maps he needed and rode south towards the Bad Lands.