What I assumed was the dungeon entrance came into view. There was a line of cliffs running north-south, From the forest that could be seen up top, it looked like there was a plateau of some kind above. In the cliff face, itself was a tunnel leading into darkness. When I got close braziers lit up inside. Figuring I wouldn’t need them, I left Tobias and the panthers at the entrance and I moved down the tunnel. The tunnel went on for about a mile. Each time the braziers in front by like 20 feet lit up. And the ones 20 feet behind me went out. This dungeon core certainly liked the flair for the dramatic. It also wreaked havoc with my dark vision so I couldn’t make out anything past the light of the braziers.

At the end of the tunnel was a large double door flanked by suits of armor. I was about to knock on the door when suddenly the lights went out.

Before I was able to do anything the lights suddenly came on again and I was standing in the middle of what looked like a throne-room shaped like a half-circle. The room was about at least 60 feet tall, I couldn't see the ceiling past my dark vision. On the wall above the throne, There was a mounted dragon skull. In its open mouth was a big Onyx-colored gem.

Just as a took it all in, the lights went out for a second again. This time when it came back a man in a suit of black full plate sat on the throne.

“Welcome, Drakon. I hope you liked the display I put on.” The man took off his helmet and underneath was a bone-white skull. “I’m Damian. I’ve had some other names in the past. Like the Boneyard. Bone crucible. Citadel of death. But at my current state of power, just call me Damian.”

“Well Damian, why did you ask me to come here. Dave said that you were bored?”

“That was part of it, lets get somewhere more comfortable first shall we.” And he clicked his fingers and the lights flickered out for a second again. When it came back on we were in a room that looked a lot like Dave’s sitting room. The only difference was one stained glass window had a stylized skeleton on it. The other had what looked like a wraith with a scythe. Damian had also changed from the black plate armor to some kind of woolen robe.

“Ahh much better,” he said while plopping down on the couch. “Have a seat and I will tell you everything.”

I sat down and Damian began his story.

“I don’t know how much you know about dungeon cores. But I will give you some info that you can't ever repeat outside this chamber without the council’s approval.

I can only remember flashes of what I was before I was a dungeon core. I was born on some planet, I can’t remember what my original race was. But I spent my life in a knightly order. There was an incident where I was manipulated and made to believe that the order had lost its way. The next flash of memory that I have is fighting my former brethren and dying in the conflict. As penance, the gods gave me the option to return as a dungeon core. I chose undead as my minion of choice, and my style of dungeon to look like the keep of the order that I was a part of.

Dungeons feed on mana, heightened emotions inside of them and from death, with death being the most potent. The first dungeons soon one by one decided to just kill as many people as they could to grow the fastest that way. There were a few dungeons that saw the flaw in that plan. If everyone was killed then there would be no more food. As those first dungeons grew in power they soon were able to send minions out into the world and waged war on everything nearby, thankfully that included each other.

Dave started a Resistance movement to help adventurers, by giving them shelter and by letting them use the dungeons to train and get stronger, while at the same time feeding on the mana and emotions.

I soon joined Dave in the dungeon wars and helped save a lot of people by hiding them in my dungeon and letting them use it as a base of operations. Over the next few ages, thousands of adventurers came to challenge me. I had my own code of conduct. If adventurers fought honorably I would reward them. If they were backstabbing assholes they often didn’t make it out alive.

A few ages ago, I can't remember exactly when, after so long it all blurs together. Something happened that made this land uninhabitable and nobody came anymore. Over the years I slowly lost power while I watched the forest grow up around the outside. Now I sustain myself by feeding on the life force of the rare creature that makes it inside. You are the first person I have spoken to in over 10.000 years. At least the first person that's not on the council.”

“I can’t imagine how that would be. No wonder Dave said that you were bored out of your mind.”

“Yeah and that brings me to my request. I’m ready to retire. Dave has told me a few things about you, that you are a NecroLord and that your own internal code is a lot like mine. Before I ask the request, I would like to know better, so would you mind telling me more about yourself?”

“Sure I can do that.” So I told him about me being a revenant, being adopted, meeting Grim, and then losing my parents. I told him about growing up in Storm Cove and about the last couple of weeks after becoming an adventurer. Halfway through my story, I pulled out some stew from my bag of holding that was still some leftover Grim made a while back. Thanking the fact that bags of holding keep things in stasis.

After I told him about the battle at the bridge to help my friends escape, Damian held his hand up. “I think I have heard enough, you are exactly the person I was looking for. I want to retire and become a fortress core, use it to rebuild an order of knights like the one I used to be before being a dungeon core. Before you say yes I will explain what a fortress core is and the few conditions I have.

Fortress Core manages the buildings in a certain radius around themselves. The radius depends on the level of the core. The buildings in question have to be manually built. But after they are finished the fortress can expend its power to strengthen and maintain the structures. Depending on the buildings the Core also gets things like unit slots for giving a lord more options. You can exchange units between the fortress and your own slots whenever you are inside the fortress. There are tons of other things that are a bit harder to explain without being able to show you, so that will come in time if you accept the conditions.

1. As part of your fortress you allow me to build a separate keep to house my knightly order.

2. One of the first units you will allow me to create is a unit of knights. They will be the defenders of the keep and will always stay under my direct control.

3. You must take an oath, and if you break it I will kick you out of the fortress and you will become an enemy of the order.”

“The first two conditions sound fair, the third it depends on what the oath is. I don’t make oaths lightly.”

“The oath is short and simple and judging by your story not any different than what you currently do anyways. Always try to protect those weaker than yourself. Fight against evil in whatever form it takes. Judge things fairly. Listen to the counsel of your friends and allies, but always follow your own heart.”

“I think I can do that. So what's the next step?” I smiled.

“Now I need you to go camp outside for the rest of the day, I am going to shut down my dungeon, put my core gem in the hands of the council for now. Until the gem is placed in what would be your fortress my power will be greatly diminished. Until then I will be stuck as my avatar and become one of your companions. After I absorb what I can I will meet you outside.” And with that, he flicked his fingers again. I appeared back at the entrance.

Thinking to myself, that guy really needs to work on some of his interpersonal skills, but what can you expect from someone who barely had any contact in the last ten thousand years.

I moved about a hundred feet away into the forest and made camp and just waited.