Chapter 2: The Tribe
He snapped awake in a cold sweat. Flashes of monsters filled his vision twisting his guts into knots. Above hundreds of cruel teeth arched down dripping with saliva. He froze covered in sweat and misery. He was a rabbit caught by the wolf his heart pounded loudly in his chest. It was loud enough to burst the sight above made him forget to breath. Nero sucked in a breath of air when he could hold it no longer. His hand felt around the cold stone and reality crashed down. Nero fell on his side while water dripped down from stalagmites. He hadn't been wrong. Dungeons were predators. People talked even under the threat of punishment.
"Are you awake?" His head snapped to the tunnel's mouth his episode forgotten. Lodged in place was a corrupteran. She there stuck no different than a wad of fat lodged in a drain. He wasn't sure emptying his hellfire carbine would clear it. With its healing ability he wasn't sure he could kill it.
Two long spindly hands arched out of the tunnel almost close enough to touch him. He took a step back and her ears twitched. Jaws split open revealing her prehensile tongue. Nero didn't know what she was doing. Could they taste the air and locate prey?
"You said we could help each other. My name is Nero what's yours." Nero spoke the words. It crushed him. He didn't want to need her; he didn't want to need his system either.
"Can you trust it? It could be a trap. Monsters are well known for trapping players in plots only to betray them later. There are other choices. Your Hellfire Carbine is stronger now. Isn't it, Nero?" Augustus said. He wasn't certain he could trust Augustus either but held his tongue.
"Did you hear the story about Artus the adventurer who befriended a dungeon mob and became a powerful hero?" Augustus said.
"No, I can't say that I have." Nero asked.
"Neither have I." Augustus said. "Dungeon's are designed to kill adventurers."
"Was that supposed to deter me?" Nero asked.
"Yes!" August said. "Don't fall to sleep within their reach."
"Yes, help me. Get me out of here and I'll help you. You can trust me. My name is Raath." Nero was more than certain he couldn't trust Raath. There was no question that she would betray him. When would she do it? There was a lot of risk with trusting her but there was some gain as well.
He pulled the lever back on his carbine loading a new round. It was decision time, waiting here wouldn't help him. He could either blow her arms off and drain the rest of her blood or try to free her.
Instead of doing the safe thing and killing this monster, he decided to gamble on trust. He placed his carbine on the ground. If something happened, he planned to dive to the ground and snag the loaded gun. Nero knew this was probably a stupid idea. Drops of dungeon saliva splashed on his head a clear sign that it couldn't wait to taste him. The dripping increased with his every step. If this wasn't a trap, then he was a god.
In the dark tunnel he crept closer to the monster. The light from his smart phone revealed its hands moving to place its palms against the tunnel walls. Foxy ears pointed down in submission when he neared the monster. The world seemed to move about into afterimages before he managed to place a hand on the monster's head.
Brown hair flowed down either side of her face. This close to her only her lack of eyes exposed her nature. Even her pale skin could be overlooked. Then he looked closer at the details he missed. The split down her chin allowed her jaws to part. Powerful muscles rippled from her throat barely hidden by leather bra straps. Of course, there was also the terrible limbs ripping from her torso. Ten terribly long and thin shadows of death with spindly hands strong enough to crush stone were bound to her sides. Another point to this being a trap. Could she dig herself out? He was positive one of her kind could assist her. Then again, they could have killed him the second he exited the tunnel. Instead they stalled and showed off. Another point to being used.
Nero placed his hand upon her head. Her hair was softer than satin and greasier than a pan-fried fish. Not that he blamed her his hair needed a wash too. It was one of the few human characteristics they had in common. The head in question was larger than a beach ball. Her body was a long thing normally held aloft by ten powerful limbs. Still she dwarfed his body and her differences shown for what they were. What was the dungeon attempting to make with them? He wanted to meet it and destroy it if possible.
He sat down against one of Raath's terribly powerful limbs.
"It was easier getting you stuck." The words left his lips bitter. Then he heard a buzz from his smart phone.
"Monsters that submit to a player can be captured. Their data will by integrated into the system." Augustus announced in triumph. Nero raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want to become my monster?" Nero asked.
"No, I'd rather die." The corrupteran said. He knew at that moment this would be a painful experience.
Nero let out a sigh and stood back up. He stared down at his carbine. There was a new feature but how well would the tunnel hold up. If he collapsed it then he'd die too. Then he stared back at the corrupteran. Her ears flicked about. She didn't kill him when she had the chance. That takes a lot of forethought and maturity. Valuing freedom more than her own life was also admirable. It was also possible she was selfish and wanted to live. Then there was his personal belief. She wasn't really stuck at all.
"Ok let's leave it as a last resort. I have another solution. Its risky." Nero said.
"Is it any worse than waiting here to starve?" She asked.
"No, it isn't. Quick question, how fireproof are you?" Before she could reply Nero fired two rounds into the tunnel wall and quickly covered his ears. His head rung with the tone of a bell struck.
Spider webs of heat covered the stone tunnel. Cracks slowly formed and more rock broke off. One of her limbs shot through ripping away at the stone and flexing once more. Her body didn't look much worse for wear. Nero waited for the tunnel to come down on them, but it never did. He pulled back the lever an empty ejected bouncing off the stone floor. Another round slammed home and he pointed the barrel at the other side. Two spindly hands covered her ears to block out the noise. Another round shot into the stone and the heat did its job.
Cracks formed over the stone and when the ringing stopped, he heard hot air rising. Bam! Parts of the stone shattered. This continued for another twelve rounds of ammunition. He didn't notice the ringing much anymore, maybe he was going deaf.
Exhaustion 10%
Parts of the tunnel gave way and she began pushing herself out. He took a step forwards and felt the ground shake. Nero turned his head to see the cave begin collapsing behind him. Two massive spindly hands wrapped around his torso and yanked him off his feet.
Dust and rocked rained down while he was saved by hands that could crush him. He'd tried his darndest to kill her with his hellfire carbine before. It had been easier to get her stuck while her body was paralyzed than it had been to free her awake.
His savior backed up from the collapsing tunnel with him in tow. Out in the open air he was able to take a breath and enjoy the nest of Corrupterans observing them. Thousands upon thousands covered the walls and gripped the stalagmites above. Small blue lichens covered the walls gave him all the illumination he needed. This was an amphitheater filled with the creatures. Only the reflection of their bodies by LED light showed their numbers. He'd been a fool who ran in guns blazing. There were few easier ways to get killed. His one ally was the monster he tried to kill. What happened next was up to her. She tapped the stone in their language in a back and forth conversation.
Nero knew this was a gamble and by the amount of clicking her heard, it was a big one. He hoped what he gained would be worth it. His guts felt bunched up by a fist. A ringing sound wouldn't leave his left ear and he was starting to believe it was permanent. A hissing sound filled the antechamber. It grew louder every hour the conversation continued.
Exhaustion 15%
This whole event was a mess and he knew it was a mess. What was he supposed to do? They entered his little antechamber in a swarm, so he killed them. He was a player, and this was a dungeon. Thoughts of what he could have done differently cycled through his mind in a never-ending hurricane. He kept coming back to pulling the trigger the first time. Would they have killed him? He basically invaded their home armed. He'd kill someone who did that.
The hissing stopped and the tapping stopped. A hand grasped him around the waist, and he was taken with her.
"What going on?" Nero asked.
"I was able to grant you asylum as a member of our tribe. There is a problem. You are male. You killed many other males we sent to investigate you. You will start at the bottom of our tribe as a new male." Nero didn't know what she meant by that.
"Ok. what does that mean?" They entered an alcove leading to a massive series of chambers. Several turns later they reached a new area.
Then she began to race across the open ground. He looked up to see a moon hanging lazily above. Grass began to appear while she raced across the ground. He turned back to see a massive tower of stone. Many corrupterans ran across the land here.
He marveled at how vast this dungeon truly was. It was a world in a world. He'd thought the tower behind him was all there was to this dungeon. Were there other towers like that in the dungeon.
"You will have to pay your debt. It was agreed that you will hunt for us. It is fair." She placed him on her back. He imagined he must have looked crazy atop the back of a giant female torso running on ten shadowy limbs. He took hold of her leather bra strap and she raced off.
"Are there other towers with corrupterans?" Nero asked.
"There are twelve in this county alone. Silence, we are entering the hunting ground." His phone followed behind him at a sedate pace. Maps were updating while the traveled.
"Mobs can not hear me when I speak. Nero, a group of players have entered this dungeon. Be warned they may not be friendlies." Augustus said.
"I've muffled your voice you may speak." Augustus said.
"How far away are they?" Nero asked.
"By my measurements, roughly 400klics to the east. They may be searching for the dungeon core. If they find it, they will be able to locate us and direct dungeon resources against us. Power leveling is recommended. I suggest asking our new ally to party up." Augustus said.
"What would happen if they took control of the dungeon?" Nero asked.
"Mobs won't be an issue any longer. The entire world will turn against you." Augustus said.
The light of the moon was blocked for a second. He turned his head to see a horse sized owl flying down with its talons outstretched. Nero raised his carbine and aimed for the owl's head. The movement of his ride was throwing his aim off. He held his breath and fired.
He shot off his corrupteran friend and hit the dirt. Rocks, thorns, and roots tore him open while he tumbled. They ripped into him and a few stayed with him. He only kept his gun by holding it to his chest. Nero staggered to his feet and approached the monstrous owl.
His companion was already on it. Her jaw was split open and her tongue had clamped on its chest. Her limbs wrapped around the creature keeping it from moving while she fed. Even after its brains were blasted out the back of its head, it still struggled. Its talons kicked and pushed off the ground.
Battle ended
Nero lvl15
Dice Acquired + 5 SPECIAL Dice from Silence the Steel Owl
SPECIAL Dice Awarded: 15D6
Air/Metal Skill Dice Awarded: 3D4
"Why did the Silence give me more stat dice than the corrupterans?" Nero asked.
"Named enemies grant bonuses. It is recommended that you roll immediately to gain a skill and increase your power further. Duel element skills are uncommon. In some dungeons player locations are highlighted after they acquire rare drops." Augustus said.
Exhaustion 30%
"I should probably replenish my ammunition before I do anything like that." He approached the kill slowly. Bones ripped out of the feather from the force she'd put on the creature. Blood plastered her neck while a curtain of brown hair hid her face. Her skin seemed to flush with color. The hardened scales that covered her stomach and shoulders darkened while she fed. Small threads of red appeared amid her black limbs. He approached his with hellfire carbine ready to feed it again and replenish his ammunition. Before he could plunge it into his kill a powerful blow stuck him.
He struck the ground again rolling in pain. Nero heard a hissing sound and knew he wouldn't recover his ammunition. His body was a mess too. Blood oozed from multiple wounds and he was certain his pinky was broken. He didn't want to increase his stats. It hurt the last time and he was sure it would hurt this time.
While he wallowed in his misfortune, it struck him. He had two perk dice. Maybe there was a perk he could get that would help him.
He tapped his phone a few times and the dice fell in his hand. Two eight-sided dice that decided what perk he would get.
Perk Dice Roll: 4, 4 Pair x2 = 16
Kill Stream I lvl – Refills Ammo after a kill 1% of ammo regeneration 10s of 1 round per second. +1Gun Damage +1L x Perk lvl
"Perks can be leveled by rolling them again." Augustus said. "Warning enemies approaching." Nero looked around to see horned horses approached.
The gallop of hooved soon filled the area ripping Raath from her prey. They circled them keeping their distance. Nero could tell those horns were sharp enough to rend flesh. What really concerned him was the electricity crackling between them. Getting shocked multiple times didn't endear him to it.
Hellfire Carbine I lvl3
GUN DMG 3000
FIRE DMG 100/s
CAP 11
He held the skill dice he'd acquired from killing corrupterans in hand. 6 four sided dice felt heavy in his hand.
Skill Dice Roll: 4, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4 Four of a kind (4 x 16) + 5 = 69
Skill Acquired: Regeneration I lvl1 – Regenerate from minor wounds to moderate wounds at the cost of exhaustion. +1E x skill lvl
Floating down among the was a creature more powerful than the bicorns. It had two horns like the others but walked on two legs. Its snout was smaller giving it an almost human. Its blue coat was thick and flowed in the wind. It hovered above the ground in a nature completely alien. No wings or device held it aloft. Its eyes were large on its head and it had hooves. He felt his head rattle when it spoke to him.
"Stranger we seek no quarrel only the fresh meat left behind by the corrupteran's kill."
"Scanning monster to determine threat level." Augustus said.
Jacy lvl90
Titles: Moonlight's Grace, Avatar of Insanity, Wolf Lover
Type Celestial Body/Beast
HP 350,000
ATK 900,000
DEF 500,000
SPD 1m
Threat Level: 687,500
Nero's eyes widened at the power of this creature. It also didn't fit. Why was this creature here? It didn't look threatening at all. It almost looked cartoonish compared to the bestial bicorns beside it.
"I'm Jacy, why don't you sacrifice yourself to me. I'd love to eat your flesh." He pointed his carbine at her chest.
He dropped all fifteen six-sided SPECIAL dice.
SPECIAL DICE ROLL:
2, 4, 5, 6, 5 = pair = (2 x 10) + 6 + 4 + 2 = 32
3, 4, 2, 1, 3 = pair = (2 x 6) + 1 + 2 + 4 = 19
1, 6, 6, 6, 6 = four of a kind = (4 x 24) + 1 = 97
Skill Points: 148 Auto distrubuted
Nero lvl15
HP: 340
ATK: 3000
DEF: 34
SPD: 30
Perks: Killstream
Weapons: Hellfire Carbine I lvl5
Skills: Regeneration I lvl1, Mining I lvl12
Stats
S 10(14) +20 30(34)
P 11 +20 31
E 14 +20 34
C 2 +20 22
I 5 +20 25
A 10 +20 30
L 13 +28 41
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone