NOVEL NEXT Chapter 260: Dungeon Breaks
The next day, Riven headed back to the tower, this time with only Noel. Before he could even knock on the door, it opened, allowing them to go in.
They got up the stairs and into the library, but they didn't see Eon.
"Hello?" Riven called out.
"Head straight down and come to the extreme end of the library." Her voice echoed through the library, so they did what she said and walked straight down, where they finally spotted her.
But what they saw there immediately made them pause. Six massive tubes stood there with the bodies of some beasts inside: a goblin, an orc, an ogre, an undead skeleton, a lizardman, and finally the head of a wyvern.
Eon was seated at a desk near them, eagerly writing something into a book, so focused that she didn't bother to turn and look at them.
"What's this?" Noel couldn't help but ask. She still didn't turn, but she responded.
"Those are the bodies of monsters brought from the dungeons. I always found it fascinating when the monsters inside a dungeon are so strikingly similar to what we have in our world.
It raised not one or two questions in my mind, but a whole lot of questions. Could it be that somewhere there is a dungeon with all elves or humans? Could it be that wherever they came from, they have humans like us?
For many years, questions like this were on my mind, as well as the minds of many other mages. I decided to study monsters from the dungeons, and there I discovered something.
It was something unusual that started happening, monsters with red cores in their heads and a vicious attitude.
They ate their fellow monsters like it was nothing, and used them to grow stronger. It reminded me of the demonized, so I decided to research them.
Yesterday, I felt your Mana and for some reason it seemed to me to have some sort of similarity to the Mana these red crystal monsters have," she said and then finally stopped writing.
She got up and walked to Riven, entering his personal space. "I want your blood," she said.
"Whoa, let's calm down," Riven said and took a step back, but she stepped closer.
"Just a little of it. If I can check it, I might be able to find something that might actually help in some way. You don't have to worry as well, whatever I find here will remain here," she said.
"I thought you were supposed to share your research with the kingdom?" he asked.
"I share what I want and what I see as unimportant. I don't share my personal research. The Vermilion kingdom isn't as white as they portray. Some things should never be in their hands, my research, to be precise," she said.
"What did they do?" Riven asked.
"That's not for you to know now, kid," she said and then walked away.
"I need your blood and more crystals from the heads of these creatures," she stated.
"Hmmm, I think I can help you with both," Riven said. She immediately stopped in her tracks and turned around.
"How?" she asked.
"You can already get the blood from me like you wanted, but I can also raise dungeons and bring the red crystals for you," Riven said.
"You can do that?" she asked, her excitement already showing.
"Yes, I can, and all I need for it to be possible is for you to leave the tower once and see Quin. Then he'll help me make a club that will allow me to go out and raid dungeons," he said.
Her excitement changed into a cold glare the moment she heard that. She looked Riven right in the eye.
"I have no issues with you, kid, and I understand your desire to take me out of here to gain permission for your club, whatever.
But the issue that exists between me and Quin isn't something a promise like yours will fix," she said. Riven was shocked at how her tone shifted.
She turned away as she started walking. "Some things are better left the way they are. Quin knows that. If he really wants me to leave this place, ask him to tell you the truth of the past," she said.
"Lady Eon, please," Noel suddenly spoke.
"I'm sure there are a ton of things that stop you from even considering what my brother is asking for, but please consider.
He is willing to take on the task of braving the dungeons of the kingdom to bring you the crystals that you need for your experiments.
We aren't asking that you get along with Quin, you can kill him for all we care, just please, do us this one favor and meet him once," Noel said.
She looked at him. "Hmmm, I guess I'll do it. Tell him to come tomorrow, outside the tower, and please inform him to be cautious, he might die when he comes," she said.
[...]
"Duke Valemont, I've come to report that things have gone bad." A knight in full armor kneeled before the Duke in an office, his head low and one fist on the ground as he spoke.
"What happened?" the Duke asked.
"The Sapphire kingdom has sent their troops to join the demonized army pushing toward the kingdom, and they have broken through the first line," the knight spoke in a grim tone.
"I see. Inform them we should hold the line for now and not push an attack. The situation has gone beyond what we expected. We'll need to tell the king and start making alliances before it is too late," the Duke said.
"One last report, my Lord. It seems there was a dungeon break in the town of Olen. Several hundreds of people were heavily injured, and more than ten were killed before it could be stopped.
But the monsters were not all killed, as half were led into the forests, fleeing. One particular monster led them, according to the report."
"Another dungeon break? That's three this month, and only from my side. The other dukes are having similar issues. Something is wrong with the dungeons."