Worthy Core

"Well, I can definitely confirm - this is a dungeon core." As Sincere makes his pronouncement, Xenia narrows her eyes at the man. The two of them are currently sitting in Xenia's office, alongside Lollyp and a hovering Guy, and in the center of them all sits the green-gold orb that triggered this meeting.

"Thanks, Sin-man. Guy was already able to confirm that for me, though. It's all of the questions that follow from that which made me call you in, you know? Like...what the fuck now?"

Lollyp raises a gooey hand. "Also, why am I here? I get Sincere is like a dungeon expert, but I never even saw a core before I saw yours, you know?"

"Hey, you're sort of a dungeon expert! I mean, you lived in one for years, right?" Xenia shakes her head. "But mostly I had you join in 'cause you're my Dragonlord expert. Like...the whole dungeon network thing they've set up and all that. You've got the most experience with how that works, and why they might've given us this."

The demon had kept his golden eyes focused on the core, but raises them to meet Xenia's after that comment. "Did this 'Dave' friend of yours not explain the reasoning? Incidentally, I'd like to meet him myself. Any reason he's not invited to this discussion as well?"

Xenia sighs. "I love the guy, but he's a bit, uh...distracting when it comes to serious matters. Don't worry though, he'll be sticking around for a while, so I'm sure you'll all get the chance. Maybe even do a dinner thing tonight, or something. Not that he eats. Though yeah, speaking of, that's what he said the reasoning for the gift was. I mean...that I'm supposed to eat it, I guess."

"Interesting...I can't say I've ever heard of a dungeon consuming another's core, before. They'd never have the opportunity to try, under most circumstances. Although I suppose I wouldn't be surprised if the Dragonlord had experimented with such a thing at some point - they certainly have access to enough dungeons in the Domain." Sincere turns towards Guy. "Do we believe that this is something that could actually work?"

The screen bobs. "I believe so. When Challengers destroy a dungeon's core, they absorb the mana and skills contained within it - with some level of efficiency loss, depending on the power of the core and their attunement to the skills on offer. It stands to reason that a dungeon could perhaps do the same - and perhaps with no losses at all, save for duplicated skills. I cannot guess what abilities this core may possess, however."

The reincarnator raises an eyebrow. "No guide colleague for this one that you could just call up and ask?"

"The core is only a piece of a dungeon system - it requires the rest of the physical dungeon to actually perform any functions. Including calling up its guide. As you recall, you had something of a little nap when the 'Elemental Empire' briefly kidnapped you."

"Yeah..." Xenia taps her chin in thought. "Is there a way to wake it up somehow and talk to it? Charge it up with mana, or something?"

Lollyp appears doubtful. "What would you want to talk about with it, even if you could?"

"Well, the same question I guess I'll ask you, Lolly Pop. Why would the Dragonlord decide to turn an entire-ass dungeon into a snack? Is this a dungeon that decided not to join Team Dragonlord?"

The slime chuckles. "That'd have to be the least of it. Actually, not every dungeon in the Domain is a collaborator dungeon, just most of them. I mean, the benefits of the deal are pretty good for the dungeon, right? But some say no, and that's fine too. Not like they don't still have their uses! When it comes to core-cracking, the Domain follows pretty similar standards as the Challenger's Association."

"And what are those?"

Sincere handles this question. "In rare cases, location can be a factor. A dungeon appearing in a highly-populated area, or next to a strategic fortification, or such. Usually however it's because a dungeon is far too aggressive about killing intruders. Burning its mana on resummoning monsters as soon as possible, finding 'exploits' in the accessibility rules that make a dungeon far more lethal than it ought to be, and so on. Or...dungeons that take joy in the torture and abuse of its Challengers. The so-called 'Ravager' dungeon, for instance, which was likely the inspiration behind some of the more-questionable achievements we've received."

Xenia had heard a little of that one from Sely, and had not been inclined to ask for more details. "Yeah...those definitely sound written from the assumption that if a mortal and a monster are shacking up, it's not exactly consensual all-around. Is that what we're dealing with then? Some sort of dungeon delinquent?"

Lollyp nods, although she doesn't seem happy about it. "Probably. And probably a young dungeon, too. Like, less than five years, I mean, maybe a lot less. Normally dungeons don't go bad, they start out like that. Poorly socialized, I guess? And a dungeon like that wouldn't last long in the Domain. So...are you gonna eat it, then? Or are we worried that it's a trick of some sort?"

The dungeon master grimaces at her guardian's last question. "Well I wasn't until you said that! But even then...like, this is a person, sort of. Even if young dungeons aren't fully, I dunno, adapted to normal conversation or whatever. It's not like we haven't killed a ton of people these past two years, but they came to us, y'know? This...I feel like I gotta know more before I make a decision like that. It feels like I'd be eating a kid or some shit."

Sincere purses his lips before shaking his head. "Unfortunately, I don't believe I can really help you with that. With close study, I might be able to identify some of the spells this core has learned. But its memories? Personality? I wouldn't know where to begin." The demon rubs his chin. "We'll need outside assistance. I could...write some letters, request some literature perhaps, or for an expert to pay a visit...if there is such an expert..."

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Xenia considers that for a moment but shakes her head. "Requesting outside support in the middle of everything else going on right now? Even if there's someone we could ask, it'd take months for someone to swing by, and we might end up needing it sooner than that. But...there is an outside expert I could ring up right now."

Lollyp voices the collective confusion. "Eh? Who's that?"

"When in doubt, request divine assistance." Xenia turns towards her guide. "Guy, ping Her Fertileness - I could use a meeting."

This time it takes half an hour for Xenia's request to be granted, but eventually the reincarnator does find herself upon Kahlia's grassy fields once again. The curvaceous, brown-skinned deity is seated in her usual throne of plant matter, smiling down at her favorite dungeon as Xenia's consciousness finishes its teleportation.

"Dungeon Master Worthy. I take it you have a matter that concerns you? We're rather off-schedule for Sir Flopsy's next romp around the hills, if I'm not mistaken."

"Not urgently, maybe, but probably still pretty important, yeah." Xenia gives Kahlia a respectful bow before proceeding with her request. "Not sure how much you're aware of recent events, but uh...the Dragonlord recently gave me a new dungeon core as a snack. And given everything, I'm not really comfortable with just taking a gift like that at face value, y'know? Maybe there's some sort of trick involved, or...I don't know, maybe the dungeon master living in that core is actually kind of cool, and doesn't deserve to be turned into a cheeto. I was hoping I could get some advice from you about it?"

"I see." Kahlia's smile continues briefly, but soon turns into a frown. "Unfortunately, I am not one of the gods who manages the dungeon core network. While I can sense the core sitting in your dungeon right now, I cannot tell you where it originally came from, or why the Dragonlord may have decided to...displace it. I could perhaps analyze it for magical trickery...but I must be honest. Dungeon magics are not my specialty, and it's entirely possible the Dragonlord knows such things better than I do."

"I suppose that would help, but I was actually hoping for something else." Xenia scratches the back of her head, while her other hand rests on her hips. "The gods create the cores, right, and direct souls into them? I was wondering if maybe you could at least, like...access the damn thing, just long enough to talk to it? Find out what sort of person they are, or what their story might be."

"That is also not part of my domain, I'm afraid. Although...allow me one moment." The Goddess of Fertility rises from her throne and steps forward before raising one arm. There's a swirl of energy in her palm which results in the green-gold core appearing in the pocket realm, and Kahlia pulls it closely so that she can peer into it. It all looks fairly opaque to Xenia, but the goddess treats it like a crystal ball, turning it left and right as if she's divining the secrets of the universe from within it.

Eventually, her attention returns to her guest. "I believe I can arrange matters so that you may speak to the spirit of this dungeon core. However, I do not believe you will like the method. Well...perhaps you would enjoy certain aspects of it..." A smile returns to her plump lips, and it's one that makes Xenia feel a little nervous.

"What method are we, uh, talkin' about here, exactly?"

"I will need to get you pregnant."

The statement is delivered in such a matter-of-fact manner that it takes several seconds for the full impact of it to register in Xenia's mind. When it finally does, her response is a shocked stammer. "Uh, you - uh, excuse me!?"

The goddess ignores Xenia's tone, and moves on to explaining her reasoning. "Gods of a similar level of power may often share some similar abilities. The ability to bless, the ability to create pocket realms like this one, and so on. But our powers are not generic. The vast majority of our strength is tied to our portfolios, and as you know, mine is Fertility. I believe I can give this soul a voice - but I must do it via my methods for such a thing."

"Okay." Xenia closes her eyes and shakes her head before quickly continuing. "I mean, not okay! I just mean, okay, let's...theorycraft this out, or whatever. If we did do...that, how exactly would that work? And how does it solve the problem?"

"Well, we would mate, as divinities and embodied dungeon master souls do - I imagine I do not need to explain that portion of the process." Kahlia chuckles. "But at the critical moment, rather than passing on a seed of my own divinity to you, I would transfer the soul energy of this dungeon core instead."

"And...how does that help us, exactly?"

"While I am not an expert in dungeons, I do have quite good foresight when it comes to offspring. The soul would incubate within you for a time - I cannot say exactly how long - and in that time I believe it would integrate into your own dungeon system. I cannot say exactly what form it would take in the end, but I believe your system would adapt for it, making it an entity much like your guardians, or an associated champion like Valkyrie Brightsky. You would probably gain its skills and power in some manner, and also be able to speak to your new child - all without needing to permanently consume them."

"Uh, cool, cool." Xenia raises a finger. "One issue, though. This core might be young by dungeon standards, but it's not actually a baby. ...Right?"

Kahlia peers at the core again. "I am not a dungeon expert, as I have said, but I can sense the effect that severing has had on this...entity. It has been removed from its dungeon for quite some time at this point, and I would assume that by this stage its home dungeon is entirely withered. Perhaps some stone and empty rooms remain, but little more. Young dungeons can be child-like to begin with, and this one has been damaged by its isolation. Should it be reborn, it would certainly be more intelligent than a human newborn, but I suspect it would be nearly a fresh start for its personality. The memories might remain, but little more."

"So...a little toddler dungeon core kid." Xenia swallows and licks her lips, unsure how to proceed. "Is there, uh...one of your god buddies who might have another method? Just out of curiosity's shake."

The goddess answers with a giggle. "I do not believe so, no. Palain could attempt to plant it like a seed...but there is no soil nor climate suited for raising a dungeon crop. Taina could perhaps attempt to draw from it a history of its loves, but a young dungeon would likely have none. And the true experts in dungeon cores...to be honest, I suspect they would rather destroy it than risk having you break their system by merging your skills together in an untested way. So."

"So?"

"You feast." Kahlia's grin turns wide and toothy. "Or we breed. I certainly know what my preference would be."

"I..." Xenia shakes her head, a little unsteady on her feet. "I'm not sure I'm ready for a commitment like that, y'know? I mean...just to answer some questions, or get a few skills...feels like the wrong reason to have a kid."

Kahlia's expression turns more serious as she nods. "You've been a parent many times, of course."

"A father, tons, yeah. A mom? Just...just the once. And..." Xenia sighs before shaking her head. "I'm not saying no. Just...I need to think about it?"

The core disappears from Kahlia's hand. "Of course. If you need me, I'll be here. Ready to knock you up, day or night."

"...Thanks, your grace."

As Xenia's avatar reappears in the dungeon office, Lollyp and Sincere are quick to ask for an update. "So!? Did you learn anything?"

Xenia sinks back into her seat with a sigh. "That our patron goddess has a breeding kink? Think I knew that one already..."