Dungeon Life

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Beyond the Pale

Resident Request? What? Who?

No.

Does it work like that?! Yes! Accept! Come on, be Yvonne!

Yvonne

Not how I expected everything to end, but I suppose everything must, eventually. All in all, I think there are worse causes to give everything for. I float just above my corpse, and I think my greatest regret is the sadness Ive caused Ragnar and Aelara. I cant help but smile at the corpse of the little rat scion, too. He tried. If not for that enchantment, he would have saved me.

As I contemplate, I notice The Raven circling above, and I watch, curious. I was under the impression my soul would be pretty quickly escorted to the afterlife Ive earned, but its taking its sweet time. It notices me noticing it, too, and comes in to land atop my corpse. Not that the others can sense him.

Yvone Silvercrest, he says, and I nod. For good or for ill, Ill not try to pretend to be anyone else. Legends rarely go well for mortals that try. The Raven gives me a considering look, before motioning a wing above my head. Do you still mean that?

I give him a confused look, and he nods above my head. Looking up, I see a floating, glowing scroll.

Resident Request: Pending

What is all I can say, baffled. I did desperately ask the dungeon to help, but I didnt expect it would actually be able to do anything.

Do you still mean it? repeats The Raven, and I look back to him in surprise, before considering the question. When The Raven comes to collect your soul, its wise to heed his questions. Do I still mean it? Im dead, so does it even matter? Well it must, or he wouldnt be asking, and it probably wouldnt still be pending.

Would I actually be able to go back, if I do mean it? Ive followed the teaching of the Golden Wings my whole life, so I dont fear where The Raven will take me. But if I could continue to live, would I?

I would like to keep exploring, keep adventuring, keep being with my friends and trying to make a difference in the world. Technically, I guess my time has come, but I would like the chance to be able to do even more.

It will not be easy, speaks The Raven once more in warning. I almost scoff it away. Life isnt easy. Of course, hed know that. There will be something else, then? Ah, right, Resident. There would certainly be strings attached. The kobold, Aranya, seems to be doing just fine. Of course, she also seemed to have come from the deeps. Its arguable slavery is better than trying to live there. At least ones master has a financial incentive to keep one breathing.

Although is she a slave? After some consideration, I chuckle at the idea. She seems to be able to come and go as she pleases. And there are royalty who would be jealous of that silk robe she wears. But how far can she roam from her dungeon? That would certainly make things more difficult for my adventuring career, and for making a difference in the world.

Or would it? Fourdock Dungeon seems to be proactive in the area, and even better, proactively good. Or at least proactively cooperative. It certainly could, in theory, be playing an evil long game, but I doubt that. It seems like half of its spawners are focused on loot and resources, rather than actual dangerous encounters. Itd have a lot of difficulty transitioning to being truly murderous.

So thats what it really comes down to, then: go to my final reward, or gamble on the strange dungeon. As I weigh my options, my gaze falls once again on the little rat scion. It tried to protect me even when I wasnt a Resident. And those strange ants, too. They tried to keep me alive. Why would it even have healing ants?

More of what little I know about the dungeon flashes through my mind, and strengthens my resolve. Whatever its true goals are, they are not malicious. I dont know what it actually wants, but I think I trust it enough to want to find out, and help it achieve it. I look The Raven in the eyes.

Yes. I still mean it.

Then it is done, quoth The Raven, and never more, as he flaps his wings. In moments, he vanishes into the sky, and in watching him go, I can see the scroll change.

Resident Request: Accepted!

I feel myself drifting towards my body, and I smile as things go a bit blurry. I wonder how this will actually work.

Did it actually work? My counter shows two Residents now. There! Shes starting to move! Welcome back to the land of the living, Yvone! Its nice to see youre alive again. She groans and sits up slightly, to the stunned faces of Aelara and Ragnar.

Ugh that was unpleasant Oof! Ragnar and Aelara both hug her tightly, and she slowly hugs them in return. I guess shes still sorting her synapses back out. She gives a weak laugh at their crying happiness.

Its good to see you two, too.

Yer alive! But how?! demands Ragnar, pulling back slightly from the hug to smile at his friend, even as he wonders how she can be alright. Aelara seems to be taking a more practical route to identifying the cause, though, and seems to be doing a kind of magical scan. Yvone, for her part, has the answer.

The dungeon. In my final moments, I begged it for help. Im a Resident now, so I guess I respawn like the scions? Ragnar looks confused at that.

Thats nae how that works. Scions respawn. Residents dinnae.

Aelara gasps and drops her spell, looking at her friend with horror and pity. You you didnt revive, Yvone. Youre youre undead.

Yvone looks in shock at the news, and her beak runs with the first thing to pop into her mind. Thats why he said it wont be easy