"So...Cinder, is it?" Sincere keeps a close eye on the fire elemental standing before him, while a few feet away Alizz collects a rune-covered core and slips it into a bag at her waist.
"Yup, that's me! Do...do you remember me, Lord Sincere?" The woman presses her hands together and leans forward, a vaguely hopeful expression on her vague approximation of a face.
Sincere looks her up and down for a moment before sighing. "I'm afraid I wasn't aware of most of the names you gave yourselves. In fact, in hindsight I made for a rather poor 'lord'. Not that I was attempting to be one, but that may not be much of an excuse."
"It's okay, Lord! We know you were busy, and that you were stolen away before you had time to properly build your - " Whatever further praise Cinder was about to heap on him, Sincere silences it with a wave.
"Please, Cinder, try to make yourself understand. I had no intentions of forming any sort of kingdom down here! I intended to do my research, learn what I could, perhaps discover a few artifacts, and then leave. If some of you had wished to come with me, I may have allowed it, but for the most part I intended to leave you to your own devices. Furthermore, despite our initial...bad first impressions, I was not 'stolen away' by the dungeon! Becoming part of the dungeon in fact saved my life!"
Cinder stares into his eyes for a while before finally responding. "...So, you're not going to be our lord?"
Sincere facepalms, giving Kelsey a chance to step forward. "Where's all this even coming from, anyways? Every elemental colony I know of is...what's even a word for it? Anarchist? You lot don't form governments, or even have leaders most of the time, as far as I can tell!"
Before Cinder can come up with an answer, Alizz offers one of her own. "Natural elemental colonies are always only of one element. A cove of water elementals, a canyon full of earth elementals, a mountain peak occupied by air elementals. Normally, you'd never get elementals of different aspects living together in one place. Does that have something to do with it?"
"...Maybe?" Cinder tilts her head, almost seeming to heat up as she thinks. "I guess part of it might be that Holes has been trying to take charge of things, and most of us would rather that he like...not do that? So if Lord Sincere did, then..."
Sincere's eyes go a little wide at her comments. "'Holes'? Dear gods, don't tell me that you did discover a spatial elemental down here!?"
"Eh? Never heard of it! No, he's Holes, cause he's like...holy. You know, divine?" Cinder looks at the faces of the gathered adventurers, but this time its they who seem to have trouble comprehending.
Lilly is the one to speak first. "A...divine elemental? Or no, you must mean a divine messenger, yes? An angel, or some other type of holy servant? What deity do they serve?"
Cinder shakes her head. "No, you were right the first time! He's an elemental, like us! Kinda like...a white fire elemental, without the fire! So, uh...bright, is what I'm saying. Kind of pointy, too."
Sable scratches her head, or attempts to despite her helmet. "Divine magic's definitely a thing - I mean, that's what I use, after all. But divine mana? When Lilly summons her vines, those are just standard spells using normal mana and a bit of earth, yeah? But blessings or me calling on Kahlia's strength to enhance my body, that just comes straight from the goddess...or, like, our faith in her, or something. I might not be an expert on the technicals." Her voice grows a little uncertain, but Sely backs her up.
"That's about right, yeah. Elementals might be formed in spots with an abundance of aspected mana, but you don't just find divine mana lying around! Not even in the grandest chapels! It's a direct gift from a divine!"
Sincere taps his chin in thought. "Yes, this 'Holes' must be an artificial construct...unless he was produced as part of a Divine Favor of some sort? Very interesting...but not exactly our primary concern right now. Cinder, will you lead us to your base of operations?"
"...I guess." She eyes the demon warily. "But if you're not going to be our Lord, what will you do?"
"That remains to be seen. Hopefully, with a minimum of cores being destroyed in the process, Xenia's above all..."
As Scorch watches on, Xenia's core is placed on top of a new stone pedestal. Not a seashell-shaped one, or an anything-shaped one, for that matter, but simply a column of raw stone Crumbs had summoned from the dungeon floor. It didn't seem right to just put a dungeon core down on the ground, nevermind that this was just a bit of ground raised several feet into the air. "There we go! Uh, so...anyone know if you need to take care of a dungeon core at all? Water it, or something?"
Before Crumbs can answer him, a third elemental walks up to the center of the room. This one was quite unlike the others, even more strange than Zappy, the sole lightning elemental of the crew. No, this one walks forward on rigid limbs that appear almost like blades of solid light, ending not in feet but in sharp points that dig into the ground as he moves. His arms aren't much different, although they do end in razor-like fingers, and even the wings on his back look sharp enough to carve stone. His head meanwhile was...well, non-existent. Instead a single giant eye sits in the center of his chest, a design decision which somewhat creeps out the other elementals who don't even have proper eyes.
Despite his lack of a mouth, a voice echoes out from his form as he points towards the core. "This - this is the dungeon core? Why is it here!?"
Scorch stands up straight as he turns towards his fellow elemental. "It's all part of the plan, Holes! Lord Sincere is stuck in the dungeon, and he said he'd have trouble finding a new floor core even if he got out. But! If we weaken the dungeon by keeping the core out, he might be able to escape, and then he can use a full dungeon core to summon new elementals with!"
The oversized eye stares at the flaming man for a moment. "...I have no idea if that makes any sense. But that's not important right now! Don't you see it!?"
Scorch and Crumbs turn to look at the pearl-like stone, and nod. "...Yup? It's right there, alright."
"No!" Holes throws his arms up into the air. "This core has been touched by the divine! It positively reeks of Goddess! And...and..." The elemental leans in closer, as if sniffing it with the nose he doesn't possess. "A...darker core, perhaps? Hrmm...hrmm! Yes, good work, Scorch! I can use this!"
"Thanks!" The elemental beams, then shifts. "Wait. What do you mean, you can use it? For what?"
"For its power! If I add its energies to my own, who knows what might be possible! Perhaps we'd no longer require this demon lord of yours at all!"
Zappy, true to her name, zaps over to join the others talking. "Are you talking about destroying the core? Just for you? And replacing Lord Sincere!? That's not what we were talking about doing at all! You're not in charge here!"
Faster than even Zappy can move, fingers made of pure light reach into her chest and grab hold of her core, before lifting her into the air. As she struggles, her lightning doing absolutely nothing to harm her captor, an eye stares at her coldly. "Aren't I? And why not? Am I not the most powerful here already? And who else could use the divine power we have here but I?" As other elementals around the room begin to stir, worried by the signs of a fight breaking out, Holes turns to stare them all down. "You wish to hold out for a mere demon? A man who abandoned you!? We are elementals! We do not need those of flesh and blood to rule us!"
Scorch raises a hand, pointing at the eye. "Hey, that's our dad - uh, summoner you're talking about there! And even if we don't need him to lead us, then we don't need anyone, let alone some jumped-up newcomer! You'd still be in a box if we hadn't found you! Now let Zappy down!"
"It's a wonder you found anything at all, undisciplined as you are. I have tolerated this farce of a quest long enough, and I tire of it. You want an Elemental Empire? Then we shall begin it here and now! Will you follow me?" Although some of the elementals keeping their distance do seem somewhat intrigued by the idea, the one struggling in his hand is anything but.
"No way! You're just a bully, I ain't following you anywhere!"
Pulling her closer, Holes gazes deeply into the rough outline of Zappy's flickering face. "...Is that your final answer?" The woman shudders as his grip begins to tighten, his fingers slowly carving into the surface of her core, but the entire room comes to a halt as a new voice shouts out.
"Hold it, villain! Let the lightning girl go."
Kelsey eyes Sable as the two raise their shields. "Really? You just had to blow our chance for a sneak attack?"
The Paladin tilts her head slightly in his direction, a laugh in her voice. "Sorry, I love saying shit like that. Part of the job, you know." She grows a little more serious as she refocuses on the room ahead, and does a quick count of its occupants. "So uh...divine, lightning, seven fires, eight earths...yeah, we got this, right?"
"Let's try and not have to, shall we?" Sincere steps forward, and addresses the room. "Attention! I am Sincere, and I apologize for my absence! I'm afraid there's been a dreadful miscommunication - while I am part of Worthy Dungeon now, I was not kidnapped! Nor am I being mind-controlled in any way! Although I cannot take position as your leader, I am more than willing to aid you in any way I can! But we must demand that you return the dungeon core to our custody!"
The elementals all pause, studying the man, but Holes responds first. "So this is the one you wished to make your leader? Unimpressive. The demon barely has the magical reserves of a child! Stand with me, and we will not need handouts from some organic!"
"Holes, you're an asshole! More like...Ass-Holes!" Cinder shouts out from the middle of the adventuring party, her clever wit causing more than a few winces from those around her. "I wouldn't want to follow you, even if you were a God yourself!"
Some of the audience nod, but Crumbs, still standing near the core, appears to feel differently. "Hold on now, don't be hasty! Holes is more powerful than any of us. Smarter, too! Maybe he knows what he's talking about?"
"I surely do. And with invaders here with steel drawn, we hardly have time for making a vote of it." Holes lifts his arm high into the air, as if he were using the squirming Zappy as his war banner. "Elementals! If you wish to earn your empire - destroy the invaders!"
"So...Cinder, is it?" Sincere keeps a close eye on the fire elemental standing before him, while a few feet away Alizz collects a rune-covered core and slips it into a bag at her waist.
"Yup, that's me! Do...do you remember me, Lord Sincere?" The woman presses her hands together and leans forward, a vaguely hopeful expression on her vague approximation of a face.
Sincere looks her up and down for a moment before sighing. "I'm afraid I wasn't aware of most of the names you gave yourselves. In fact, in hindsight I made for a rather poor 'lord'. Not that I was attempting to be one, but that may not be much of an excuse."
"It's okay, Lord! We know you were busy, and that you were stolen away before you had time to properly build your - " Whatever further praise Cinder was about to heap on him, Sincere silences it with a wave.
"Please, Cinder, try to make yourself understand. I had no intentions of forming any sort of kingdom down here! I intended to do my research, learn what I could, perhaps discover a few artifacts, and then leave. If some of you had wished to come with me, I may have allowed it, but for the most part I intended to leave you to your own devices. Furthermore, despite our initial...bad first impressions, I was not 'stolen away' by the dungeon! Becoming part of the dungeon in fact saved my life!"
Cinder stares into his eyes for a while before finally responding. "...So, you're not going to be our lord?"
Sincere facepalms, giving Kelsey a chance to step forward. "Where's all this even coming from, anyways? Every elemental colony I know of is...what's even a word for it? Anarchist? You lot don't form governments, or even have leaders most of the time, as far as I can tell!"
Before Cinder can come up with an answer, Alizz offers one of her own. "Natural elemental colonies are always only of one element. A cove of water elementals, a canyon full of earth elementals, a mountain peak occupied by air elementals. Normally, you'd never get elementals of different aspects living together in one place. Does that have something to do with it?"
"...Maybe?" Cinder tilts her head, almost seeming to heat up as she thinks. "I guess part of it might be that Holes has been trying to take charge of things, and most of us would rather that he like...not do that? So if Lord Sincere did, then..."
Sincere's eyes go a little wide at her comments. "'Holes'? Dear gods, don't tell me that you did discover a spatial elemental down here!?"
"Eh? Never heard of it! No, he's Holes, cause he's like...holy. You know, divine?" Cinder looks at the faces of the gathered adventurers, but this time its they who seem to have trouble comprehending.
Lilly is the one to speak first. "A...divine elemental? Or no, you must mean a divine messenger, yes? An angel, or some other type of holy servant? What deity do they serve?"
Cinder shakes her head. "No, you were right the first time! He's an elemental, like us! Kinda like...a white fire elemental, without the fire! So, uh...bright, is what I'm saying. Kind of pointy, too."
Sable scratches her head, or attempts to despite her helmet. "Divine magic's definitely a thing - I mean, that's what I use, after all. But divine mana? When Lilly summons her vines, those are just standard spells using normal mana and a bit of earth, yeah? But blessings or me calling on Kahlia's strength to enhance my body, that just comes straight from the goddess...or, like, our faith in her, or something. I might not be an expert on the technicals." Her voice grows a little uncertain, but Sely backs her up.
"That's about right, yeah. Elementals might be formed in spots with an abundance of aspected mana, but you don't just find divine mana lying around! Not even in the grandest chapels! It's a direct gift from a divine!"
Sincere taps his chin in thought. "Yes, this 'Holes' must be an artificial construct...unless he was produced as part of a Divine Favor of some sort? Very interesting...but not exactly our primary concern right now. Cinder, will you lead us to your base of operations?"
"...I guess." She eyes the demon warily. "But if you're not going to be our Lord, what will you do?"
"That remains to be seen. Hopefully, with a minimum of cores being destroyed in the process, Xenia's above all..."
As Scorch watches on, Xenia's core is placed on top of a new stone pedestal. Not a seashell-shaped one, or an anything-shaped one, for that matter, but simply a column of raw stone Crumbs had summoned from the dungeon floor. It didn't seem right to just put a dungeon core down on the ground, nevermind that this was just a bit of ground raised several feet into the air. "There we go! Uh, so...anyone know if you need to take care of a dungeon core at all? Water it, or something?"
Before Crumbs can answer him, a third elemental walks up to the center of the room. This one was quite unlike the others, even more strange than Zappy, the sole lightning elemental of the crew. No, this one walks forward on rigid limbs that appear almost like blades of solid light, ending not in feet but in sharp points that dig into the ground as he moves. His arms aren't much different, although they do end in razor-like fingers, and even the wings on his back look sharp enough to carve stone. His head meanwhile was...well, non-existent. Instead a single giant eye sits in the center of his chest, a design decision which somewhat creeps out the other elementals who don't even have proper eyes.
Despite his lack of a mouth, a voice echoes out from his form as he points towards the core. "This - this is the dungeon core? Why is it here!?"
Scorch stands up straight as he turns towards his fellow elemental. "It's all part of the plan, Holes! Lord Sincere is stuck in the dungeon, and he said he'd have trouble finding a new floor core even if he got out. But! If we weaken the dungeon by keeping the core out, he might be able to escape, and then he can use a full dungeon core to summon new elementals with!"
The oversized eye stares at the flaming man for a moment. "...I have no idea if that makes any sense. But that's not important right now! Don't you see it!?"
Scorch and Crumbs turn to look at the pearl-like stone, and nod. "...Yup? It's right there, alright."
"No!" Holes throws his arms up into the air. "This core has been touched by the divine! It positively reeks of Goddess! And...and..." The elemental leans in closer, as if sniffing it with the nose he doesn't possess. "A...darker core, perhaps? Hrmm...hrmm! Yes, good work, Scorch! I can use this!"
"Thanks!" The elemental beams, then shifts. "Wait. What do you mean, you can use it? For what?"
"For its power! If I add its energies to my own, who knows what might be possible! Perhaps we'd no longer require this demon lord of yours at all!"
Zappy, true to her name, zaps over to join the others talking. "Are you talking about destroying the core? Just for you? And replacing Lord Sincere!? That's not what we were talking about doing at all! You're not in charge here!"
Faster than even Zappy can move, fingers made of pure light reach into her chest and grab hold of her core, before lifting her into the air. As she struggles, her lightning doing absolutely nothing to harm her captor, an eye stares at her coldly. "Aren't I? And why not? Am I not the most powerful here already? And who else could use the divine power we have here but I?" As other elementals around the room begin to stir, worried by the signs of a fight breaking out, Holes turns to stare them all down. "You wish to hold out for a mere demon? A man who abandoned you!? We are elementals! We do not need those of flesh and blood to rule us!"
Scorch raises a hand, pointing at the eye. "Hey, that's our dad - uh, summoner you're talking about there! And even if we don't need him to lead us, then we don't need anyone, let alone some jumped-up newcomer! You'd still be in a box if we hadn't found you! Now let Zappy down!"
"It's a wonder you found anything at all, undisciplined as you are. I have tolerated this farce of a quest long enough, and I tire of it. You want an Elemental Empire? Then we shall begin it here and now! Will you follow me?" Although some of the elementals keeping their distance do seem somewhat intrigued by the idea, the one struggling in his hand is anything but.
"No way! You're just a bully, I ain't following you anywhere!"
Pulling her closer, Holes gazes deeply into the rough outline of Zappy's flickering face. "...Is that your final answer?" The woman shudders as his grip begins to tighten, his fingers slowly carving into the surface of her core, but the entire room comes to a halt as a new voice shouts out.
"Hold it, villain! Let the lightning girl go."
Kelsey eyes Sable as the two raise their shields. "Really? You just had to blow our chance for a sneak attack?"
The Paladin tilts her head slightly in his direction, a laugh in her voice. "Sorry, I love saying shit like that. Part of the job, you know." She grows a little more serious as she refocuses on the room ahead, and does a quick count of its occupants. "So uh...divine, lightning, seven fires, eight earths...yeah, we got this, right?"
"Let's try and not have to, shall we?" Sincere steps forward, and addresses the room. "Attention! I am Sincere, and I apologize for my absence! I'm afraid there's been a dreadful miscommunication - while I am part of Worthy Dungeon now, I was not kidnapped! Nor am I being mind-controlled in any way! Although I cannot take position as your leader, I am more than willing to aid you in any way I can! But we must demand that you return the dungeon core to our custody!"
The elementals all pause, studying the man, but Holes responds first. "So this is the one you wished to make your leader? Unimpressive. The demon barely has the magical reserves of a child! Stand with me, and we will not need handouts from some organic!"
"Holes, you're an asshole! More like...Ass-Holes!" Cinder shouts out from the middle of the adventuring party, her clever wit causing more than a few winces from those around her. "I wouldn't want to follow you, even if you were a God yourself!"
Some of the audience nod, but Crumbs, still standing near the core, appears to feel differently. "Hold on now, don't be hasty! Holes is more powerful than any of us. Smarter, too! Maybe he knows what he's talking about?"
"I surely do. And with invaders here with steel drawn, we hardly have time for making a vote of it." Holes lifts his arm high into the air, as if he were using the squirming Zappy as his war banner. "Elementals! If you wish to earn your empire - destroy the invaders!"
