The Crafter's Darkness: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 4) by Jonathan Brooks (ebook reader with android os TXT) 📗

along.  It seemed like it was a waste of time, however, as over the next hour they didn’t encounter even a single monster.  Wyrlin had already told the others what to expect, or at least what he had seen of the strange metal creatures that the dungeon had command over, and they were as prepared as they were going to get – but there was no ambush, no delaying tactics, and no evidence that there was a dungeon out there at all.

“Are you sure there is a dungeon out here, boy?”  The Warlord seemed highly skeptical and now a little suspicious.  “There doesn’t seem to be any sign that anything has lived out here since this place was destroyed hundreds of years ago.”

“Oh, it’s out here; we have the knowledge from some of our Elites that visited it and were corrupted by its influence, so we know it exists.  Wyrlin is the only one that has actually seen the entrance, however,” Fyola added reluctantly.

His importance made him feel a little better and he walked straighter because of it.  “That’s right.  In fact, it should be just over that rise right…there.”  He pointed off into the distance, which seemed close but was at least another mile away.

Wyrlin had never approached from their current position to the northeast of the dungeon, but he thought he recognized the rock formations on the hill ahead.  After a short time where they cautiously traveled to the hill and climbed over it, he was positive that he found it.  Until he looked just past where he thought it would be and saw that the very landscape had changed in a strange way.

“What…what happened here?” Mercyll asked, looking down at the concave shape in the dirt and rock of the small valley in front of them.  To Wyrlin, it looked as if something had perfectly scooped out a portion of the landscape and then made it disappear.  Regardless of what it was, he looked around and saw the entrance about 500 feet to the west.

“I have no idea; it didn’t look like this when I was here last.  The entrance is over there, though – you can see the shadow indicating where it’s hidden in the side of the hill there.  Let’s go!”  Wyrlin started to walk, but he was called to stop by Fyola.  I’m starting to have second thoughts on killing her myself now.  I doubt we need her help anymore, especially with all these Orcs that came with us.

“Hold.  I don’t like the look of this; I smell a trap here.  It’s quite possible that whatever did this is still around and will kill us all if we walk into that entrance.”

“What are we supposed to do, then?  Go home after coming all this way,” he scoffed at the Elite leader.  “I found the entrance for you, so now we can go in, take care of a little dungeon destruction, and then go our separate ways.”

Everyone seemed to ignore him as Fyola and the Elites looked at each other and then at the Warlord, seeming to communicate in some way that Wyrlin didn’t understand, before Rothgar shrugged.  “If you think you can get in, I’m all for it.  I’d rather not risk our lives without any other option.”

“Oh, yes, we should be able to get in.  There isn’t a stone wall that could keep me out from a secondary entrance that I’ve met yet.”

Secondary entrance?  “What are you talking about?  There isn’t any secondary entrance that I’m aware of.”

“That’s because it’s usually hidden extremely well and blocked off, but it’s what allows dungeons to send out their larger monsters out into the world.  Most of their entrances are too small for anything larger than something our size to emerge, so how do you think the more powerful dungeons send out the more powerful monsters?  There’s always a secondary entrance, especially if the dungeon has been open for more than a few weeks.”

Fyola’s lecturing and condescending attitude was nearly enough for Wyrlin to strike out at her, but he held himself together with amazing fortitude.  Just put up with this for a little while longer and then you’ll never have to see her again.  Hopefully because she dies, but I’ll take a forced separation for life, too.

“Ferio!  Grab a couple of Rangers and search out the area for this second entrance.  I’m sure that you know what I’m talking about,” the Elite leader continued, stressing the word as she glanced at Wyrlin.  He felt his knuckles pop as he squeezed his fists together, barely restraining himself at her continued insolence.

It took less than an hour for one of the Rangers to find what they suspected was this “secondary entrance”, which turned out to be about a mile to the north and a little east.  Wyrlin looked at the entrance to the dungeon that was so close and shook his head as he followed the entire group to the north.  After the evidence of…something…in front of the main entrance, they took special care to look for any potential traps or ambushes along the way, going even slower now as dusk settled over the wastelands and the light from the sky started to fade.

There was still plenty of light to see this secondary entrance, however, which was located in a small dip in the valley.  There was a large, solid-looking perfectly square stone block that had to have been 50-feet wide on each side that was angled slightly into the ground.  It wasn’t right at the surface, but just underneath the lip of the dirt around it, and its uniformity was a sure sign that it was blocking off something important.  I can’t stand that she was right.

“Alright, stand back and let me do my thing,” Fyola abruptly said, striding towards the stone block purposefully.  Wyrlin suspected he knew what she was about to do, but the sheer energy and