With the last of his gear stowed Valgrin marveled, again, at the amount he could stuff in his Folded Space belt. Works better than I designed it. ‘I designed it’, not sure I’ll ever get, fully, used to saying that. He pulled his thoughts back to preparing to leave. Taking a visual sweep to make sure he had gotten the last of his stuff, his gaze paused as he watched Ylnah. Her movements told him she was healed, her eyes shared with him she wasn’t. Not sure my talk with her helped. Try again? Have Izzy talk to her? He jerked his head down, diverting his eyes when she started turning her head. His eyes bounced all around the area he’d been using, several times, before he looked up. Ylnah waved. The flamethrowers were focused on Valgrin’s cheeks. Did I get to navy? Don’t even know if I change colors. Jeeesh. Valgrin waved back, his head shaking slightly.

  “Whereas it has been,” The Narrator paused for a few moments. “Enjoyable to have life about the place. I’m afraid that time is ending, I must ask all to exit to the hall.”

  Valgrin waited until everyone else walked through, then he followed Skwilly into the Swiss Dot hall. "Narrator, something you said just now. Are you bound to this dungeon?”

  A deep chuckle surrounded them, small rivulets of dust fell from the ceiling.

  “T’would be an accurate statement.” The Narrator couldn’t keep all of its laughter out of the answer. “But an inaccurate one as well.”

  Malcolm led the chorus of “Huhs?”

  “I’m bound to this dungeon because…” The Narrator paused taking in an audible breath. “I am the dungeon, so to speak. I am a dungeon core.”

  Izzy blurted out, “Really? A true dungeon core? You are a rare, rare creature.”

  “Yeah, not many of us to begin with. Then some got killed. And yes we can be killed, no I won’t tell you how.” The Narrator chuckled lightly, no walls shook this time. “And then several of us graduated to a physical form, the goal for most of us. Get good enough at being a dungeon that the Structure allows you to take on a physical form from the available list at the time.”

  “And is that your goal?” Valgrin asked.

  A sigh blew down the hall, “It was, now I’m working on getting back into the Structure’s good graces.”

  “Okay,” Malcolm stepped in. “That begs the questions ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’”

  “First, to clear something up. I used the wrong term, I should have said Sahomma to be specific. Just did the lump ‘em together thing. Anyway, back when dungeon cores were the big thing I was to. The framework is still in play here. The bad Narrator and scanning the adventurers to create their opponents, along with a few other things have always been part of my dungeons, once I figured out how to do them. Other cores made theirs good by getting bigger and bigger…bigger monsters, bigger battles, and the lure of bigger prizes. Works great, but your costs keep going up too.” The Narrator paused. “Just realized I went ramble mode. Sorry. I can let you out. Since you were successful the door at the other end of the hall, just past the yellow and green doors, is available. It will cut about seventy miles of mountain trails out of your trip. But it is more treacherous.”

  Malcolm held up his hand, “Wait! Couple of things. Treacherous being the first and most important. What do you mean by that?”

  “Can’t divulge much, Structure rules on dungeon cores. We get to know a lot about the larger area, just can’t share everything with adventurers. So, I gave you what I could.”

  “Second,” Valgrin grinned over at Malcolm, he shrugged as he nodded. “If we cut seventy miles out of our trip, we have time to hear some of your rambles. I, and the others, found the story interesting and its nice to hear other perspectives on things.”

  The Narrator’s voice raised a higher pitch and a quicker speed, “Really? You’re really interested in my story? And spend time with me?”

  “Yeah,” Malcolm jumped in. “Valgrin and I want to get as much information on everything. We’re new to the EverNever.”

  “The cost of running a dungeon that’s where you left off,” Valgrin added.

  “Yes, I saw how the bigger and bigger drive also meant your expenses also got bigger. So, I invested in the magic from the get go. It did mean I started a lot slower than the others who spent their points on mostly physical stuff, it is cheaper at the lower end. I figured out I needed to slow the party goers down in order to get better analysis, so the bad Narrator was created. Along with the countdown guy in the aquarium room, his time reminders caused more tension thus slowing most parties down. Anyway, my magic started creating better opponents and better rewards. But at a much cheaper cost. My dungeon soon became the biggest draw and most talked about of any of us. Then first of us to get rewarded with physical forms happened. Three got their forms, I wasn’t one of them.” Silence hung in the air for several seconds.

  Izzy coughed once, “You don’t have to go on if you don’t want to.”

  “I will finish. I’ll shorten it a little, getting way to rambling,” The Narrator continued. “I lost it, basically. I ranted and raved to the Structure, to the point of pissing them off. Again, I mean the Sahomma when I say Structure. I got bypassed six more times, probably more but I’ve not been keeping track. It assigned me to places that don’t get much traffic. I’m bored, lonely, and hate what I do anymore, but I’m bound to it.”

  “Do you have a way one of us could reach you in the near future?” Valgrin tapped his finger against his nose.

  “Not allowed, that way you can’t use me to grind.”

  “I’m not looking to do the dungeon again. I might want to do business with you.” Valgrin kept on tapping.

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  “Uh, business? Uh…uh…” The Narrator paused for a few minutes. “…um…if we’re doing business to improve the dungeon. I think it could take advantage of a loophole. Something the Structure likes and might reward.”

  “It would be an improvement. I need to talk to some folks before I can say for sure its doable.” Valgrin shook his finger, his gaze unfocused.

  “Okay, here is a medallion. It will reach me, if I’m in its range, and we can talk.” A flat green enamel dog tag feel from the ceiling. “Just clutch it in your hand and think D-one-hundred-ninety-nine, that’s me.”

  Valgrin picked up the green tag and placed it in his belt, “Any meaning to that?”

  “Dungeon core one hundred ninety-nine.”

  “It may take a while, and I may not be able to pull it off.” Valgrin pointed his chin toward the ceiling, “But I will look into it and let you know.”

  The Narrator couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice, “You’d do that for me? That would be amazing. I won’t get my hopes up, but it’ll be a struggle not to, but just having your attention is a boon I won’t forget soo…”

  The Narrator fell silent mid-sentence. Malcolm jumped in first, “Narrator, are you okay?”

  Valgrin voiced his concern after a few more seconds of silence, “What’s going on? This silence is worrying.”

  “Sorry, sidetracked.” The Narrators voice came fast and higher pitched than before. “Chatting with Valgrin’s Structure liaison Sandy, that’s how she identified herself. She suggested I make the five of you a part of my Oversight Council, didn’t know that was a thing. By being on my Council, each of you will get a tag and can call me anytime and request for me to transport you here. And I can, but only to Council members, so you couldn’t bring others with you. And, I already asked, I can’t be adding everyone to the Council, so that wouldn’t be a loophole. You just have to agree. Do you agree?”

  “A free emergency retreat.” Izzy spoke up, “Even limited, that’s not a bad thing to have.”

  Ylnah raised her head toward the ceiling, “Could I set up a small transport here and have it linked to a second place? That way we can visit, or use as a retreat, and have a way home without lengthy travel.”

  “I don’t see that as an issue. Maybe put it behind the blue door and give each of you a door key.”

  “I’m in then.” Ylnah responded.

  Valgrin nodded, “Me too.”

  “Me three,” Skwilly quipped.

  “I’ll make it four,” Izzy joined in.

  Malcolm stretched his arms out, “Hugs to the five members of the new Oversight Council.”

  A round of cheers, tags fell from the ceiling to another round of cheers.

  “We must get moving or we won’t leave at all today.” Ylnah observed.

  After a few more goodbyes the group found themselves ready to walk through a white enamel farm door, complete with red checked gingham curtains covering the window in the upper half. Valgrin was surprised at how much it looked like his grandparents back door.

  “Take a left when you leave. You’ll be on the right trail to get to the station. Sometimes there will be boulders or the mountain itself between you and the edge of the trail. Other times, you’ll need to watch you step closely so you don’t fall off the mountain.” The Narrator informed the group, sounding like an overprotective parent. “See you at our next meeting.” He called out as they headed down the trail.

  The crunch of the rocks an occasional whistle when the wind picked up and blew over the boulders, were the only sound for the first ten minutes.

  “Checked out the edge,” Malcolm announced to the others. “Izzy and I did, looks like the valley below is filled with thicker green fog. Other than that looks like what we left on the other side of these mountains. And, based on the sun, we caught a glimpse between clouds, it is early morning. So, if we had gotten out of there much earlier we’d have been feeling around in the dark.”

  “Speaking of taking our time earlier, Valgrin why did you make promises to the dungeon core?” Izzy asked.

  “Well, first thought, and I admit it is way out of the box, make him the head of your security. He could do small dungeony things at the tavern. Knew I had more talking to do to you and to him. Then I recalled the temple in the swamp. Be a great way to make sure Drathnor doesn’t use it and get a training dungeon close by. The theraat and maybe some people Izzy might know that could make use of a real dungeon to train in. We’d need to make sure parameters were in place, but I think D-one-hundred-ninety-nine would be easy to work with on that.”

  “Well, I have been kicking around buying a block or two and enlarging what I have.” Izzy sighed, wistfully. “Make it a little more of a compound, so to speak, don’t want weird cult vibes or anything. Have a barracks type of place for those staying longer than a few nights. Keep my Inn rooms open, basically. Bigger private space, and more ways to it for those allowed. Maybe buy a stable and move it into the compound. Expand the private garden, maybe make it a little less private in some areas. So, security needing someone may not be a bad idea, as we start growing. Not before though. I already have a few in mind that would be likely to make use of a training dungeon. Solid ideas, Valgrin.”

  “Thanks. I have a few from time to time.” He grinned back.

  The wind shrieked without warning, hurling stinging particles against exposed skin. Valgrin's cloak whipped violently as he crouched behind a boulder, one arm shielding Izzy who had dropped to her knees. Skwilly's shouts were nearly lost in the howling. Valgrin couldn’t see or hear Malcolm or Ylnah. Minutes crawled by as they clung to the mountainside, the abrasive grit finding every seam in their clothing. Then silence fell, leaving them spitting sand from their mouths and blinking red-rimmed eyes.

  Malcolm shook the sand out of his hair and clothes, “Need to check on something, be right back.”

  Valgrin double-checked to make sure the others were okay. Other than some very red skin patches on Ylnah’s pale skin everyone came through okay.

  “There’s a storm brewing out there,” Malcolm’s voice showed up, seconds before he did. “Swirling winds messing with the green fog. Darker clouds on the horizon and moving fast. I’d say we’ll be facing more wind issues soon.”

  It seemed like the wind was waiting for that announcement, it went from zero to one hundred in seconds. The roar of the gusts, the sound of sand hitting the rocks around them, all combined to drown out all conversation. Valgrin ducked, making his way back to the boulder he’d found some shelter with. He did see Ylnah and Izzy doing the same. His head jerked around trying to find Malcolm or Skwilly, to no avail. Watching through squinting eyes, he was able to corral Ylnah and Izzy and place them between boulders and the wall, both helping cutting the winds impact on them. The wind died down to more gentle gusts of sand, Malcolm came flying over from the other side, rolling behind the boulder coming to a stop next to Izzy.

  “Not sure we’re going to last if it keeps up as bad as it just was.” Malcolm shouted to be heard over the noise.

  “Agreed! Maybe if we hug the wall and keep ducking behind boulders, we can avoid the worst of it or maybe even find a little shelter.” Izzy shouted back so the group could hear.

  Skwilly nosed his way past Malcolm and shouted, “I found a shelter about twenty feet ahead. Follow me.” He turned back around and led the group down the path.

  The wind picked back up, this time gusting harder than ever before. Sand flew through the air, A hot sting across Valgrin's cheek made him flinch. His fingers came away wet and crimson, the blood immediately diluting with sweat. Each new gust drove sand into the wound like salt. His forearm flared with sudden pain, a fresh gash opened as if by an invisible blade, crimson beading along the length of it. He pressed his back against the rough stone, shoulder blades grinding into the mountain face. Something sharp pinged against the rock inches above his head, then another, a sound distinct from the hissing sand. He ducked lower, eyes fixed on Skwilly's disappearing form ahead, counting each step toward whatever shelter awaited them.