The Monster Mage

15

^^ Ammit the Devourer ^^

"Where are we?" Galatea asked, looking around at the Laboratory I'd created.

"This is my Workshop; All of my work, all of my Demiplanes, all of my creations and ideas, all centralized and given structure. Don't open any doors, though, they're not safe." I gestured around the large room, a 20ft cube with a multitude of doors around the upper walkway and various crafting apparatuses on the bottom floor, which we stood in the middle of. It was located in the center of the mountain, behind the Cave, with the outside of it lined with even more crystals from the dungeon we'd killed and eaten, with a few crystals floating around and giving off daylight to the room. Just like my Dungeon, the only way to get in was to have the Coral Key and know the coordinates by heart, which I did. Only four of the doors worked currently, but I'd built twenty-four, just in case.

"Demiplanes? That's 7th-Tier Utility Arch-Magic, though, isn't it?" She asked confused.

"It's really not that complicated, once you figure out the math." I waved her concern off, and summoned the Identity Crystal from the Intelligent Dungeon. "Alright... let's see if anyone's home..." I set the crystal onto a stand that looked like a Tee-ball set, complete with the orb of Adamantite the crystal was soon sealed within, which would allow it to speak, hopefully, while also keeping it from attacking us.

"Is that... the Dungeon's 'Identity Crystal'? It's Soul?" Galatea asked, as I closed the ball and stepped back.

"Yep. You awake in there?" I asked clearly, tapping the Adamantite once. My fingers, which also had Adamantite on them, made it ring gently, and I waited for a moment, before it responded.

"You are the one who Broke me. The Dragon-Eater. You recognized me." It spoke softly, in neither a feminine or masculine voice, but a little of both.

"Yes, that's me. I'm sorry I didn't speak to you, before. I realized what I'd done only after I saw the soul of the other dungeon, and realized you were not only sentient, but sapient. I hope you'll forgive me." I sighed, and examined the creature with the Dragon's Sight. Unlike the horror from before, this one was a simple sphere, with an eye floating around and examining the room. It focused on me, realizing I was watching it, and chuckled.

"I see you've gained Dragon's Sight... that explains much. I see no reason to withhold forgiveness, as you have repented and apologized, and no real harm was done... yes, I lost my body that I spent nearly four hundred years building, but really, why was I building it? The Hunger was difficult to hold back, but now... now I can think clearly, like when I first awoke to this world. So, I thank you. But I sense something else; a favor you want to ask. I am curious, so ask."

"I plan to help the suffering dungeons. I want to cure their loneliness, and have the Intelligent Dungeons lead the less-Intelligent ones of the same types, connected to them on a Psychic Level, and then the Leaders connected as well, to allow for them to have company, so long as they promise not to share monsters of different types, because that would cause chaos. I'll remove their Souls from the dungeons, so they don't have to feel the pain every time one of their monsters is killed, and if the Core is destroyed, they can build another. But I need Intelligent Cores like you to be on board for any of it to happen." I explained calmly.

"An intriguing notion... like a Guild of Dungeons... a Dungeon Guild. I like this idea... but the Intelligent Dungeons will only be able to think properly if they're removed from their Cores, like I was. The bigger we get, the less clear our minds are, you see."

"That can be arranged, yes. A safe place all your own will be prepared for you, if you want. A canyon with plenty of caves, but also sunlight if you want it. Your bodies... you'll need to be able to move, but not get bigger, so I'll build you Slime Bodies, but remove your Devour Abilities. Without the Hunger, you might get even more clear-minded." I nodded, thinking about it carefully.