Proposal (Part 1)

"What? You mean this thing? It's not the real sword, it's merely a replica created by some dwarf named Brughaet Alechest. Apparently he tried to replicate the true Sword of the One True King but failed in the end. And this is that failed product."

While explaining to Skit he continuously waved the weapon around in front of him. He could tell that even knowing that it was a replica, Skit was still annoyed by the fact he had it, so Grant figured he would taunt him with it for fun to try and figure out what was so wrong about him having it.

"I see. I have actually met Brughaet Alechest before. I am not surprised that he tried to replicate the true Sword of the One True King. He had an obsession for trying to replicate and then improve some of the greatest weapons in the universe.

You should count yourself as one of the luckiest existences alive. Even if it is a failure, if he was able to harness even half the power of the real sword, then you have acquired quite the weapon.

Enough about that though, follow me. We have much to discuss."

Grant was still curious why Skit seemed so angered by the fact that he had the sword but he decided to wait until they reached wherever their destination would be.

Skit had started to walk back in the direction that he had come from so Grant followed without much fuss.

He had, not even for a second, let his guard down though. Just because Skit seemed like he meant no harm, Grant had no doubt that that could change at the drop of hat so he made sure to remain vigilant.

When the reached the location where Grant had seen the ripples, Grant realized that he could not tell the difference between the actual hill and the area where Skit was headed. They looked exactly the same.

As if sensing his curiosity, Skit explained a little bit about the phenomenon.

"What you see is an illusion created by the dungeon core. Since I control this particular dungeon I have decided to seal it off from outside influences. That is a rarity among dungeon owners because most of them will attract as many life forms as they can to their dungeon so as to grow it at a faster rate.

However, that is not how my race handles dungeons. Once we pass through the barrier, you will understand a little bit more."

As Skit finished his words, it appeared as though he disappeared through a wall of grass. The only noticeable change was the ripple that flowed outwards after he disappeared.

As the old saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. Even though Grant knew that it was possible he could find himself in a deadly situation once he crossed the barrier he still couldn't stop himself from wanting to experience his first dungeon.

So Grant, without fear and full of intrigue, walked through the wall of grass following behind Skit.

He passed through what felt like a gelatinous membrane of some sort. The liquid didn't actually stick to him, but he could feel the sensation of the it as he passed through.

The sight on the other side of the wall froze Grant in his tracks.

Before him was a vast open area, at least the size of two stadiums if not three. The ambiance however was exactly what he had expected. It was a dark, barely lit space, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling all varying in length. There was a moisture in the air that was only amplified by the sounds of water droplets falling to the solid rock floor.

The area was devoid of most all plant life aside from a few patches of moss growing here and there.

The other aspect of the room that made Grant pause, was that aside from a few skeletons walking around, all of which appeared to be extremely weak, the area was devoid of any inhabitants.

Skit, who had already managed to walk a fair distance away from Grant, realized that Grant had stopped in his footsteps, so he turned around to see what was going on. Realizing that Grant was stunned by surroundings, he just shook his boney head and waiting for him to snap out of it.

After admiring the area for a few more moments, Grant resumed following Skit.

All he could think about was how he could somehow get his hands on a space like this. If the membrane at the entrance could keep visitors out or at least deter enemies from discovering it, then this would actually be an amazing place to build settlements for the survivors. It would be far safer than outside because they wouldn't have to contend with the weather or flying monsters and their would only theoretically be one point of entry to defend.

After Skit had led Grant across the open area of the cave, they entered a much smaller offshoot of the cave that was barely big enough to allow two people to walk side by side.

After walking for a few more minutes, they reached a room that was much more brightly lit than the rest of the dungeon. After entering the room, Grant realized that it had actually been furnished with a few chairs and a table which were sitting in the very center of the room.

Skit just walked over to the table, sat down, and then gestured for Grant to join him.

Seeing that Skit was about to start talking, Grant raised his hand and gave the "stop" hand signal because he had a question he wanted answered before they continued.

"Skit, before we get down to your business, I have to ask you one question. Why were you so angry when you saw my sword? The fire in your eyes seemed to intensify to a degree I would not have expected."

"I will answer your question only because it ties into what I would like to discuss with you.

You mentioned that your sword is a replica, correct? Well, the real sword belongs to king of my race.

Not only is he the king, he is also my father."

"Oh shit! Wait.. how do skeletons have kids? Wait that's not important. You're telling me the Skeleton I saw wearing the crown is your father?! You're a prince?! I have so so many questions Skit..."

"I do not know who or what you saw when you grabbed that sword. The Path is known to use powerful weapons or armor to convey events of not just the past but also the future. So it is hard to say for sure who or what you saw.

As for the rest of your questions. On the planet I come from, the atmosphere cannot sustain life as your does. We, at one point in time, were flesh and bone, but as the atmosphere of our planet deteriorated, we shed our skin and muscles for increased magical skills. We use mana to sustain our lives and to create new life.

Lastly, yes I would be considered a prince by your worlds standards. Although in my world, since my father has ruled for more than a million years already, we have no need for succession or anything of the sort so we do not put much stock in our familial ties to him.

Strength reigns above all where I am from."

"Fascinating, as much as I hate the fact that The Path brought ruin upon my world, it has truly opened my eyes to horizons I could only read and dream about.

Well enough about that. Why did you call me here?"

"Before I answer your question, let me ask you one.

What are your goals?"

Hearing Skit's question, Grant sat there pondering for a few minutes. He had only ever considered his short term goals, which were to find food, shelter, and grow stronger as quickly as possible. He had never really given much thought to what he wanted to do if he managed to survive for a month, a year, or even more. So answering Skit's question was actually a tough thing for Grant to do. But after a few moments, he found an answer that he could stand behind.

"I'll answer you in two parts since I don't know really what you're looking for here.

That said, my short term goals? To survive and protect those I have accepted as part of my family.

My long term goals? To reach the end of my Path and figure out who or what has forced me to endure what I have already endured and what I will inevitably endure."

"I see. We are of the same mind when it comes to what we want to accomplish in the future.

In that case, Grant, I have a proposal for you."