Dungeon Master (Karma System)

”Maser, the report from the scouts has arrived.” Said a pale green goblin as he rushed into the large room.

A hobgoblin with skin as red as blood sat upon a throne made from bones. He turned and lazily looked to the goblin that had just woken him from his contemplation.

”And?” He asked.

The goblin kneeled in front of the throne. ”Master, the adventures under your employee have reported that the first level is an instance type dungeon.”

”Ha.” Barked the hobgoblin. ”What a fool. They must be new, like I thought.”

”Yes, Master. It is as you say.”

”What else?”

”The first level is designed for those who are level 10. It holds a handful of Fey creatures. If a person’s level exceeds 10 the Fey will be strengthened but only until level fifteen.”

”Truly foolish. That is no way to defend a dungeon.” The hobgoblin said. ”What about the second level?”

The small goblin shook its tiny head. ”No one has seen it yet. The adventurers reported that the first level is too difficult since they are limited to a team of 5. They have requested more time to investigate.”

The hobgoblin snorted. ”Nonsense. They are just stalling and trying to get me to increase their allowance. I don’t care what else they have to report. I understand now. This newcomer is relying on the revival buff to raise the difficulty while keeping the level low. The use of an instance limits the number of people. While good in theory, it can be broken in many ways.”

”Yes, master. If you were to initiate a Dungeon Raid the Instances would fall apart. then they would be helpless against numbers.”

The hobgoblin finally turned his full attention to the kneeling goblin. ”Raise our defenses and start preparation. Over half the adventures have abandoned us for this new dungeon. We must crush them into dust and return things to the way they were.”

”Right away Master.” Said the goblin before bolting from the room.

///

”You aren’t listening mother.” Lana said, angry at the fact that her words were going in one ear and out the other.

She was currently in her mother’s private training room trying to convince her to change her mind, but her mother wasn’t having any of it.

The older beauty scowled. ”It is you who is not listening. I called in several favors to get you a place in the Academy of Magic. The capital is the best place for you to hone your abilities and grow as a spellcaster. There facilities are second to none.”

The woman then turned to leave since she saw no point in finishing the conversation.

Before she could step out of the door, she swiftly spun and blocked the spell that had been cast at her.

”You dare to attack your own mother?” The woman said with a fierce glare, but there was no real heat behind her eyes.

She remembered a time when she was young and full of ideas on how to tread her own path. Once her daughter arrived in the capital, she would understand that it was truly a blessing to be admitted into the Academy of Magic.

The older woman’s eyes widened when she saw her daughter tilt her staff forward. A moment later another spike of ice was flying towards her. With a wave of her hand, a shimmering magical shield blocked the spell like it had done with the first.

”Quick casting?” She asked, surprised.

”Yes.” Lana huffed.

”But how did you accomplish that at such a young age?”

”If you had bothered listening to a word I said, you would know.” She said as she tilted her staff again. This time, instead of a spike of ice forming and launching, the air crackled as a thin bolt of lightning was launched forward.

This caused her mother’s mouth to drop open.

”You can quick cast both Ice Bolt and Spark?”

Lana grinned victoriously when she saw the surprise on her mother’s face.

”Yep.” She said while popping the P with extra umph. ”And teacher said that when I return, I can begin to learn combo casting.”

”This teacher you mentioned, taught you how to quick cast and knows how to combo cast?” She asked.

Lana nodded excitedly. ”If you would just listen, you would have known this a week ago.”

”I am listening now.” Her mother said.

”It is the most amazing dungeon ever. Thanks to the revival buff I can go into battle worry free twice a day. When I am not fighting, I spent most of my time training or in the Magic Tower. The magic tower has so many spells it makes your library look like an introduction center. They have rooms for spell training and meditation. The basic class trainers know how to unlock every skill and ability for any type of basic class.”

Lana was really starting to work herself up as she spoke while pacing and throwing her arms around.

”They also have trainers for the advanced classes too. And then there are so many magical items. It’s amazing. We were only there a week, but I learned so much. Even you can’t Quick Cast, but I already know how. How can the Academy of Magic be better. Plus, when I am done studying, I can go test out my skills in actual combat. It so awesome.”

”Gilly did mention the revival buff. But he never mentioned a magic tower.” The older woman mumbled.

”He was too absorbed with his own skill training. He even found an assassin trainer that showed him a lot.” Lana said.

”And you are certain that this place would be better to learn at compared to the Academy?” Her mother asked.

”The price of the Academy for Magic is obscene Mother. If you put half those funds towards training in the dungeon my rewards would be ten times more than what I could get from the Academy.”

”Where is this dungeon?” She asked.

”A half day’s ride from Lord Titters estate. 5 days from here with the best horses.”

”Hmm. Perhaps I should take a look and see if this Magic tower is as good as you say.”

Lana stuck out her tongue at her mother. ”You just want to meet those class trainers.”

The older woman smirked. ”Maybe I should check it out after I drop you off at the Academy.”

”Noooo. Mom, you can’t do that. Don’t you need a guide? Take me with you.”

Lady Winters let out a laugh at her daughter’s childish action. ”Get your things, I will inform your father. If we take Petrie, we should be there by nightfall.”

”Yes!” Lana said while shoving her fist into the air. She knew that if her mother saw the place she stood a better chance of being able to stay at the dungeon compared to going to the capital.

Half an hour later, Mother and daughter walked out of the fortified estate and entered the private stables of the Baron.

Lady Winters pulled a whistle from the small bag on her hip and blew.

Lana heard nothing but knew that the summoning whistle worked. A moment later a large green bird swooped down. Petrie was over 5 meters long and had a 10-meter wingspan. The Windspear Sparrow was her mothers mount that she had tamed in her youth. With Petrie’s help they would reach the dungeon in no time.

Just as the pair was about to climb on, a swirl of magic appeared at their side and solidified into a door. Swinging open, a well groomed man dressed in a robe stepped through.

”Senior sister.” The young man said with a bow.

”Junior brother. I am surprised to see you.”

”I was in the area and thought I would visit and then join you in escorting your daughter to the Academy.”

”Oh, you are heading back to the academy. Still brushing up on your skills?”

”Always senior sister. But this time they asked me to return to take up a position teaching.” He then turned towards the young woman beside her mother. ”If you are interested and have the talent in space magic, I could be your teacher one day.”

”Congratulations junior brother. But I am not sure I will be sending Lana to the Academy.”

The man was shocked to hear that. ”What? Why not?”

”She went on a bit of an adventure recently and spent some time studying at a magic tower. She has already demonstrated an ability to quick cast 2 spells. She told me that when she returns her teacher wants to start on Combo casting.”

”Combo casting? Are you serious?”

”That is what I have been told. I want to see it for myself.”

The man nodded swiftly. ”Yes, if it is some sort of scam they need to be taught a lesson, but if not...” He trailed off.

Lady Winters understood. The Academy of Magic stood at the pinnacle of spell learning and research in the country. If another learning center popped up it would greatly impact them. But spellcasters weren’t like those Lords and Ladies who destroyed everything that might harm their interests.

One couldn’t become a spellcaster without putting in hard work and numerous hours of research. If the Academy found out what Lana had said was true, they wouldn’t be in a rush to destroy the place, no, they would be in a rush to ask for leave and check it out themselves. Every caster wanted to better themselves and one day create their own spells and abilities. Learning was the key.

”Senior Sister, do you mind if I tag a long?”

Lady Winters looked to her daughter who shrugged in response.

”Please join us.”

”Thank you.” He said while climbing onto the bird with them.

”Lana, this is my junior brother from my time at the Academy. You can call him Oswald. Oswald, this is my daughter, Lana Winters.”

”It’s nice to meet you, Miss Lana.”

As the bird took to the air, Lady Winters erected a barrier to block the wind and then turned to her daughter. ”Lana, I want to know everything about this dungeon.”