Chapter 6: Genesis

“Did you just destroy a dungeon core, sir?” Viren asked. The boy wore an expression that was curiously more resigned than shocked or surprised. “Just like that?”

“I did indeed,” Ryland said. “It was unfortunately necessary.”

While the storm of magic hadn’t fully abated yet, Ryland was still able to find what he was seeking within its centre.

A tiny sliver of one of his fingernails.

It was so small, so unassuming, that he’d have been forgiven for missing it had he not been employing his Glyph of Questing yet again. Yet, this tiny portion of a nail, this minuscule piece of his original body, was what had led to the birth of this dungeon.

Then it started glowing and transforming as a window from the Grand Frame came into being.

[ Achievement Recognized: Dungeon Ender

You have eradicated a dungeon core, an eternal being that most can never even witness, much less interact with and kill.

Reward: Rank up from Silver [30] to Silver [50]

Reward: Soul Glyph of… <METASTASIZING REWARD>. ]

The notification was an odd one. Even the Grand Frame apparently needed to think before it could settle on a proper reward for his actions.

Next to Ryland, Viren was muttering. None of his words were directed at Ryland, so he let the boy carry on without replying or interjecting. The incoherence was somehow helping to keep him calm, something Ryland appreciated since he had removed the Glyph of Tranquillity now.

“Destroys a dungeon core like it’s nothing…” Viren was murmuring. “…eternal, not supposed to be found… defies Kolmik’s Laws… nails turning into Soul Glyphs…”

On second thought, some of that might just have been indirectly directed at Ryland.

[ Achievement Recognized: Dungeon Ender

Initial Reward: Soul Glyph of Life.

Recipient found to be already in possession of Soul Glyph of Life.

Evolving Soul Glyph…

Reward: Soul Glyph of Genesis. ]

Interesting. The Grand Frame reward had been something he already possessed, so the reward had just shifted into evolving his Soul Glyph.

Or rather, transforming his fingernail into a new Glyph.

He held out his hand and manifested it. The shape was certainly different now. Gone were the chaotic twists and helixes that his Soul Glyph of Life had possessed. Now, there was a bit more etherealness to the magical etching. Curls and lines that faded to nothing, indicating a stronger spiritual component to it.

Xyke would have been fascinated. He would need to remember to show her next time he visited.

“We should probably exit,” Ryland announced pleasantly.

Viren froze, then shot to his feet. “Right. You just destroyed the dungeon core, sir. That means everything’s about to collapse, right?”

“Indeed.”

Right on cue, everything began shaking. The walls started sporting cracks that spiderwebbed outwards, the debris raining down from the ceiling growing larger with every passing moment.

“Not to worry,” Ryland said. “We don’t have to waste time finding the actual exit.” He channelled his mana into the familiar spell circle. “We can simply make our own.”

“You mean you can!”

“True, I suppose. [Translocate].”

A rift formed in front of them with a thunderous spatial crack. Viren, rather rightfully, hesitated stepping into the anomaly that had torn open in the fabric of reality.

“I assure you it’s quite safe,” Ryland said. “Your body will experience some spatial sickness, but I think that beats getting squished by a collapsed dungeon.”

Viren took a quick breath. “You know, your words aren’t reassuring at all, sir.” Then he steeled himself, holding his orange tabby closer to his chest. “But your actions definitely are.”

What an odd thing to say. Now, Ryland was nonplussed by just what exactly the boy meant by that. “Just avoid the edges.”

“I—” A rock fell close enough to make Viren jump. “Will do!”

Then he rushed through the black rift.

Ryland took a fond look around. All this was the remnant of his own self in a way. An expression of life itself, born from a piece of his old body that had been shattered.

A chunk of the ceiling bigger than an elephant bounced off his skull to crash frightfully somewhere farther off. What a rude interruption to his little reverie. Shaking his head, Ryland stepped through his rift to re-enter daylight.

He breathed in deep once he was outside. The wind felt fresh on his face, the grass swayed with a gentle susurration, and leaves on the trees rustled around them as well. Standing in the middle of that sort of serenity made the experiences in the dungeon feel almost dreamlike in comparison.

Viren was standing a safe distance away from the rift, though his bespectacled eyes were taking it all in with careful scrutiny, like he couldn’t believe he was out and free.

He also appeared rather queasy.

“I can cast Glyph of Tranquillity again,” Ryland offered. “It does help to calm down upset stomachs.”

“It does? What doesn’t it calm down?”

Ryland considered for a moment. “Quite a lot actually, now that I think about it.” He started counting off fingers. “Very strong wills. Insanity. Lots and lots of monsters and other creatures who are incapable of feeling anything even akin to peace of mind. Spirits embodying various traits. And—”

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“It was a rhetorical question, sir.”

“…ah.”

Viren’s mouth hung open for a second, before he quickly clamped his hand over his lips again. He had a strange propensity for it, for some reason. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for interrupting you! Especially when you were just concerned about the… the spatial sickness you called it, right?”

“Oh, yes. Do you think you’ll be alright?”

Viren made an effort to swallow. He seemed to be considering his next words carefully, which wasn’t a bad thing. Deliberation and all that. “I think I’ll be fine after some time, sir. I think I’d prefer to recover unaided. But I wouldn’t mind knowing why I’m sick.”

“Understandable,” Ryland said, referring to his decision. “And you’re sick because you broke through the spacetime continuum. Your body doesn’t approve.”

“I see…”

Ryland raised his eyebrows. “You do?”

“Well…” Viren kicked his feet on the ground. “Not really.”

Ryland chuckled. “Think of reality like a puzzle. When you travel through a rift, you’re ripping out the puzzle piece that represents you from its correct location to a new one. Do you understand what I’m getting at?”

Viren’s glasses flashed. “I—yes, I think I do. A puzzle piece needs the surrounding pieces to make sense. So if you stuff it into a spot where it doesn’t belong, it’s going to be all awry. So my body is the puzzle piece that doesn’t fit in with my current surroundings.”

Ryland smiled wide. “Excellent, yes. Thankfully, the feeling passes eventually. Now, let’s see here…”

He cast the Glyph of Questing again, this time focusing his intention on the next piece of himself. The Glyph pointed off into the distance.

“What are we looking for, sir?” Viren asked.

His cat looked around inquisitively, meowing its echo of his question.