Starlit Dream - 2

Basil and Alex stood before the double doors leading to the [Starlit Dream], Basil looking over a notebook and Alex leaning on a spear.

Alex groaned. "Ahh, I'm bored. Aren't you done with that yet?"

Basil looked up from his notes. "Unlike some of us, I actually pay attention to our missions."

"Psh, it's just a survey mission. So what if some dumb kids got their asses kicked? I'm not going to stick my nose into some random shell like they did."

"So you actually were paying attention..."

"So it's some newborn dungeon, right? Linear path, simple monster layout. Doubt we even need to be here."

Basil sighed and straightened his glasses. "The kids only made it to their third encounter. We don't know what the dungeon will be like after that. And the kids said some diver saved them. We're supposed to look out for them too."

Alex straightened up. "A tall, singing woman, right? That sure narrows things down."

Basil shrugged, tucking his notebook into his backpack. "It's not like we have to find her. Just keep an eye out."

"Sure, sure."

+=+=+=+=+

> You have entered the [Starlit Dream].

Basil and Alex stared at the white tower stretching up to the heavens.

Basil adjusted his glasses. "Well. The description didn't do this place justice."

"Holy shit. That's fucking beautiful. Damn, I want to climb that thing."

Basil grinned and shook his head. "Maybe later. I'm not sure how you'd even get close enough."

Alex eyed the distance between their cube and the tower. "It does look pretty far. Maybe we'll get closer as we go. Come on!"

Basil laughed as Alex ran ahead. Soon they came to the wall of cubes on the side of the path.

> You have gained the [Watched] condition.

Alex shivered and tightened their grasp on their spear. "Shit, this does feel creepy. Pick anything up?"

Basil closed his eyes and activated [Oversight]. "No, there's nothing around."

Opening his eyes, Basil hurled a bolt of ice at the wall, the ice hitting the surface and shattering. "Hmm, doesn't look like the cubes themselves are monsters. Lets note this down and continue on."

"Yeah, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to."

> You have lost the [Watched] condition.

Shortly after leaving the area, the divers came across a group of [Starlit Fishmen] gathered around a lantern.

Basil took out his notebook. "Just like in the report. Take them out for me."

Alex grinned and hefted their spear. "Didn't even have to ask."

With lighting-fast and clearly practiced movements, Alex dashed forward and drove their spear straight into the first [Fishman]. Twisting their body, Alex flung the [Fishman] off their spear and sunk their spear into the second before kicking the third off the path into the black mud below.

"Done and dusted."

Basil added a line to his notes and closed the book. "Interesting. They didn't bleed where you stabbed them. Possibly a type of undead."

"They're re-dead now!"

Basil laughed and walked up to the lantern the [Fishmen] had been gathered around. "Give me a boost."

Alex groaned but set their spear down. "It's a good thing you're light as shit. I'd say eat something, but please don't."

Standing on Alex's shoulders, Basil peered into the lantern. Instead of a light bulb, oil wick, or gas burner, a pile of burning white slugs filled the lantern, twitching and writhing as the flames consumed them. Basil took some rubber gloves and a sample jar out from his backpack and caught one of the slugs before jumping down.

Alex rubbed their shoulders. "What the fuck is that? Why's that slug have tentacles?"

Basil looked at the sample he had taken. Indeed, both ends of the slug were ringed with short tentacles. "I don't know, it's not my business to know, and I don't *want* to know."

He placed the sample jar back into his backpack. "Lets keep going."

The two handled the second [Fishman] encounter as easily as their first, and soon they came to resting place of the snail monsters that had ended the [Starlit Dream]'s first dive.

Alex grinned and changed how they held their spear. "So these are the guys, huh. Any requests?"

Basil shook his head. "Go for it."

Alex grinned even wider and, holding their spear life a golf club, knocked one of the shells off the path. Though it was an empty shell, the action served to rouse the hiding monsters. The two closest snails lunged at Alex, while the ones further away kept their distance, gathering iridescent light around their hands. Alex sidestepped one of the lungers and impaled the other, while Basil cast a barrier to block the energy bolts sent their way. Laughing, Alex decapitated the other lunger and jumped towards the casters. The casters tried to back away and prepare more iridescent light, but with their heavy shells slowing them down, they couldn't escape Alex's pursuit.

"Easy!"

Sighing, Basil added more lines to his notebook. "So these are [Starlit Snail Women], it seems. They didn't bleed either, so they might be undead like the [Starlit Fishmen]. I don't recognize the magic they used, but it looked like a different version of the basic bolt spell. Maybe a new element. I can see how could catch amateurs unaware, but more experienced divers shouldn't have any trouble."

Alex swung their spear a few times to shake off the [Snail Women]'s slime. "So you're saying they're weak as shit."

Basil stepped forward and removed a hunting knife from his backpack. "Not in those words, no. Now lets see if they have any useful materials."

Basil cut one of the [Snail Women] open and was disappointed to find little different from the [Fishmen]. "Bones appear to be the same, but I'll take a sample anyways. No scales, but this slime might be good for something."

He took out another sample jar and scooped some slime into it. Only after cutting the third [Snail Woman] open did he find anything new. Reaching into the woman, he pulled out a large pearl the size of a golf ball and wiped it off with a handkerchief.

"Now this is what I was looking for! It looks like some of the [Snail Women] form pearls in their bodies. They should sell well, even if they don't do anything special. I bet the Association will be happy."

Basil checked the last [Starlit Snail Woman], but found no pearl. "Looks like they're not a common drop. Oh well, lets continue on."

Alex started to follow after Basil, but came to a stop. A small cubic prism glimmered in one of the shell cairns. "Wait, I think you missed something."

They bent down and picked it up before handing it to Basil. "What do you think this is? Some kind of gem?"

Basil stared at the prism, catching a glimpse of the scene playing inside. "No, I don't think it's a gem... It's like there's a video inside. A [Memory Prism]... So I guess this is a memory? A trio of divers fighting the [Snail Women] you just killed."

Alex grabbed the [Prism] and held it up to their eye. "Huh, I bet this was those kids fighting. I wonder why the dungeon decided to save *that* memory?"

Basil shrugged and reclaimed the [Prism], storing it safely in his backpack. "Maybe because it was the dungeon's first victory? That's probably worth commemorating. Anyways, the Association will be able to tell us more later."

After yet another [Starlit Fishman] encounter, Basil and Alex came to another wall of cubes. Unlike the previous one, there were several large snail shells piled up against it.

> You have gained the [Watched] condition.

Alex grimaced. "Ugh, this again. And right next to an encounter, too."

"Do you want help with this one?"

Alex frowned. "Dunno. Jump in if you want to."

Alex walked forward, picked a small shell out of one of the cairns, and threw it at one of the large snail shells. With an unpleasant moan, the occupant emerged, the rest of the [Starlit Snail Women] following after. Under the influence of [Watched], Alex had a harder time predicting the [Snail Women]'s movements and received a few shallow cuts to show for it.

Basil pulled yet another thing from his backpack, a jar containing a red salve, which he applied to Alex's cuts.

Alex spat on the dead [Snail Woman]. "God, that was way worse. My [Combat Sense] was all fucked up."

Basil nodded as he finished applying the salve and packed it away again. "Yeah, I had a tricky time intercepting their spells, too. It's hard to gauge intent when you can't tell what's looking at you."

"You want to check for pearls? Cause I just want to get out of here."

Basil frowned. "Yeah, lets leave these [Snails] be."

> You have lost the [Watched] condition.

Finally, the two came to the end of the path, a single cube forming a wall in front of them. Unlike the other walls they'd come across, this one had a pair of double doors set into it, a pattern of a snail shell and a single star engraved on its metal surface.

Alex stretched, working the kinks out of their shoulders. "This is it, then? The boss? Felt a bit short."

Basil nodded. "It did seem short. This is a new dungeon, though, it's probably still growing."

He took a few quick notes before taking off his backpack and laying it on the ground. "Based on this pattern, the boss is probably some type of [Snail Woman]. You up to the challenge?"

Alex grinned. "Hell yeah I am. But is it a good idea to just leave your pack out like that?"

"Who's going to steal it? We're the only ones here. And I don't want anything to mess up my dodging."

Alex shrugged. "Yeah, but it still feels wrong."

Chuckling, they cupped their hands around their mouth and shouted. "Hey dungeon! Can you watch this for us?"

> You have gained the [Watched] condition.

"Uhh, fuck."

Basil stared at Alex in disbelief. "Alex. What did you just do."

"Sorry?"

Basil pushed open the doors, revealing another thin wall of mist. "This better not follow us inside. Let's go."

+=+=+=+=+

> You have lost the [Watched] condition.
> You have entered the [Starlit Nightmare].

Alex and Basil passed through the mist gate, finding themselves in a totally different area. Unlike the dream world of cubes, they now stood next to the wall of a large, damp cave, the way back blocked by a wall of mist.

Alex gestured at the giant snail shell in the center of the cave, covered in barnacles and odd protrusions. "That's our boss, yeah?"

"Sure looks like it."

Alex cracked their knuckles and shouted out into the cave, their voice echoing off the walls. "How long're you going to keep us waiting? Huh?"

Responding to their provocation, A massive [Snail Woman] pulled herself out of the shell and grinned, showing off a mouth filled with many, many sharp teeth.

> You have gained the [Illuminated (1%)] condition.
> You are fighting the [Starlit Snail Queen].

Alex charged at the [Snail Queen], jumping over a hand swipe to stab her in the arm. As they did, Basil readied and released several bolts of ice, some crashing against the [Queen]'s shell, but most colliding with her body, sticking into her and slowing her down. The [Snail Queen] laughed as she gathered a mass of iridescent light and detonated it, sending tentacle-like streamers of energy in every direction.

Alex dodged the streamers without issue, but only barely dodged the follow up swipe, the [Queen]'s nails passing right in front of their face. Basil brought up a barrier and deflected the streamers that headed towards him, but had to jump back when the [Snail Queen] slammed her other hand down right where he had been standing. Gathering more iridescent light, the [Queen] thrust her hand forward, sending a single, giant streamer of energy at Alex. Not expecting it, Alex was sent flying into the cave wall.

Alex temporarily out of the picture, The [Queen] focused on Basil, who, lacking Alex's agility, was only barely able to keep up with the [Queen]'s blows. Just as the [Snail Queen] shattered Basil's barrier, Alex returned, plunging their spear into the side of the [Queen]'s arm. The [Queen] recoiled from the unexpected blow, unable to prevent Alex's next attack, their dancing spear cutting across the [Queen]'s eye.

Basil attacked from the [Queen]'s new blind spot, hitting her with several more ice bolts and giving Alex a platform to jump off of and slice the back of the [Snail Queen]'s neck. But the [Starlit Snail Queen] didn't fall, her furious strikes and iridescent magic landing several more hits on Basil and Alex. But for every hit the [Queen] managed to land, Basil and Alex landed several more, and eventually the [Starlit Snail Queen] collapsed.

> You have defeated the [Starlit Snail Queen].
> [Illuminated (1%)] condition has become [Illuminated (2%)].
> You have gained the [Dive] starlit rune.

Alex stood atop the [Queen]'s dead body and shouted their joy to the heavens. "Wow! Now *that* was a boss. I didn't think this dungeon had something like that in it!"

Basil stood shakily, dusting himself off. "What a difficulty spike... A full party of low-tier divers could probably take her out, but only barely."

Alex jumped off the [Queen] and landed next to Basil. "Yeah, but it's way more fun with just us, right?"

Basil grinned and shook his head. "Obviously. I wouldn't dive with anyone else."

Alex blushed lightly and tried to change the subject. "Speaking of diving, what's up with this starlit rune thing? Or that [Illuminated] condition?"

Basil sat down on a nearby rock and rested his chin in his hand. "Hmm, we gained [Illuminated] when the [Starlit Snail Queen] showed her face and it increased when we beat her. It might be some sort of progress marker? It doesn't seem to be doing anything to my status, but that might change as it increases."

Basil closed his eyes and muttered to himself. "*The buried Truth can only be found by the [Illuminated]...*"

He opened his eyes again and shrugged. "I don't know what's up with the rune. I didn't see anything drop and nothing's showing on my status.

Alex looked at Basil, eyes wide. "Uh, Basil?"

"Yeah?"

"What the fuck did you just say?"

+=+=+=+=+

Eyelit stood before the corpse of the [Starlit Snail Queen], crying and singing a mournful tune. As her tears fell to the ground, they became black mud and flowed into the [Queen]'s injuries, filling them in and becoming new flesh. Once all the injuries were filled, the [Snail Queen] stirred, shakily pushing herself up, a look of confusion on her face. Eyelit smiled, her song now bright and cheerful, and hugged the newly restored [Queen], who smiled herself and hugged Eyelit back.

Eyelit breathed out, a [Memory Prism] taking form between her hands. Now sitting on the [Starlit Snail Queen]'s shell, she bent over and dropped the [Prism] before the [Queen], who watched it intensely. Within, a pair of divers fought the [Queen], a mad grin on all of their faces. As she watched the scene again and again, her own face split into a wide grin.

Happy to see her child in a good mood, Eyelit leaned back and tried to find a comfortable spot to sleep between a pair of barnacles. She closed her eyes, singing a gentle lullaby as she nodded off. In the dungeon far above, several more white cubes took form and joined those already in place. A trickle of drool left her mouth, becoming black mud and flowing up to the awaiting dungeon.

+=+=+=+=+

[White Slug]
A strange white slug with a ring of tentacles on each end. Can be burned for fuel or eaten for a nutritious, if absolutely revolting, snack.
Inflicts [Illuminated (+1%)] when eaten for the first time.

[Starlit Snail Woman]
An undead humanoid hiding in a snail shell. Their shells are hard to penetrate, but the rest of their body is quite weak. They're quicker than they look and can even cast basic [Starlit Magic]. They don't like people who knock over their cairns.

[Starlit Snail Queen]
The mother of all [Starlit Snail Women] and the boss of the 1st layer. She's far stronger than her children and can cast minor [Starlit Magic] without issue. She likes people who are strong, and, while she shows a gentle face to her children, is actually quite the battle maniac.

[Dive] Starlit Rune
A starlit rune symbolizing those who seek the very bottom of the sea.
The buried Truth can only be found by the [Illuminated].
Grants immunity to [Scopophobia] in the 2nd layer.