The group paused before the next door. It hadn't been a while since they started visiting the dungeon, but the black dragon had rattled a few of them. They took a break for lunch, with everyone quietly eating to themselves.
When they opened the door to the next room, they found it to be brighter than the previous rooms. Lying in the center of the room was a silver dragon, its bright scales reflecting the light of the room. It had two horns, which came out of the side of its head and swept forward. Its front legs were crossed, and its tail crossed in front of them, tapping the ground lightly. Its eyes stared at them and seemed to be smiling.
The low rumble that usually happened with the voice in their heads seemed a bit brighter as it spoke to them, 'Welcome.'
Evren took a step forward and said, "Ah, thank you. I … well I guess you already know who we are."
The dragon nodded and said, 'Yes, but it is not rude to introduce yourself, Evren. After all, I won't bite.' The dragon gave a toothy smile that appeared to betray her final comment. With a wave of its hand it said, 'Please, come closer so we may chat, and have a seat to make yourselves comfortable.'
After everyone had taken a seat the dragon began, 'I should probably start with a few answers to questions I know you may have. The dungeon is alive. As you've heard, it feeds off of magic and memories. This dungeon rests on a nexus of three ley lines. Those are bands of magic that encircle the planet, and where they come together, they form a nexus. Within a nexus, a dungeon can be born.'
The dragon continued, 'The magic it gets from the nexus is enough to feed the dungeon, but the memories of the creatures that die within it are what helps the dungeon to grow. New monsters are born from memories, as are treasures. This dungeon has stopped growing. That is because no more humans seek to challenge it. So, the dungeon began to listen to those in the field. It discovered the war between humans. It knew the entrance was blocked and those who were outside its walls were slain.'
The dragon lowered its head down and placed it upon its front feet, 'Ley lines allow dungeons to speak with other dungeons. This dungeon found more and more dungeons were no longer feeding on memories. They began to share memories with others as a way of sustaining themselves, but that could only last for so long. As a way to gain more memories, they gave intelligence to certain monsters, and abilities to a few of them that allowed them to see outside of the dungeon. Information can not only enlighten the mind, but it can also poison it.'
Harley spoke up, "Like the black dragon?" Having realized she interrupted the dragon; she covered her mouth with both hands and mumbled a 'sorry.'
The dragon instead nodded while blinking its eyes slowly, 'And the others before it. Sometimes those with the gift of foresight can be overwhelmed with the number of choices the world grants. The dungeon has seen all that we, the monsters, have seen. It has seen the possible futures of this group. And it is trying to guide you to the best possible outcome, for itself. But the choices are still yours to make.'
Evren spoke up, "What does the dungeon want?"
'People.' The dragon's head rose up and looked off to the side. 'The dungeon thrives when people enter it and fight its monsters. Therefore, the dungeon wants you to stop the war that keeps people out of the dungeons.'
Evren asked, "And you're supposed to help us?"
The dragon's eyes focused back on Evren and said, 'Who knows.' The dragon rested its head on its front legs again and closed its eyes, 'Some monsters have a chaotic nature and may tell you what they want instead of what the dungeon wants.' The dragon began to dissolve and left another purple mana gem and a parchment. The spell this time was 'lacerate' a stronger version of 'wind blade.'
The group made their way to the boss room on the next floor and opened the door. The dragon inside was similar to the silver one, but had scales made of mithril instead and three horns swept forward. It was lying on its stomach, sprawled out on the floor as if it had just run a marathon. When the group approached, the dragon opened its eyes and looked at them. It took a deep breath and a sigh and dissolved away to nothing. The parchment gave them the spell 'rock lance' a stronger version of 'skewer.' Harley was excited and fired off lances in random directions until Evren told her to stop.
The next boss room was a dragon made of scarletite. Its head had two horns sprouting from the sides and curling back like a ram. It seemed indifferent to the group and hummed a tune in a low rumbling voice. Its head was facing to the side, but when it looked to them, it tilted his head instead of turning it.
The humming continued as the voice made its way to their minds, 'A woman fair and born to man, was never really part of the plan. She loved and loved and loved some more, but never physical, she's not a whore. One man she sought, who didn't see, the love she had was only for he. Until one day, the words were spoken, from then on, her heart was broken. But mended soon her heart will be, when then she finds the winter's tree. For there true love's heart be spoken, will never more from then on be broken.'
The dragon's eyes seemed to meet the eyes of one in the party as if it was speaking to them. A look of recognition appeared on their face, and they frowned at the possibility of the words spoken. As the person thought about the words said, the dragon's humming began to fade away as it dissolved into nothing. The parchment containing a spell called 'blaze' that would spread a flame out over an area like a carpet.
They moved forward to the next level and the next boss room. There stood a dragon made of adamantium. On its head was a single horn that swept forward. Its tail was twitching excitedly as they entered. As they approached, the tail started hitting the ground, causing a loud crashing sound and vibrations they could feel through their feet. It suddenly stopped and got in a position like it was about to pounce on the group, its claws digging into the dungeon floor.
Before it leapt at them it calmed itself down and rubbed its head with one of its claws. A deep rumble began to be heard as the voice spoke to them, 'No, no, no, no, no… … this one was supposed to tell it something. What was it? What was it?' The dragon suddenly sprinted forward at the group, taking flight before it reached them, but causing everyone to draw their weapons and scatter.
As it flew about the room, the voice continued, 'No, no, no, no, no, this one mustn't eat it. It must be told. It must b…' The dragon landed at the center of the room again, it's tail twitching excitedly. 'The lich! The lich holds the key!' the dragon's head bent down, and it began to scratch at it with its hind leg. 'The key to what? This one doesn't know.' It stopped scratching and turned away from the group. 'What does it know? What does it see? What does it know? What does it see?'
The dragon turned to Evren and moved in close to him, staring him in the eyes. 'Hello puppet.' It said, the dragon's breath suddenly getting frosty and giving the group a chill. 'Speak to the lich, the lich holds the key. The key! The key! The key to fix everything! And death!'
The dragon's body then suddenly froze solid, ice crystals forming on the adamantium scales, its eyes clouding over. It then began to dissolve leaving a parchment with the spell 'permafrost' on it, which is like 'freeze,' but doesn't need water.
The last room of the dragons contained a dragon made from orichalcum. It's golden scales almost shined with their own light as the team entered. The dragon was standing facing them. It had four horns on its head, two on the sides that swept forward and two on top that faced back. It's wings, unlike the other dragons so far, were made of shining orichalcum feathers, as its tail was as well. It strode forward and knelt before the group, bowing its head before them. 'It is an honor' it said, 'To meet the ones who will save the world.'
It looked at the five of them and added, 'But isn't someone missing?' The dragon shook its head, 'No… there are two missing.' Suddenly realizing what it had said, it continued on as if it hadn't said anything, 'Well then, I shall give you some advice. Hmm.. I suppose I have to rhyme to do that?' The dragon clears its throat, which ruffles everyone's hair, 'To recall the puppets, the monks are useless. Seek out the one whose choices are excuseless. A pig more sloven than found in a sty, there's none more qualified as a bad guy.' The dragon paused and stared upwards. 'This is tougher than those others make it out to be.'
After a few minutes of the dragon scratching its head, it continued, 'Force he will be to recall the dolls. To make them return to the church's walls. Only then can the key be used, to free them from their…' the dragon sighed, 'curse.'
The dragon shrugged, 'Ah well, let's fight.'
The sudden declaration of a fight surprised the group causing them to look at each other in confusion before Evren shrugged and pulled out his sword and the shield he had been using. The others followed suit and spread out.
The dragon suddenly took in a breath of air. Evren held his shield high and poured magic into it. The others gathered behind him and ducked down. A magical shield spread out before them to encompass all of them within protecting from the dragon's breath.
The dragon lowered it's head back down and said, 'I'm kidding. I'm sorry that was just a little joke on my part. But watch out for the dracoliches. Although they've been told to assist, for many of them the desire to kill may be stronger than their capability to help. They could probably use your help more than anyone else. Unlike liches, dracoliches are created by humans. The dragon's eyes then looked upwards, 'No I suppose it's exactly like liches. Either way, dragons usually have no desire to live on after death. We live long lives and that's usually enough for us.'
'Since I'm asking you to help them to forget who they are, or who they were, I'll help you by telling you how to kill them. Dragons have their own strengths and their weaknesses. Dracoliches are no exception. Their strengths are their ability to take damage. But their weaknesses are their cores. At the heart of a dracolich is the core, you'll understand when you see it. Destroy the core and you kill the dracolich.'
The dragon tilted its head and continued, 'Be careful though, they know their own weaknesses just as much as you now do. Some will use that as bait. Some will fiercely guard it.'
'Now prepare yourselves. I want to see how you fight before receiving my gift.' The dragon said in an energetic voice.