Dungeon Life

Chapter Two-Hundred

Nova

Nova listlessly glides through the rock near the border to the volcanic area, trying more to gather her thoughts than to hunt the fire elementals that try to sneak into Thedeim. She feels a little guilty about that, about letting the other wyrms handle the brunt of the work there, but well, its complicated.

Its not that she feels bad for the elementals. Shes seen what happens if one catches one of the spiders or other denizens that arent able to take the heat. Yeah, she has no problem eating them after seeing that, and they honestly taste pretty good. Her feelings get complicated when she tries to link her purpose to stopping them.

Shes not going to get the power to rival stars by just eating fire elementals. While shes not even sure she wants that kind of terrible strength her name implies, shes getting more and more sure she wants more than to just deal with invaders.

Shed like to do something with the delvers, but thats a whole different kind of complicated. Shes seen the grass smolder when she visits the surface, so its not difficult to imagine shed have a similar effect on the delvers as the fire elementals have on the other denizens. Even without Guide Thedeim not wanting to hurt the delvers, Nova wouldnt want to do something like that to them. She actually likes a lot of them.

Shes just bad at showing it. Like those two that got separated. She wanted to try to interact with them, but she surfaced right in front of the heat sensor and trapped them. That was just embarrassing, even if the Guide found it amusing.

She sighs as her thoughts settle on whats really bothering her: she doesnt know what she should do. Shes been trying to follow the advice of the other scions, to just get settled and try to get used to everything, but she feels like shes letting Thedeim down by not pursuing a goal yet.

Just because she knows thats silly, doesnt stop her from feeling that way. Its difficult to imagine Coda feeling lost like she does sometimes, considering how busy he always is. But shes heard the others say he used to worry if he did something wrong to make the Guide abandon him. Does she just need to be patient? Probably but can she?

She grinds her mandibles at the thought, then sighs and rolls over, trying to get comfortable. She should try talking to Coda about it. If he really was like her for a long time, maybe hell have suggestions for how to handle it? If nothing else, itll give her something to focus on.

She wallows in whatever it is shes wallowing in for a few more seconds, before pulling on her big-girl pants and tunneling to the labyrinth. Its well past dusk, and Coda should be working on the mechanical traps by now. Shes pretty sure he was working on the rotating T-intersection near the crucible ants last night, and she cant imagine something like that is a one-night job.

She takes the direct route there, though she goes a bit slower than one might expect. Shes just making sure she doesnt leave obvious marks in the tunnels when she dives up through them. Shes not trying to delay, nor does she have a sense of dread to overcome. Hes a fellow scion, not someone she should be nervous around.

She even mostly believes that by the time she pokes her head through the floor. When she spots Jello there as well, she almost slips back under, but her gelatinous friend burbles a happy greeting before she can pretend she was never there.

Friend Nova! Howre you doing? Did you want to watch Friend Coda work? Jello has been helping make parts!

That at least explains the pieces of metal floating around inside her. After a moments hesitation, Nova nods and slides out of her hole.

Yes er, no I didnt come to watch him work. It looks so complicated, and I wouldnt want to warp anything by getting too close.

Nothing to worry about there, Nova, explains Coda as he motions her forward with a wingclaw. Jello is keeping her parts at a stable temperature, and even once she gives them to me, they should be fine as long as you dont try to melt through the floor too close.

What did you come for? follows up Jello with a happy squelch.

Well, uh I wanted to ask him Nova trails off as she feels the attention of both of them on her, and its all she can do to not dive into the floor. Not only would that not solve her problem, she also might mess up Codas work. He very specifically asked her to not do something like that.

Ask me what? asks Coda as he sends a pulse of sound into the wall, triggering the switch to open the access panel for the complex mechanism.

Well I heard you used to, uh struggle? With um purpose?

Ah, says Coda as he turns to face her properly, then gives her a gentle smile. Yeah, I did. Youre having the same problem? Nova nods, so he continues. Well, I would say you have to be patient, but that didnt help the feeling go away for me.

What did? asks Nova, trying to keep the pleading tone out of her voice.

Finding a purpose, he says simply, and grins at Novas groan. Yeah, also not a great help, is it?

Nova sighs. Not really, no.

I do understand how you feel, at least. I might have even had it worse than you, if you can believe it. Nova sputters at that, but Coda doesnt let her interrupt. I wasnt always a Civil Artificer. In fact, the Foreman first tasked me with tending the garden and the herbalism nodes on the surface. I did, but the bats didnt really need much guidance on that, and Queen is much better at nurturing that kind of growth. Not to mention she actually has specific things she wants grown.

Then I was asked to direct the expeditions underground. The Foreman hoped to ease some of Poes burden, but I knew I was nowhere near as good at directing the expeditions. At first, I asked Poe for help, and slowly, everyone just went to him, instead of me.

Novas mandibles hang slack as she listens, trying to imagine that. Not one, but two jobs from the Guide, and Coda couldnt find his purpose in them?

Yeah, you can imagine I wasnt too happy with myself about that. Maybe the worst part was that Thedeim wasnt upset with me. I just wanted to do something to show his faith in me wasnt misplaced. I actually tried to get back into those two jobs, but they really were already handled. Coda smiles as he remembers what came next.

Then he needed some digging done. Not just any digging, either. He wanted to build. The access shaft to the caverns, then Rockys arena, then the bypass between the swamps and aquifer lakes he trails off at that. They never did take that tunnel, did they? Ah well. Anyway, I found my purpose in building. And now I have more work than I know what to do with! he ends with a chuckle.

Nova is a bit less jovial about it. So I really do just need to wait for him to need something that calls to me?

Not really, burbles Jello, earning a surprised look from both Coda and Nova.

What do you mean? they ask as one.

Well, Voice Thedeim doesnt always know what he actually needs. Like with Friend Queen.

Queen? echoes Nova, and Coda looks just as lost.

Oh yes, Jello and Friend Queen talk a lot, and she admitted he didnt actually plan for her to be an Alchemist. He wanted her to be his new Guardian, since Friend Tiny kinda outgrew the sanctum. But she became an Alchemist instead on accident.

Huh, muses Coda

I I dont have to wait? whispers Nova, trying to wrap her head around the idea.

Nope! confirms Jello, and Nova just sits there for a good minute. The other two watch her with patience, letting her try to parse what shes just learned, and to see what shell do with that knowledge.

I she starts, and the two others lean in, eager to hear what she has to say. I I still dont know what to do, she starts, but she sounds more determined as she continues. But I know I want to go to the Southwood, to help fight!

Then I hope youre all packed, Nova. The Boss wants us to move out in the morning, comes the unexpected voice of the Voice, and Nova almost leaps through the ceiling in surprise.

Voice Teemo! I, uh

He waves her off. Just Teemo, Nova. If you want to go, the Boss is happy to let you. Hes been giving you space so you can figure yourself out. If you want to go help fight, you can go help fight.

Oh, can Jello come, too!

Teemo gives the cube of slime a sideways look. I mean, sure, but I thought you were having fun with the metalworking.

Jello starts to melt a little as she seriously thinks, before her shape snaps back into focus. Yes, Jello does like the metalworking. If they were undead, she might go fight instead, but that dungeon doesnt sound very tasty. Sorry, Friend Nova.

Teemo smiles at that, then turns his attention to Coda. How about you? You wanna go fight?

Nope. I have enough on my plate already, thank you. With that, the bat scion starts digging around in the mechanisms of the wall section. He calls back to Jello for parts as he works, which she dutifully hands over. Teemo smiles before focusing back on Nova.

If you want to go, you should head to the caverns for now. Fluffles will be coming along to relieve Rocky, and he and Leo are sparring and comparing notes in there right now. Once the dawn comes, well grab Honey and head out with whatever adventurers want to come help scout. That sound good?

It does. It really does.