Dungeon Configure: Book One Dark Exchange

by Troy Neenan

  “Apparently. You going to sign?”

  As her brain tried to work through the nonsense of her saviour's words, Cassidy examined the pieces of paper that she was holding and her eyes locked onto the name of David's business. “Dark Exchange? You're shitting me.”

  “I know,” David sighed, “I tried David's Dungeon, the Core. I even tried Awesome Doodle. I had like five seconds to come up with a name. You try to make up a business name nobody else owns on the spot.”

  “It sounds like its run by a five year old,” Kim said. “Or a slavery ring. You're not a human trafficker are you?”

  As if seeing the pair for the first time, David examined his employee's friends. He glanced over Kim's pink hair and Daisy's firm muscles. “Um... Who are you?”

  “They're with me,” Cassidy said. She examined the contract, going through each page, looking for any inconsistency and ways for the Dungeon Core to screw her. She paid careful attention to the note telling her that her annual pay was $60,000. It looked as if she was going to be David's assistant.

  She thought hard about her future. Even if she was fully mended and had finished her law degree her job prospects were slim. It could take years of getting idiots out of parking tickets before she got her first break, but if David could get her an in with Ltch and Hobat than it would be a huge step forward in her chosen career.

  Kim got between David and Cassidy and snatched up the contract, “She's not signing anything until we know it's legitimate.”

  “Sixty grand a year? I'll sign.” Daisy joked.

  David gave the body builder a bemused look, “Do you have any skills and references?”

  Before Kim could interfere Daisy answered, “I have a bachelor of exercise & sport science. Mostly I just work part time at the university moonlighting as a sport's instructor. I didn't really bring a resume with me.” Even as she heard the words come out, Daisy didn't see those skills working in many fields outside of a gym.

  The Dungeon Core thought for a moment. “I could use an extra set of hands.” with a flick of his wrist he pulled out another stack of legal documents.

  “Are you a magician?” Daisy asked, taking the stack of paper and doing her best to decipher the legal gibberish. While the promise of money did appeal to her she knew better to sign anything without reading.

  “Daisy!” Kim shouted before Cassidy confiscated her contract back.

  “Just let it go, Kim.” Cassidy said, she looked right into David's eyes. At some point the Dungeon Core had fixed his plastic eye, exchanging it for a real one, she just figured that he was wearing a glass replica. “You leave them out of this, you understand. You fix up my legs and...” Cassidy shook her head, “I don't even know what you want me to do.”

  The law student saw David think about his response, most likely coming up with a reasonable lie to cover his arse. It pissed her off but there was not much she could do about it, a guy who could heal third degree burns with his hands? She wouldn't be surprised if he decided to put on a cape and mask.

  “I'm going to die in six days unless I get to the middle of Darwin and invade a cave with an army of genetically altered monsters. Once there I need to kill an alien being whose goal is to create a death trap filled with other horrible monsters.” David explained, “And I intend to use you to not only sell gold that I have smuggled in from alternate fantasy universes, but to gather animals to use in my army.”

  The three women just stared at him as if he were insane, which he probably was.

  “What?” Daisy asked.

  David held up his left hand in front of him. The three women watched in awe as he pulled a huge two handed sword from his open palm. “Has anyone ever heard of LitRPG's before?” He asked.

  Chapter Twenty

  The door to the pawn shop opened and a woman who looked as if she could bench press a motorbike entered. The woman was dressed in a pair of jeans and simple black singlet, her bra straps could easily been seen, the same with her bright pink fanny pack. She was also holding a large sword which seemed oddly well suited to her.

  As she approached the counter her hazel eyes drifted over the video games, lawnmowers, and the assortment of electronics. She spent a long few seconds viewing the TVs before reaching the attendant at the counter. “Hi, I need to sell some things.”

  The cashier gave Daisy an interested look. The statuesque newcomer wasn't wearing a hoodie, sunglasses, nor was she shying away from the cameras. So far the cashier didn't have a reason to suspect that he was dealing with a thief. “Let's see what you got.”

  Daisy placed the sword on the glass counter with care, fearing that the weight would break it.

  The attendant, not used to handling a sword, withdrew the blade. It was real steel and was incredibly well-made. Rich red cloth was spun around the handle which looked to be wood. It was a deadly piece of work. The cashier paid close attention to the stamp on the blade. It was a big bastard of an ant crawling over the letter E.

  “Where did you get it?” the cashier asked going through the motions.

  “Boss made it. He's doing a start-up company. That's the first on the market.”

  “Much demand for real swords?”

  “Oh, hell no.” Daisy laughed, “We also do jewellery, medieval armour, medals, and personalized gold coins.”

  “Hmm. Well, I could give you... two hundred for it.”

  Having seen a few reality TV shows, Daisy tried to haggle, “Any chance for three?”

  “Two-ten.” The cashier said.

  Daisy sighed; she had seen movie props worth nearly five hundred dollars US. and those were just props. This was a real fucking sword capable of giving a man a new arsehole. Not wanting to go all the way over the city looking for what could be a five dollar improvement, she accepted the money.

  That transaction done, Daisy dug into her fanny pack and pulled out twenty gold coins, each one etched with a different image.

  The attendant raised an eyebrow as he held a coin with a butterfly to his eye, within the insect’s abdomen was the tiny ant riding an E.

  Two hours later and Daisy was exiting the bank. She had just made five grand and she couldn't help but smile at the boon. That covered the rates and it was one step closer to a new car. Curious, she flipped to the dungeon app that David had given her when she had joined his new organization.

  Name. Daisy Brown.

  Faction. Dark Exchange

  Job. Assistant.

  Profession. Tutor. Speciality: Sports trainer.

  Points available. 2

  While teachers are better suited to educating large clusters of students the basics and fundamentals, tutors excel at teaching one student at a time. Entities assigned to a tutor learn three times faster and are better at retaining information. Dungeons get 4 points of research each day a tutor is teaching a student.

  Sports trainer: All work and no play makes for a dull mind. Games are how children learn about the world, their building blocks becoming great pieces of architecture, their toy swords quickly turning real. As a sports trainer your students not only pick up physical games faster but their bodies physically alter to suit the sport. Plus 2 points research a day when teaching sports.

  David had allowed his new employees to upgrade themselves. The research points were useless to him at the moment as he didn't have a dungeon and he didn't think that anyone would appreciate it if he suddenly gave them super powers.

  Daisy had yet to try her new found power, but she had plans for her new found wealth. Back home she had a shit ton of gold coins that she needed to pawn off. Years of revenue just waiting to be sold, and an auction house just a few hours’ drive away.

  She rang David's phone, after just two rings he answered. “How did it go?” he asked.

  “Twenty for you, five for me.” Daisy answered.

  “Suppose that's the best we can do. What about the sword?”

  There was the voice of an airline hostess in the background, “Sir, you need to turn off your phone.”r />
  “Lady, I know that you get a lot of crap, so here is what we'll do. When it looks like we're going to crash I'll turn off my phone. Until then, can you please tell that woman back there to put that screaming kid in the overhead compartment or invest in some duct tape?” David said.

  “And more booze.” Kim called out.

  “So what's the verdict on the sword?”

  Daisy could barely hold back a grin and she could imagine the pissed off expressions on the stewardess and the kid's mother. “Two hundred and ten. Didn't want to go higher. You sure I can keep it?”

  David had made the sword using the remains of a broken car and an hour of his time. As he waited for his plane he had twisted the metal with his bare hands, moulding it as if it were pipe cleaners. Done, he shrugged at the piece and gave it to Daisy to do with as she saw fit. The way that he had so casually did it; you think he was just regifting a box of stale chocolates.

  “Think of it as a signing bonus. And you know, for holding Kim here hostage.”

  “Hey, you can keep her,” Daisy laughed her voice then became as hard and cold as stone, “But seriously. You hurt her, and you and I will be having words. Can I talk to her?”

  “Yeah, hang on. Here.”

  Kim's sounded like she had a proper buzz going on, “Hello?” the Australian Otaku slurred.

  “You alright?” Daisy asked.

  “Well, you bitches sold me to this freak for some magic beans and I'm currently on my way to an epic fantasy fight. So no, I'm not alright. I mean what if he rapes me, you know.”

  Daisy heard the Dungeon Core call out, “She's just joking.”

  ***

  The room had a stench like bad fruit and body odour. Unwashed clothes were seemingly discarded to the floor without care, a mountain of pizza boxes lay next to the computer desk like some growing monument to slobs and poor dining. The only thing that appeared to be treated with respect were a collection of boxed figurines which were displayed on the shelf like some people might display a family portrait.

  “Doesn't Kim ever clean her room?” Cassidy asked herself.

  The evidence was proving the answer to be in the negative. The room showed the signs of a hurricane passing through.

  Not knowing when or if their child would get out of the hospital, Cassidy’s parents sadly didn't have a spare room for their daughter, whom they had not been expecting but had been thrilled to see. Fortunately, drafting Kim to the Dungeon Core's service left a vacancy in her old flat.

  Mixed feelings surrounded Cassidy about allowing her friend to travel with the stranger. Being an anime and fantasy geek, the appeal of witnessing a real magical fight between two opposing monster armies excited Kim, but so had staying home and watching cartoon boys with 80's hair hit on a plain looking girl.

  Cassidy had no such free time to watch anything at the moment. The weeks that she had spent at the hospital had altered her life and she was determined to get it back on track. She had to re-enroll back into university, she had to talk to doctors, and there were a hundred other things that she needed to do. On top of that she also needed to work on this stupid Dark Exchange thing for David. But first of all she needed to make this rubbish bin live-able again.

  After fifty minutes of cleaning while explaining her new circumstances to the university receptionist, the front door opened and several bags filled with groceries were shovelled inside.

  “You wanna help?” Daisy called out and went to get more.

  After throwing another load of pizza boxes in the recycle bin, Cassidy viewed her friend pulling out a new microwave from the boot of her car. “Oh, what did you get now?” she asked as she picked up two grocery bags and carried them inside.

  Done moving everything inside, Daisy pulled free a can of beer and fell onto the living room couch like a meteor. “So how was your day?” she asked Cassidy.

  Cassidy joined her, the foam cushions hurt more than offered comfort. Her skin was still sensitive. Even the clothes she wore hurt as they tugged at her red skin, but life and work didn't stop because of a bit of discomfort.

  “There is a floor in Kim's room somewhere,” Cassidy said. “So, how much did you get?”

  Daisy made a series of grunts as she pulled off her sneakers, “Twenty or so grand. Fifteen went to the kitty and I kept the rest.”

  The kitty was the shared account they used for the business. It was also the account that Cassidy was meant to use to pay her two friends. Only she and David were supposed to have access to it.

  It wasn't faith in his fellow man that fuelled David's trust in his employees; it was his faith that lawyers were bitter and petty creatures that feed off the misery of others. One single breach in the rules and his new and sane lawyer would tear Cassidy’s arse wide open and take her time punishing her.

  David had given his employees a bit over fifty thousand dollars’ worth of gold. The rest of the shiny metal was split into several locations, including PO boxes, his lawyer, Cassidy's parents place, and a duffel bag.

  It was Daisy's job to move the gold, putting the bricks and coins across multiple auction houses and pawn shops.

  Daisy took a deep gulp of her beer, “Spoke with Kim, drunk as a fucking skunk. Think she'll be alright?”

  “Hope so,” Cassidy said. She rubbed her forehead, “We should have gone with her.”

  “I'm not going to Darwin. It's fucking hot up there. Summer is around the block.”

  “Yeah. And with this bloody skin I'll turn extra crispy.” Cassidy growled.

  “Just go back to the hospital you crazy bitch.” Daisy said.

  “Can't,” Cassidy reached over to the coffee table and pulled free a can of beer, “too much to do. God that's cold.”

  Daisy pulled out her phone and put up the new app that David had given her. “Hey, do you know what this upgrade stuff is? I sold all that gold and it gave me like a new quest. I have to train somebody.”

  “Probably some stupid game.” Cassidy let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, “I have to buy this bloody land and get this website up.” She finished half the beer in a single go, not so much thirsty but wanting to get hammered and forget her woes.

  Cassidy finished the can and went to get another.

  “Oi, get your own,” despite Daisy's protests she did nothing to stop Cassidy from claiming another can.

  Cassidy smiled, “Take it up with the woman who sorts out your pay. Oh wait. That's me. Tough luck, bitch.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  If anyone had told Kim that she would be in Darwin and helping a creature out of a bad light novel try to wage an epic war against an intelligent basement, she would have carefully scooted away from them and grabbed her pepper spray. Now here she was, fighting heat, insects, and running around pet shops trying to gather her new boss' dark army.

  Cassidy, the bitch, had used the hospital card to get out of helping her new boss. She claimed that she could do more in Melbourne than she could in the arse end of the Northern Territory. The bald, red-skinned bitch was supposedly talking to the people who owned the land that the dungeon was situated on, negotiating a reasonable deal with them. She was also trying to build a website and juggle the business side of the Dark Exchange.

  Kim hadn't believed a word of it.

  She had been elected to go with David for a number of reasons, the biggest one of which was that she didn't have a job or school to go to, and their employer had put over $100,000 worth of gold coins under their floorboards. Kim had enough time to grab a bag of clothes before her friends threw her to the complete stranger.

  She had asked what they would do if David raped and/or killed her.

  Cassidy had said that she and Daisy would take David's money and give her the best funeral that they could afford. What good friends she had.

  Once in Darwin, the pair had rented a motel room. Not that they would be sharing a bed or the room. David claimed that he didn't need sleep and had chosen to camp out in an old factory that was one good gust away
from falling down. His choice of venue made Kim imagine hooks and body parts.

  She didn't have the time to take a shower or a nap before David took her shopping. She was sure that half the pawn shops in the city had the Dungeon Core's gold coins.

  Kim looked at the creatures that she had bought under her name. Two dogs, two cats, a whole cage of mice, two pythons, a tarantula, two dozen fish, and ten budgies. Every animal was female, in cages or tanks, and looked extremely pissed off. What her boss had in store for them she didn't want to know.

  As she placed the last of the cages on the hard cement floor of the deserted factory, her phone rang and she looked at her new app.

  You have completed the quest. Menagerie I.

  You have gathered 10 animals for your dungeon core.

  Reward. 5 upgrade points.

  You have completed the quest. Menagerie II.

  You have gathered 25 animals for your dungeon core.

  Reward. 15 upgrade points.

  Out of curiosity, she checked her stats. That's if they could be called that.

  Name: Kimberly Ranson.

  Faction. Dark Exchange

  Job: Assistant.

  Profession: Scribe. Musician.

  Points available. 20.

  Unlike her friends, Kimberly had two professions. David had explained that most people had the student profession. It was due to going to school for over ten years straight and learning the basics. The scribe and tutor professions were evolutions of the student profession.

  As best that Kim could figure out, she had gained the scribe profession some time back. It was a throwback of a time in her life when she was writing the type of trashy vampire romance novels that took the blogs by storm in the 2009s. She decided that David or anybody for that matter didn't need to know that shameful part of her life.

  As for the musician profession, that had been all her. Doing guitar lessons for five years had somehow awarded her with an extra profession. She would have preferred a wizard or fighter class, but she could stick with being a bard, for now. Later she would see about joining a dojo, maybe she could get a cool monk or fighter class.