Zazu and Pip emerged from the Hibernation Hollows, their faces lit with an excitement that was a far cry from their usual weary or nervous expressions. They were whispering to each other, re-living the impossible events of their shared dream.
Nearby, FaeLina was still muttering to herself, trying to shake off the lingering weirdness of her nap. "A beach... but the constellations were all wrong... and I was yelling at a very polite elf. I must be more stressed than I thought."
Zazu, ever the gentleman, approached the center of the main chamber to address me. "Core, the training was… enlightening. Truly. The appearance of your fairy guide was a surprise, however."
FaeLina's muttering stopped cold.
Her head snapped around to look at Zazu, then back towards my core. Her tiny eyes went wide as the pieces of the puzzle violently clicked together in her mind. The beach. The elf. The fact that they had been dreaming about a beach at the exact same time she had.
"That wasn't a dream!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with horrified realization. "I was really there! You pulled me into their minds!"
Her horror quickly morphed into pure, unadulterated rage. Her aura flared a furious, incandescent pink.
"WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?! THAT IS A MASSIVE VIOLATION OF FIFTY-SEVEN INTER-REALM FAIRY REGULATIONS CONCERNING PSYCHIC PRIVACY!"
'You seemed worried,' I projected, my mental voice perfectly calm. 'I thought you would want to supervise.'
This explanation did not help. "THAT'S NOT HOW SUPERVISION WORKS!"
Before her rant could cause a magical feedback loop, a gentle, non-threatening alert chimed through the dungeon.
+--------------------------------------+
| INTRUSION ALERT! |
|--------------------------------------|
| TYPE: Non-Adventurer (Merchant) |
| DISTANCE: 100 meters from entrance |
| THREAT: None |
| INTENT: Hopeful (smells of cinnamon)|
+--------------------------------------+
"A customer!" FaeLina said, momentarily distracted by the possibility of commerce. "Let him in!"
'This is a perfect test for the Hostile Intent Sensor,' I projected. I then sent a mental nudge to my new Sentinels. 'Zazu, Pip. If you would be so kind as to return to your posts?'
Eager to practice their new skills, the two adventurers happily returned to their napping alcoves and were asleep in moments.
I focused on the Dreamscape. The twilight beach was calm. Suddenly, a soft 'ping' echoed through the dream. A small, friendly icon appeared in the air before the dream-selves of Zazu and Pip: a simple drawing of a person with a coin symbol floating over their head.
Back in the real world, Zazu sat up in his alcove, a calm look on his face. "Core, a mind is approaching. The intent is peaceful, driven by commerce."
Pip sat up next. "He's thinking about selling some very nice silk scarves," he added. "And he's a little worried they're overpriced."
The system worked perfectly. It not only detected a presence but also conveyed their surface thoughts and intentions.
FaeLina stared at them, her anger once again forgotten and replaced by shock. "They can… read minds?"
'It's more like psychic caller ID,' I clarified.
A moment later, a cheerful, round man with a large backpack waddled into the dungeon. He was a traveling merchant named Bartholomew. He looked around cautiously, but his caution turned to curiosity when he saw the Tea Nook.
"Hello?" he called out to the empty room, his voice echoing slightly. "Proprietor of this fine-looking establishment? I am a humble merchant, and I heard the most fascinating rumors!"
Sloosh the slime waiter wobbled and gestured with a slimy arm towards the menu.
Bartholomew's eyes lit up. "Oh, a slime waiter! How delightfully novel!" He leaned closer to read the menu. "One 'Moment of Peace,' if you please, my good slime."
He placed a few silver coins on the counter, which Sloosh promptly absorbed. A moment later, Sloosh dispensed a steaming, fragrant cup of tea.
The merchant took a sip. His eyes went wide. He took a much bigger gulp.
"By the Founder's flowing beard!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with dramatic flair. "This is the finest brew I've had in all my travels! My weariness has vanished! My bunions feel better! What is this miracle concoction?"
He looked at Sloosh with a new, greedy light in his eyes. "My good slime, I must know! Will your master sell the recipe? Or perhaps a crate of these tea leaves? I could sell this for a fortune in the capital!"
I had Sloosh wobble and politely shake its body from side to side, a clear "no."
Bartholomew looked crestfallen for a moment, but then his cheerful demeanor returned. "Ah, a trade secret! I understand completely. Well, you have a new loyal customer, my friend! And I shall tell everyone I meet on the road about the dungeon with the miracle tea!"
He gave Sloosh a happy wave, turned around, and waddled back out of the entrance, humming a jaunty tune. Everything had gone perfectly.
And then, a new alert blared. It wasn't a gentle chime.It was a harsh, loud, crimson-red alarm.
HOSTILE INTRUSION ALERT!
TYPE: Blood Pit Raiding Party (3)
DISTANCE: 500 meters and closing
THREAT: HIGH
INTENT: Angry, greedy, and a bit stupid.
In the Dreamscape, the calm beach was rocked by a violent tremor. The sky turned a threatening red. A loud, blaring siren echoed in Zazu and Pip's minds, and a new, much scarier icon flashed before their eyes: three snarling goblin faces.
In the real world, Zazu and Pip shot bolt upright, their faces pale with genuine fear.
"Core!" Zazu yelled, his voice sharp and urgent. "A raiding party is coming! Three of them, and they feel vicious!"
Pip looked towards the entrance, his hands trembling. "And they're thinking about breaking the tea pots!"
My first real test had arrived.