[h3]Asura, Momma Slime[/h3]
As Asura tried to loot Rattleskull, he would find that while he could hold the smaller items besides that ramshackle wooden armor within his membrane he couldn't really "use" them. Rattleskull's weapon had been destroyed, and while his new Limited Shapeshift rank might let him get a better grip on things he just didn't have the type of structure he needed to "wield" these things, much less wear them. Unless he perhaps mimicked Rattleskull's shape...but he didn't have enough mass for that.

So he eventually began to eat the items. He found them especially hard to digest, as they had been crafted meticulously, even though the wooden armor was just rough hewn boards tied together. But Slimes could get the most out of any meal, even giant lumps of cellulose and fiber.

Momma Slime did the same, and soon between the two of them all of Rattleskull's inventory had been devoured. His body was quickly disappearing as well--Asura had taken off one limb for his own, and Momma Slime had eaten both legs and was now working her way up the torso. Both slimes' translucent insides were rather disgusting to look at for the moment.
[hr]
[h3]Mourningstar, Orchid, Ash, Reoth, Crispy's Party, Goblins, Ardur (In the Air and somewhat far away)[/h3]
"B-But there's more animals outside da cave than there are monsters INside it!" protested the torchbearer. The one whose shield Orchid helped repair, however, seemed to be taking her words about working together as an epiphany of sorts. He looked at her with eyes that were wide with awe but somewhat confused. "Why not stay in and...and do somethin' to keep 'em away!"

"Like what?" said the other shieldbearer. "Ya tink we can just...get behind da rocks or sumfin'?"

The wide-eyed one's eyes got wider.

"If Crispy is smart, he'll know that too. Especially now. You two with me." Orchid looked to the torchbearer and another shield goblin. To the one who she just mended the shield for, she had an important task for him. "I need you to stay here and tell Crispy I'm back. I'm going to be in the forest with these two so we can gather more wood. I'd like him to meet me so we can talk. It's not safe in this cave. Too much weird things going on." When she asked their names, the three answered in a manner indicative of their personality as if they had suddenly become more distinct.

"Bigs!" said the first shieldbearer. He was actually the second of Orchid's minions, not the one who had created the much better stone spear or the one who had created the worst shield. Both of his crafting attempts had been somewhat mediocre. But as he thumped his chest he indicated that he was at least a typical reliable goblin--not quite as scared as a smarter creature would be, not quite as hesitant as a less brash one. And he was, true to his name, a little bigger than the average goblin, though not nearly as muscular as the brawny one had been.

"Wej!" said the other shieldbearer. He was a little squatter in build, more pudgy around the middle, and he suddenly seemed very excited. "An' I gots an id--"

"I'm Jezee!" piped up the female torchbearer. As the youngest she was also the shortest, and the skinniest, almost appearing to be malnourished. With Orchid's encouragement her timidness had been somewhat abated for the moment, but only for as long as she stayed close to the "mini-boss."

"I said, I gots an idea!" spoke up Wej, slapping his chest. "We CANS hide behind da rocks! We can make tings like ya showed us!" he practically shouted as he pointed at Orchid. Then he grabbed a stone from the ground, and put it further in front of the fire at the edge of the light. This was followed by a second, and then a third stone, making a small pyramid with them.

"WE CAN BUILD A WALL!" he crowed triumphantly, pointing up into the air at the height of this imaginary wall between the goblins and the monsters--just as Crispy's party came charging into the camp, kicking over the pile of rocks and shoving Wej out of the way unceremoniously.

"All of yas, listen up!" Crispy shouted, before taking several deep breaths to get air back in his lungs. The entire group looked like they'd been sprinting for their lives. "Rattleskull's dead! T'ain't safe heres no more! Dem udda mobs done ganged up, and dey gonna--"

"We already knows, Mid-boss!" spoke up Bigs. "Mini-boss told us!"

Crispy slapped the goblin upside the head, then turned to look at Orchid. But then he blinked and his glare disappeared. 

"Youngling! Ya didn't get gibbed!" He patted Orchid's shoulder, then turned to the others. "Okay den! Ya already knows dat we gots to go?"

"Y-yeah...if everybody keeps sayin' dat, I guess we's gots ta leave..." mumbled Jezee.

"BUT WUT ABOUT DA WALL!?" protested Wej as he sat up on the ground, shaking dirt out of his face.

"Wut?" Crispy turned to Orchid. "Wat plan dey talkin' about? You doin' sumfin' else crazy?"
[center][h2]***[/h2][/center]
[quote=System:Ardur]
Skill Gain: Stronger I!
You have grown stronger through tough training! Tear muscles down, and rebuild them anew! Your physical power stats have increased! By gaining at least one rank of Faster, Harder, and Better, Skill Synergy will occurr and you will gain one rank of Physical Conditioning.

[color=red]Yo! You have reached the Demon King's Prayer Hotline. Please hold, your prayers are NOT important to me.

I kindly request that you STOP IMMEDIATELY. Do not EVER pray to me again. Prayers are for deities and I don't want that kinda fuckin' responsibility. This is an automated response system, do not reply to it or I'll send somebody to fuck you up.

--Beep--

Update: As of [9 days] ago, if you're one of my Damned Heroes, this is for you. If you can prove your strength to me and survive, find my Palace. Protip--it ain't in that shitty cave. Try the Dungeons.
Update: As of [0 days] ago, you Damned Heroes are growing faster than I thought you would even though I went to the effort of making sure none of you had Cheats or unusual natural talents. Watch yourselves--standing out means drawing attention.[/color]
[/quote]

If it had not been for his new skill, Ardur likely would have found it impossible to fly with Steve in tow. Gliding for a short distance, possibly, but only that extra boost to his strength stats gave him the power he needed to sustain flight. Even then, though, it was clearly much slower and more tiring than normal. But, at this point how else would he do it? Having Steve follow him on the ground would have been just as slow and exposed his friend to danger.

As a tamed creature, it seemed like Steve responded fairly well to pretty much anything Ardur requested, although she still seemed independent enough she likely wouldn't do anything to threaten her own life or interfere with her basic needs like food. She could probably even still hunt without him. But now they were in it for the long haul, just two buds heading on the road to...somewhere.

As Ardur flew, he soon noticed the gaggle of goblins down below...Would he stop for a moment, or continue towards the entrance?
[hr]
[h3]Jason, Ed, Danny, Oberon, Torrent, Digbie, Asteria, Mother Rat[/h3]
As Torrent slapped the fish out of the air easily, its small size and limited mobility no match for her new form, it lay and flopped on the bank for a bit. By observing it she could see it really was nothing more than a small fish, like one of those mini-piranhas some people got as exotic pets or because they liked throwing other animals into the tank like psychopaths. It could probably have given her a nasty bite, but outside of the water it was no threat. Good thing she hadn't tried to stay in that tunnel. Now that she was back above ground, getting back to the others was easy, although one might have to wonder what she had walked in on with everyone showing off their changes and new abilities...
[center][h2]***[/h2][/center]
[quote=System:Asteria]
You used Mana Sense!
You sense a dreadful and sickening energy! This Mana is highly negatively charged and reeks of death and resentment!

You used Mana Sense!
You sense a warm and comforting energy. This Mana is protective and envelops you like a metaphysical coat. You feel like you won't be harmed with this spell.

You used Monster Analysis II!
---Oberon---
This is a new monster to you! This used to be the Pixie you knew as Oberon, but he has transformed! A highly territorial, but otherwise relatively friendly type of creature. Quite similar to Pixies at first glance, they are much more empathetic and even altruistic than other types of Fey. Unless an enemy presents a threat to their homes and families, they often prefer to flee rather than fight, but if something enters their nesting area they are known to swarm much like wasps. They are aligned with the light element and their wings have scales similar to some types of moths. When these scales fall they sometimes glitter, and the Sprite's body is often covered with them.
---Analysis Complete!---

You used Mana Sense!
The Mana you sense is heavily diluted. What little you feel gives you a momentary feeling of depth, like putting your foot down in the ocean and suddenly realizing the shore is no longer beneath you.
[/quote]

The Skeleblin remains gave Asteria the heebie jeebies when she used Mana Sense on them, but Oberon's Shield spell was far more pleasant. Analysing the former pixie's new form revealed some interesting information, and then...

There was definitely something in the water, wasn't there? Or was the water itself magical in some way? But the feeling was so heavily diluted, it had only been there for a fraction of a second. And now it was gone. As Asteria dammed up the little stream, it began to pool out somewhat at its end. By this point it seemed the water levels had equalized, though, and it flowed no more. Mother Rat, who had warily hissed a warning when Asteria approached, now began to cautiously creep back towards the others. She dipped one paw in the water as if testing it, then huffed in satisfaction.
[center][h2]***[/h2][/center]
As Ed checked his lizard skin pouch, he could see that this item clearly would not make another trip. Here in the corner of Jason's cave it would serve for the moment to store the Mana Crystals, but it looked and felt like picking it up would cause it to rip and tear, as would trying to drag it along the rocky ground. But this misfortune might be somewhat leveled out; when he ate the Healing Herb, Ed received a message that his HP was back to full! While his stamina didn't give any indication of increasing, eating the herb also seemed to satisfy his hunger a bit. However, he could still eat, and he still needed to get some real sleep. He had already run too low on stamina once in the past 24-hour period.
[center][h2]***[/h2][/center]
[quote=System:Oberon]
You used Monster Analysis I!
---Asteria---
This is a Dire Rat you have come to know as Asteria. Dire Rats are quite large and strong for rodents, with sharp senses. They are predator scavengers, and because their teeth constantly grow they forage and gnaw constantly. Their forepaws are somewhat capable of gripping and manipulating, but they aren’t very skilled. Rats often hunt in packs, composed of family units, but the mothers will often drive off the fathers as they will behave aggressively towards the young. You know Asteria is a Reincarnator.
---Jason---
This is a new type of monster to you! This used to be a normal Slime you knew as Jason, but he has Transformed! Stone-Hardened Mage Slime: Slimes are normally of limited intelligence, but every so often one somehow learns magic. With its poor magic stats its casts are limited in number, but few expect a Slime to have such abilities. This one has somehow earned the Stone Hardened Variance, signifying a bond of some sort with the Earth element. You know Jason is a Reincarnator.
---Ed---
This is a Dire Rat you have come to know as Ed. Dire Rats are quite large and strong for rodents, with sharp senses. They are predator scavengers, and because their teeth constantly grow they forage and gnaw constantly. Their forepaws are somewhat capable of gripping and manipulating, but they aren’t very skilled. Rats often hunt in packs, composed of family units, but the mothers will often drive off the fathers as they will behave aggressively towards the young. You know Ed is a Reincarnator.
---Digbie---
This is a Goblin you have come to know as Digbie. A semi-intelligent monster with the limb dexterity and mental capacity to use tools. By comparison, usually as large, strong, and intelligent as a human child, but far more vicious. Digbie lacks the usual vicious traits...or at least you thought he did, but now there does seem to be something off about him. Digbie has an unusual level of magic ability for a goblin. You know Digbie is a Reincarnator.
---Wisp---
This is a Wisp whose name you haven't learned yet ((Danny)). More magical manifestation than biological creatures, Wisps nonetheless possess physical bodies. Their ability to cast spells from range makes them a foe that should not be underestimated by the novice. Wisps are magically oriented monsters, normally possessing two spells. [color=red]This one is unusual.[/color]
---Rain---
This is a new type of monster to you! This used to be a normal Fanged Lizard you knew as Rain, but she has transformed! Lesserwurm: Related to dragons, but still a cold-blooded reptile, this creature burrows through the earth and fills the enclosed spaces around its prey with poisonous fumes. Its lengthy body is quite fast and deceptively strong, and its ability to shed its skin somehow allows it to heal more quickly. You know Rain is a Reincarnator.
---Analysis Complete!---

You used Magic Analysis III!
---Rock Spire---
A basic Earth-aligned spell that creates a sharp spike of stone by drawing loose or broken fragments of earth out of the ground. The caster possesses two Ranks of this spell. It deals more damage than most level one spells for the same MP cost, but requires that solid earth be within the user’s range of sight or perception. Solid earth can include soils and sands, but if the ground is too solid it increases the MP cost of the spikes as new fragments of stone must be broken off. The spike is created beneath the targeted area, object, or creature. One drawback of this is that the flash of Mana produced as a side effect of driving the energy into the earth might alert the opponent. Does Piercing and Earth Magic damage. Currently this spell is being altered by another magically oriented skill.
---Analysis Complete!---

You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
[/quote]
[center][h2]***[/h2][/center]
As Danny observed the Healing Herbs, without the actual Plant Analysis skill being activated yet all he had to rely on were his physical senses. Obviously these things were green, a healthy color even in his old world, except for that one oily black one. He knew they could heal wounds somehow. He knew magic existed in this world, so the herbs themselves were probably magical. Jason had obviously put work into growing them here, so they could be cultivated. He could see the seed pods on the underside of the leaves, but they hadn't filled out yet so this batch still had some growing to do if the group wanted to get more seeds. 

The water pool was safe enough to drink from, as at the very least Danny didn't immediately die after drinking from it. It was cold and relatively clear, although there was a little silty taste to it after it had washed through the dirt.
[center][h2]***[/h2][/center]
[quote=System:Jason]
You used Magic Analysis I! This is a Monster, but it has some magical properties. Effectiveness reduced. You have Monster Analysis, Skill Synergy increases Effectiveness. This Monster has some Material properties. You have Material Analysis, Skill Synergy increases Effectiveness. Total effectiveness at 70%.
---Skeleblin Bones---
These are the bones of a Skeleblin, a Skeleton-type Undead-class Monster created from the remains of a Goblin. Magic energy can be detected within them. This magic animates the bones and allows them to move without muscle. They are suffused with energy that feels negative and dangerous. These bones are still naturally hard enough to be used as materials.
---Analysis Complete---
[/quote]

Once again drawing his new 'staff', waving it in slow, steady circles; focusing his magic through it, Jason began his ritual once more. "Souls of the accursed, may I grant thee peace." The green mage-slime could feel his energy beginning to flow, and now that he was intentionally trying to ritualize his magic he could feel the buildup of energy and the changes in directon within that flow. "And as all life doth spring forth from earth, may the power invested in me, as master of this dungeon, allow thee to return to it at ease." The golden rings, glowing brighter now, began to spin. And new symbols were appearing within them. Jason could feel his MP surging! " No more shall ye wander a tormented existence in death, but be born anew in the afterlife." Now, within the innermost ring, a line bisected the odd magical diagram into two halves. "Taint of death that damns these bones I banish thee, relinquish yon vile grasp!" Another line began to form, to turn the bisecting line into a squared X--but halfway through it stopped. The entire circle suddenly made a sound like crackling static. "Let this poor cursed soul move on, and rest in peace at last..." Jason felt his mana beginning to leave his body as he released the spell. "ROCK SPIRE BURIAL RITE--Earth's Mercy!"

[quote=System:Jason]
You have no MP remaining. Spell cast canceled.
You have overexpended your MP. You are experiencing Mana Burn. MP regeneration is slowed.

You used Magic Analysis! This is your own spell, effectiveness boosted.
---Rock Spire I---
A basic Earth-aligned spell that creates a sharp spike of stone by drawing fragments of earth out of the ground. It deals more damage than most level one spells for the same MP cost, but requires that solid earth be within the user’s range of sight or perception. The spike is created beneath the targeted area, object, or creature. One drawback of this is that the flash of Mana produced as a side effect of driving the energy into the earth might alert the opponent. Does Piercing and Earth Magic damage.
You possess the Focus skill, which may allow you to increaes the base range or power of the spell. Using Focus with this spell does not cost as much MP as Rank II of the spell but costs more MP than Rank I.
You are developing the Spell Chant skill, which may allow you to change certain properties of this spell...
---Analysis Complete---
[/quote]

((Working on logical assumption here, may edit later if needed)) No doubt confused by this, Jason would probably use his usual tactic of restoring his spent MP with one of his two Mana Crystals. 

[quote=System:Jason]
You have recovered MP.
One Mana Crystal in Inventory.
[/quote]

Before he had evolved, using a single crystal always restored him to full MP. Was it just because he had enough MP now that one crystal might not always recover the full amount? Or did it have something to do with the Mana Burn he had just experienced? What was more, how could he heal it? If MP was the fuel for magic, maybe recovering it was like recovering the fuel for the body, Stamina? He was getting low on that due to lack of sleep as well.

As Jason ate the corpse of the nearby Dire Rat, he began to feel a little bit better...but ultimately it was nothing more than the satisfaction of a meal. His Stamina would likely begin to recover, but his magic still didn't feel right...

There were other things to contend with, like Oberon's sudden announcement. While dealing with this, Jason used his Material Analysis on the husk that Rain left behind.

[quote=System:Jason]
You used Material Analysis I!
---Fanged Lizard Skin---
A large amount of shedded skin and scales left by a Fanged Lizard. This skin is [Average] Quality. The properties of this skin currently make it unsuitable for most types of crafting, as it is too fragile unlike other forms of animal hides. It is only a surface layer, rather than a true hide or pelt. If there were a way to strengthen it or layer it, maybe then it could be used for something.
---Analysis Complete!---
[/quote]

Then, as he touched the Dungeon Core...

[quote=Dungeon:Jason]
[color=purple]WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

SKELEBLIN_001 WAS KILLED BY UNIDENTIFIED_SPRITE!

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

DUNGEON UPDATES COMPLETED. YOU HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF DUNGEON ACTIVITIES. YOU GAIN 1 SKILL POINT IN THE UNIQUE SKILL: DUNGEON AWARENESS. CURRENT SKILL PROGRESS: 0.2

DUNGEON ASSIMILATION IS AT 3.2%!
ASSIMILATION RATE HAS INCREASED!

SKELEBLIN_003 HAS SPAWNED AT V-26!

DUNGEON MENU ACTIONS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. YOU MUST GAIN THE SKILL DUNGEON AWARENESS AND INCREASE THE DUNGEON LEVEL TO GAIN ACCESS TO DUNGEON MENU ACTIONS.[/color]
[/quote]