Four blue tails could be seen wagging in front of my face as Myra went to sort her new material. I had summoned enough mithril to last her a while, even considering the armor she was planning to craft for Aspen and all the trial and error she would face in the near future. Sure, there was still a generous supply to be found in the storage hall, next to a pile of iron bars and other metals, but given that this is all she really enjoyed doing, there wasn't a reason not to stock up on materials.
According to her, this metal was very forgiving, but she had by no means perfected every single one of the many steps required to craft a proper piece of armor or weapon. She had to specifically order it for projects, and even this happened rarely, as there were far more experienced smiths working in the capital. As such, while she had learned about the entire process and had even worked with it before, albeit rarely, having a basically limitless supply was exactly what she needed to catch up with the smiths she had looked up to.
With Myra satisfied and busy, I barked her goodbye, before strolling towards the future town, where I would spend most of my remaining mana. I had thought about how to best use it, but, ultimately, there wasn’t much I could do but to prepare the room for the future. And as I wanted delvers to reach the town first before making their way into the dungeon itself, giving them a warm welcome was naturally a must. Therefore, I used most of the mana rewarded to me by the men and women visiting for their morning prayer to create a wide and deep canyon leading towards the entrance, narrowing in shape as it approached its destination. The final step would be connecting it to the existing tunnel, but that would have to wait for another day when I was ready to create the new floor.
Due to me creating the canyon as part of the future town room, grass, light, and even wind reached into the deeper parts, allowing me to create a hopefully beautiful-looking part of nature that would lead future visitors to the town. Most of the walls had dents and alcoves, making them look more natural, but I intentionally left other parts smooth to create murals that would tell the history of Cilia and Foxkin as a whole. I even added pillars that served this exact purpose, just so to give me some extra space to work with. Naturally, all of that would need to wait for the future…
After creating the canyon itself, I even added a spring and a small brook that was carrying water all the way toward the lake in the middle of the room, making sure the water line would always be kept to one level. A path led through the canyon, meandering its way through the landscape and, obviously, passing by all of the future artwork. It was nothing more than hardened dirt and rock, making it look far more natural, but things quickly changed once the path reached a wooden bridge near the future town, after which it changed to the good–on–your–paws gravel instead.
Having finished my newest project, I made my way towards the ‘den of shame’ that was half hidden in the town’s lush meadow. Once I reached it, I crawled into its tunnel and transformed back to my usual self, before grabbing the dungeon core and making my way back out again. The white furs Cilia had given me would need to wait – for now.
With this large room becoming the center of activity in the future and the first room any visitor and delver would reach, I naturally needed to move the core, so as to keep it more secure. And the safest place, by a long shot, was actually creating a new room that directly followed Myra’s boss room and workshop, forcing delvers to defeat her in order to get a chance to see the core.
Minutes later, I already reached the place and, at the right–hand side of the boss room, created a short tunnel that would reach into a final chamber. This chamber wasn’t big by any means, but I gave it sunlight, a meadow, and a large tree, under which I created a new statue in the shape of a nine–tailed fox that was sleeping in the lush grass. This fox was made from white marble, only having black tips as its ears and nose, and was obviously created with Cilia in mind. She would be protecting the core, seemingly keeping it warm with her body and tails as she slept in the gentle breeze. I added no mention of her name here, but delvers would likely still make the connection, just by the number of her tails and the coloration of her fur.
Finishing the statue, I placed the core in Cilia’s care and, after quickly thanking her for her slightly involuntary help, transformed myself back to my fox self to make my way back to Myra to report on my progress.
She was in the middle of work even now, and though she didn’t yet know Aspen’s exact measurements, she could still work on her own projects for the time being. Right now, she was sharpening her blade it seemed, as she was guiding its edge over one of the stones she had asked me to remake over and over again until they were all perfect. There were six of them, all shaped like big, long bricks, their sole difference being how rough they were to the touch. Myra had explained to me that you would move from coarse grain to the finer ones, using water to assist your work. Naturally, I had seen knives being sharpened before, but Myra seemed to put a lot more work into her blade and, honestly, I couldn’t help but sit there for a few minutes, just watching her work. She didn’t even notice I was there, only realizing she was being watched once she had finished with her current whetstone.
“Are you finished?” She asked.
I replied with a bark which, curiously, was enough of an answer to her, who seemed to be a lot more used to ‘talking’ to foxes compared to me, who actually needed Cilia’s help to translate their basic needs. As such, Myra soon placed her tools off to one side before sheathing her nearly–finished sword. She attached the blade to her belt, walked over to me, and lifted me up with a smile. Seconds later, she was already carrying me off towards the Volcano Room where I would summon the final fox and thus finally unlock the ability to create my new floor.
It didn’t take long for us to be surrounded by darkness and, with only a single blue flame lighting up the nearby walls, Myra began loudly thinking about the fox I was about to summon, the very same fox that had given me trouble all of this time. With water and air, there weren’t exactly many ideas flooding my mind. If anything, I could think about rain, though I couldn’t even begin to imagine what a fox made out of rain would look like. Luckily, my friend had just the right idea.
“Air means wind, doesn’t it? All your air foxes are flying and using wind magic?”
I nodded, though she probably couldn’t see it. It was true that I had given these foxes not only wind magic but also bodies the colors of clouds, with the Air Foxes even floating about like tiny, slightly too clumsy miniature fox clouds. They didn’t embody the idea of air all that well, but rather something entirely different. Still, the Vulpine Circle had allowed for this to happen, so it couldn’t be that bad, right?
Myra continued her monologue. “You know how the wind makes everything feel colder?” She asked me, before, without waiting for an answer, explaining the image she had in her head. “Like in the winter, when the icy wind hits your face and feels like tiny needles stabbed into your skin.”
Hearing this, I could only nod again. While Aurent didn’t have harsh winters compared to what I had read about the northern half of Errul, it, too, saw snow from time to time. I especially remembered playing in it when I was still a child, and though that white wonder didn’t last long, I fondly remembered the time. Indeed, every gust of wind had felt almost painful against my face.
“How about you use wind to cool the water down?” She mused. “I mean… that would make ice, wouldn’t it?”
I found myself nodding along. She was right. Ice would indeed work for this one. And it would be much easier to create a fox made from crystal–like ice rather than one made from rain which was impossible to give a shape to, at least in my mind.
I was already imagining the fox long before we even reached the Storage Hall. It would naturally have two tails, a body that would glister under the sunlight, and intelligent eyes. Its magic would be able to turn its surroundings cold and even freeze water. Icy winds would assault its foes with those that failed to stay on the move being frozen in place. Maybe it would even be able to create sharp blades of ice to toss at them? This type of fox would naturally require a room entirely different from any of those I currently had. It certainly wouldn’t be able to thrive surrounded by molten rock and under the hot sun; and while I had the Crystal Chamber, it wasn’t exactly perfect either as it was still warm.
A specially designed room filled with cold air was a much better fit, especially since the poor fox wouldn’t be forced to fight for its comfort or even its very life on a daily basis. Instead, it could just relax, play, eat, and sleep, like all of my foxes should be able to.
More and more, ideas soon filled my head, all of them exploring different ways of how such a room could be designed. They would have snow for sure, but though it should have a day–and–night cycle like the Volcano Floor had, their sun’s light wouldn’t feel strong enough to make the foxes uncomfortable and it also shouldn’t shine as many hours, as nights should naturally be longer on this floor. The rooms could have ponds and maybe even rivers, both filled with crystal clear water that was close to freezing temperature. It would only need a tiny breath of icy magic to turn them into a trap, and this new fox would do exactly that.
Sure, I had to make sure not to overdo it as I didn’t plan on creating a floor inaccessible by the dozens of men and women waiting to seek their fortunes, but I could still add sources of heat that would allow them to take a breather – after earning it, that was.
With all of these ideas flooding my head, I could feel myself smile even before we had reached the Volcano Room. There was even a loud rumble coming from my chest, a fact Myra couldn’t help but point out.
I didn’t mind it. How couldn’t I be happy, now that I’d not only found a solution for the supposed ‘problem fox’ but also had a very good idea as to what the new floor would look like?
When we finally reached the Vulpine Circle, I was still a bundle of joy in Myra’s arms, despite her denying me the chance to greet any of the foxes who were strolling around and playing everywhere surrounding us.
Even the Water Foxes were back at their shenanigans, with the whole group currently trying their best to shoot the white cherries from one of the trees closest to the magic ritual. Naturally, with more than a dozen foxes trying their best to feed their bellies, the whole scene was loud and lively. The whole group celebrated whenever a single fruit dropped into the wide–open maw of the lucky one who had managed to snag it. Only their leader had a much easier time, and, with so many of his underlings cheering him on, he readily cut more and more cherries from the tree, helping them stuff their bellies.
We watched them for a minute or two, before Myra asked one of the foxes for its help, repeating her plea with one of the Air Foxes who was watching the chaos from a nearby tree. Both of them readily accepted, eager to spice up their day with something new. So, with Myra explaining to them exactly what they had to do, they soon found themselves sitting on a stone pedestal each, ready to participate in the ritual.
Myra nodded, looking visibly satisfied before placing me on one of the remaining pedestals as if I was just one more fox trying to do its job. And I did exactly that. Closing my eyes, I began thinking of the new fox, creating it in my head, over and over again. Its body was made from pure ice, white and blue colors giving it life. Its tails were long and lacked fur, making the fox similar in shape to the Water Fox that participated in its creation. There were many differences, though, as this new fox had white tips on both its tails and ears, making them look like snow–capped mountains. Also, my new creation looked majestic and intelligent, compared to the much more playful Water Fox, its deep–blue eyes hinting at its wisdom and precise control over its element. It was also much bigger than both its ‘parents’, easily looming over the similarly two–tailed Stone and Steam Foxes but lacking their superior defenses.
As for its magic, I went with a variety that would allow it to easily use its surroundings and shape them in its favor. Other than being able to slowly turn water and snow into ice with its gaze alone, it would also be able to summon ice out of thin air, though at a much higher cost. Other than that, it would even be able to control nearby ice, enabling it to throw smaller pieces at its opponents or slowly move around larger chunks. All of this would allow it to slow its opponents, whittling down their strength and will to fight, though never trying to outright overrun them. These foxes would turn all of this into a game that could only be won by driving any delver away rather than tainting their pure homes with the color of their blood.
Like all of my foxes, these, too, would immediately stop pulling their punches once they realized they were facing foes who were a danger to either them or me and the dungeon. They were very similar to Water Foxes in this regard, though they obviously had the actual strength to turn their anger into a real problem for those who caught their ire.
The image in my head became more and more vivid with each passing moment. The new fox had a calm character, a good head, versatile abilities, and a majestic appearance, making it the living, breathing centerpiece of any room it called its home.
It was in this second that the image was completed, just like a last stroke of paint needed to finish an art piece. A cold feeling assaulted me as the Vulpine Circle took its price, and my mana emptied out within moments. And, once it had done so, I opened my eyes, ready to greet my newest family member.
Myra was already upon it. She was kneeling on the ground, right next to the fox, and stroking its cold, smooth body. I strolled over to them, jumped on the center pedestal that was its birthplace, and did my best to welcome my newest family member. With my current lack of hands, I was pretty much limited to yelping, purring, and cuddling up to it, though that much was enough. The majestic, oversized fox happily greeted me in return. It sniffed at me and even started licking my head, its cold tongue stroking my fur. Myra couldn’t help but laugh about my ‘misfortune’, especially after the fox had given me a new hairdo with just a few applications of its cold tongue, but I let it be. I was content.
A green board appeared, rewarding me with the name of the fox. It was simply named Ice Fox, which, while this certainly didn’t suit its majestic appearance, at least was easy to remember. With this final fox added to my family, there was nothing else stopping me from making a big leap forward. Soon, I would be building a new floor, a new home, and welcoming monsters and foxes I couldn’t even dream of right now. Men and women from all of Aurent would know of this dungeon and come to try their luck. Not only humans but the Elves of the Great Forest would also soon be made aware of its existence, with many more following on their heels.
There was a long road ahead of me. I would be building more rooms, more floors, and growing my family bigger and bigger while making Cilia’s name known across all of Errul. All of this would take time, sure, but I had finished all the important steps. What was left was creating a challenge suited to those camping outside, to all of those who were just starting to head out into the world and make their names known. I wasn’t quite ready to build it, but once I got started, my new floor would be the answer to all of their prayers…
- - - - -
Horrendously edited Ice Fox [collapse] Updated Map as of Chapter 60 - End of the first Arc [collapse]
~ ~ ~
Catnip This concludes the first arc/floor. As announced a few weeks back, I will now take some time polishing the older chapters, removing some very obvious flaws, fixing many grammar flaws, improving some story bits, fixing plotholes, and rewriting those paragraphs that really didn't age well. You can look forward to side chapters and interludes in the meantime, so while the main plotline takes a hopefully short break, you will learn more about certain characters' pasts, certain foxes' nightmares, and many other things. There are two pages of ideas/stories gathered by the discord for these chapters alone, and I am more than willing to add your ideas to that list as well. So feel free to tell me. What do you want to know more about? What do you want to see?
As you see, there is also a poll ready for you to vote on, which might or might not be entirely related to a certain 'Tear of the Fox Goddess' Kiomi might soon receive which could theoretically be used to turn a future fox into the new boss of the Dungeon of Foxes. So... given there is a certain possibility of this happening... what would you want that boss to look like? Who should it be? Who shouldn't it be? Things said, one important note: Kiomi can create all of this herself. She only needs to be taught how to do so. So while architecture seems to be a clear winner at first glance, and has been voted 81% on the discord, it might not be the perfect choice, especially since imagining a dress with all of its threads and seams will be much tougher or straight up impossible to do. And summoning a perfectly seasoned meal out of thin air? I'd bet she would spend years perfecting that party trick. So go with what you feel is right.
That aside, the official Wiki is close to being ready, and though it is still being updated, with especially the foxes and the page "Dungeon of the Foxes" needing several hours of work still, like descriptions of all the existing rooms and a more detailed map of the rooms' features. Some important things to know before you read through the articles: consider the wiki canon, as all 60 existing chapters will be adjusted to feature the lore gathered in its articles if need be. If there is anything that doesn't fit what you have read: I am working on it. Sorry for the inconvenience. Also, I will try my best to keep the Wiki updated to the latest changes made in the most recent chapters, so it will contain spoilers in some articles should you not be up to date. Still, I will add the Wiki link to all existing chapters during the polishing phase, with a big, red warning stating that you are treading spoiler territory once you leave the main page. Anyways... here it is, the Foxification Wiki.
One more point... now that you know the final fox resulting from the four elements of air, water, earth, and fire: the majestic Ice Fox, you may understand that the next floor will need to cater to its needs, being both colder than the Volcano Floor and featuring at least one room with snow or ice, just so that it will be a good home. Other than that, I am very open about your ideas. What do you want this floor to be? What should happen within it? Should there be many puzzles instead of foxes to defeat so it suits weaker fighters? Should I play more into the watery aspect or the coldness? Or do you have an entirely different idea? You could even suggest a theme yourself with the help of one of the Wiki articles: Themes. The article also describes how themes work: they are no law but rather a set of building materials!
I will discuss all of your ideas with the readers gathered on the discord, and though I cannot promise I will use them all as I have a certain vision of the story in my mind, they will certainly be heard.
~ ~ ~
I want to use this chance to thank Onean for his generous donation to my cookie funds. I really appreciate your support and hope you will continue enjoying this story as it unfolds!
Want to learn more about the story or discuss it? Want to give your own ideas or just talk to others who enjoy reading as much as you do?
Join the family on Discord!
Click me!
Four blue tails could be seen wagging in front of my face as Myra went to sort her new material. I had summoned enough mithril to last her a while, even considering the armor she was planning to craft for Aspen and all the trial and error she would face in the near future. Sure, there was still a generous supply to be found in the storage hall, next to a pile of iron bars and other metals, but given that this is all she really enjoyed doing, there wasn't a reason not to stock up on materials.
According to her, this metal was very forgiving, but she had by no means perfected every single one of the many steps required to craft a proper piece of armor or weapon. She had to specifically order it for projects, and even this happened rarely, as there were far more experienced smiths working in the capital. As such, while she had learned about the entire process and had even worked with it before, albeit rarely, having a basically limitless supply was exactly what she needed to catch up with the smiths she had looked up to.
With Myra satisfied and busy, I barked her goodbye, before strolling towards the future town, where I would spend most of my remaining mana. I had thought about how to best use it, but, ultimately, there wasn’t much I could do but to prepare the room for the future. And as I wanted delvers to reach the town first before making their way into the dungeon itself, giving them a warm welcome was naturally a must. Therefore, I used most of the mana rewarded to me by the men and women visiting for their morning prayer to create a wide and deep canyon leading towards the entrance, narrowing in shape as it approached its destination. The final step would be connecting it to the existing tunnel, but that would have to wait for another day when I was ready to create the new floor.
Due to me creating the canyon as part of the future town room, grass, light, and even wind reached into the deeper parts, allowing me to create a hopefully beautiful-looking part of nature that would lead future visitors to the town. Most of the walls had dents and alcoves, making them look more natural, but I intentionally left other parts smooth to create murals that would tell the history of Cilia and Foxkin as a whole. I even added pillars that served this exact purpose, just so to give me some extra space to work with. Naturally, all of that would need to wait for the future…
After creating the canyon itself, I even added a spring and a small brook that was carrying water all the way toward the lake in the middle of the room, making sure the water line would always be kept to one level. A path led through the canyon, meandering its way through the landscape and, obviously, passing by all of the future artwork. It was nothing more than hardened dirt and rock, making it look far more natural, but things quickly changed once the path reached a wooden bridge near the future town, after which it changed to the good–on–your–paws gravel instead.
Having finished my newest project, I made my way towards the ‘den of shame’ that was half hidden in the town’s lush meadow. Once I reached it, I crawled into its tunnel and transformed back to my usual self, before grabbing the dungeon core and making my way back out again. The white furs Cilia had given me would need to wait – for now.
With this large room becoming the center of activity in the future and the first room any visitor and delver would reach, I naturally needed to move the core, so as to keep it more secure. And the safest place, by a long shot, was actually creating a new room that directly followed Myra’s boss room and workshop, forcing delvers to defeat her in order to get a chance to see the core.
Minutes later, I already reached the place and, at the right–hand side of the boss room, created a short tunnel that would reach into a final chamber. This chamber wasn’t big by any means, but I gave it sunlight, a meadow, and a large tree, under which I created a new statue in the shape of a nine–tailed fox that was sleeping in the lush grass. This fox was made from white marble, only having black tips as its ears and nose, and was obviously created with Cilia in mind. She would be protecting the core, seemingly keeping it warm with her body and tails as she slept in the gentle breeze. I added no mention of her name here, but delvers would likely still make the connection, just by the number of her tails and the coloration of her fur.
Finishing the statue, I placed the core in Cilia’s care and, after quickly thanking her for her slightly involuntary help, transformed myself back to my fox self to make my way back to Myra to report on my progress.
She was in the middle of work even now, and though she didn’t yet know Aspen’s exact measurements, she could still work on her own projects for the time being. Right now, she was sharpening her blade it seemed, as she was guiding its edge over one of the stones she had asked me to remake over and over again until they were all perfect. There were six of them, all shaped like big, long bricks, their sole difference being how rough they were to the touch. Myra had explained to me that you would move from coarse grain to the finer ones, using water to assist your work. Naturally, I had seen knives being sharpened before, but Myra seemed to put a lot more work into her blade and, honestly, I couldn’t help but sit there for a few minutes, just watching her work. She didn’t even notice I was there, only realizing she was being watched once she had finished with her current whetstone.
“Are you finished?” She asked.
I replied with a bark which, curiously, was enough of an answer to her, who seemed to be a lot more used to ‘talking’ to foxes compared to me, who actually needed Cilia’s help to translate their basic needs. As such, Myra soon placed her tools off to one side before sheathing her nearly–finished sword. She attached the blade to her belt, walked over to me, and lifted me up with a smile. Seconds later, she was already carrying me off towards the Volcano Room where I would summon the final fox and thus finally unlock the ability to create my new floor.
It didn’t take long for us to be surrounded by darkness and, with only a single blue flame lighting up the nearby walls, Myra began loudly thinking about the fox I was about to summon, the very same fox that had given me trouble all of this time. With water and air, there weren’t exactly many ideas flooding my mind. If anything, I could think about rain, though I couldn’t even begin to imagine what a fox made out of rain would look like. Luckily, my friend had just the right idea.
“Air means wind, doesn’t it? All your air foxes are flying and using wind magic?”
I nodded, though she probably couldn’t see it. It was true that I had given these foxes not only wind magic but also bodies the colors of clouds, with the Air Foxes even floating about like tiny, slightly too clumsy miniature fox clouds. They didn’t embody the idea of air all that well, but rather something entirely different. Still, the Vulpine Circle had allowed for this to happen, so it couldn’t be that bad, right?
Myra continued her monologue. “You know how the wind makes everything feel colder?” She asked me, before, without waiting for an answer, explaining the image she had in her head. “Like in the winter, when the icy wind hits your face and feels like tiny needles stabbed into your skin.”
Hearing this, I could only nod again. While Aurent didn’t have harsh winters compared to what I had read about the northern half of Errul, it, too, saw snow from time to time. I especially remembered playing in it when I was still a child, and though that white wonder didn’t last long, I fondly remembered the time. Indeed, every gust of wind had felt almost painful against my face.
“How about you use wind to cool the water down?” She mused. “I mean… that would make ice, wouldn’t it?”
I found myself nodding along. She was right. Ice would indeed work for this one. And it would be much easier to create a fox made from crystal–like ice rather than one made from rain which was impossible to give a shape to, at least in my mind.
I was already imagining the fox long before we even reached the Storage Hall. It would naturally have two tails, a body that would glister under the sunlight, and intelligent eyes. Its magic would be able to turn its surroundings cold and even freeze water. Icy winds would assault its foes with those that failed to stay on the move being frozen in place. Maybe it would even be able to create sharp blades of ice to toss at them? This type of fox would naturally require a room entirely different from any of those I currently had. It certainly wouldn’t be able to thrive surrounded by molten rock and under the hot sun; and while I had the Crystal Chamber, it wasn’t exactly perfect either as it was still warm.
A specially designed room filled with cold air was a much better fit, especially since the poor fox wouldn’t be forced to fight for its comfort or even its very life on a daily basis. Instead, it could just relax, play, eat, and sleep, like all of my foxes should be able to.
More and more, ideas soon filled my head, all of them exploring different ways of how such a room could be designed. They would have snow for sure, but though it should have a day–and–night cycle like the Volcano Floor had, their sun’s light wouldn’t feel strong enough to make the foxes uncomfortable and it also shouldn’t shine as many hours, as nights should naturally be longer on this floor. The rooms could have ponds and maybe even rivers, both filled with crystal clear water that was close to freezing temperature. It would only need a tiny breath of icy magic to turn them into a trap, and this new fox would do exactly that.
Sure, I had to make sure not to overdo it as I didn’t plan on creating a floor inaccessible by the dozens of men and women waiting to seek their fortunes, but I could still add sources of heat that would allow them to take a breather – after earning it, that was.
With all of these ideas flooding my head, I could feel myself smile even before we had reached the Volcano Room. There was even a loud rumble coming from my chest, a fact Myra couldn’t help but point out.
I didn’t mind it. How couldn’t I be happy, now that I’d not only found a solution for the supposed ‘problem fox’ but also had a very good idea as to what the new floor would look like?
When we finally reached the Vulpine Circle, I was still a bundle of joy in Myra’s arms, despite her denying me the chance to greet any of the foxes who were strolling around and playing everywhere surrounding us.
Even the Water Foxes were back at their shenanigans, with the whole group currently trying their best to shoot the white cherries from one of the trees closest to the magic ritual. Naturally, with more than a dozen foxes trying their best to feed their bellies, the whole scene was loud and lively. The whole group celebrated whenever a single fruit dropped into the wide–open maw of the lucky one who had managed to snag it. Only their leader had a much easier time, and, with so many of his underlings cheering him on, he readily cut more and more cherries from the tree, helping them stuff their bellies.
We watched them for a minute or two, before Myra asked one of the foxes for its help, repeating her plea with one of the Air Foxes who was watching the chaos from a nearby tree. Both of them readily accepted, eager to spice up their day with something new. So, with Myra explaining to them exactly what they had to do, they soon found themselves sitting on a stone pedestal each, ready to participate in the ritual.
Myra nodded, looking visibly satisfied before placing me on one of the remaining pedestals as if I was just one more fox trying to do its job. And I did exactly that. Closing my eyes, I began thinking of the new fox, creating it in my head, over and over again. Its body was made from pure ice, white and blue colors giving it life. Its tails were long and lacked fur, making the fox similar in shape to the Water Fox that participated in its creation. There were many differences, though, as this new fox had white tips on both its tails and ears, making them look like snow–capped mountains. Also, my new creation looked majestic and intelligent, compared to the much more playful Water Fox, its deep–blue eyes hinting at its wisdom and precise control over its element. It was also much bigger than both its ‘parents’, easily looming over the similarly two–tailed Stone and Steam Foxes but lacking their superior defenses.
As for its magic, I went with a variety that would allow it to easily use its surroundings and shape them in its favor. Other than being able to slowly turn water and snow into ice with its gaze alone, it would also be able to summon ice out of thin air, though at a much higher cost. Other than that, it would even be able to control nearby ice, enabling it to throw smaller pieces at its opponents or slowly move around larger chunks. All of this would allow it to slow its opponents, whittling down their strength and will to fight, though never trying to outright overrun them. These foxes would turn all of this into a game that could only be won by driving any delver away rather than tainting their pure homes with the color of their blood.
Like all of my foxes, these, too, would immediately stop pulling their punches once they realized they were facing foes who were a danger to either them or me and the dungeon. They were very similar to Water Foxes in this regard, though they obviously had the actual strength to turn their anger into a real problem for those who caught their ire.
The image in my head became more and more vivid with each passing moment. The new fox had a calm character, a good head, versatile abilities, and a majestic appearance, making it the living, breathing centerpiece of any room it called its home.
It was in this second that the image was completed, just like a last stroke of paint needed to finish an art piece. A cold feeling assaulted me as the Vulpine Circle took its price, and my mana emptied out within moments. And, once it had done so, I opened my eyes, ready to greet my newest family member.
Myra was already upon it. She was kneeling on the ground, right next to the fox, and stroking its cold, smooth body. I strolled over to them, jumped on the center pedestal that was its birthplace, and did my best to welcome my newest family member. With my current lack of hands, I was pretty much limited to yelping, purring, and cuddling up to it, though that much was enough. The majestic, oversized fox happily greeted me in return. It sniffed at me and even started licking my head, its cold tongue stroking my fur. Myra couldn’t help but laugh about my ‘misfortune’, especially after the fox had given me a new hairdo with just a few applications of its cold tongue, but I let it be. I was content.
A green board appeared, rewarding me with the name of the fox. It was simply named Ice Fox, which, while this certainly didn’t suit its majestic appearance, at least was easy to remember. With this final fox added to my family, there was nothing else stopping me from making a big leap forward. Soon, I would be building a new floor, a new home, and welcoming monsters and foxes I couldn’t even dream of right now. Men and women from all of Aurent would know of this dungeon and come to try their luck. Not only humans but the Elves of the Great Forest would also soon be made aware of its existence, with many more following on their heels.
There was a long road ahead of me. I would be building more rooms, more floors, and growing my family bigger and bigger while making Cilia’s name known across all of Errul. All of this would take time, sure, but I had finished all the important steps. What was left was creating a challenge suited to those camping outside, to all of those who were just starting to head out into the world and make their names known. I wasn’t quite ready to build it, but once I got started, my new floor would be the answer to all of their prayers…
- - - - -
Horrendously edited Ice Fox [collapse] Updated Map as of Chapter 60 - End of the first Arc [collapse]
~ ~ ~
Catnip This concludes the first arc/floor. As announced a few weeks back, I will now take some time polishing the older chapters, removing some very obvious flaws, fixing many grammar flaws, improving some story bits, fixing plotholes, and rewriting those paragraphs that really didn't age well. You can look forward to side chapters and interludes in the meantime, so while the main plotline takes a hopefully short break, you will learn more about certain characters' pasts, certain foxes' nightmares, and many other things. There are two pages of ideas/stories gathered by the discord for these chapters alone, and I am more than willing to add your ideas to that list as well. So feel free to tell me. What do you want to know more about? What do you want to see?
As you see, there is also a poll ready for you to vote on, which might or might not be entirely related to a certain 'Tear of the Fox Goddess' Kiomi might soon receive which could theoretically be used to turn a future fox into the new boss of the Dungeon of Foxes. So... given there is a certain possibility of this happening... what would you want that boss to look like? Who should it be? Who shouldn't it be? Things said, one important note: Kiomi can create all of this herself. She only needs to be taught how to do so. So while architecture seems to be a clear winner at first glance, and has been voted 81% on the discord, it might not be the perfect choice, especially since imagining a dress with all of its threads and seams will be much tougher or straight up impossible to do. And summoning a perfectly seasoned meal out of thin air? I'd bet she would spend years perfecting that party trick. So go with what you feel is right.
That aside, the official Wiki is close to being ready, and though it is still being updated, with especially the foxes and the page "Dungeon of the Foxes" needing several hours of work still, like descriptions of all the existing rooms and a more detailed map of the rooms' features. Some important things to know before you read through the articles: consider the wiki canon, as all 60 existing chapters will be adjusted to feature the lore gathered in its articles if need be. If there is anything that doesn't fit what you have read: I am working on it. Sorry for the inconvenience. Also, I will try my best to keep the Wiki updated to the latest changes made in the most recent chapters, so it will contain spoilers in some articles should you not be up to date. Still, I will add the Wiki link to all existing chapters during the polishing phase, with a big, red warning stating that you are treading spoiler territory once you leave the main page. Anyways... here it is, the Foxification Wiki.
One more point... now that you know the final fox resulting from the four elements of air, water, earth, and fire: the majestic Ice Fox, you may understand that the next floor will need to cater to its needs, being both colder than the Volcano Floor and featuring at least one room with snow or ice, just so that it will be a good home. Other than that, I am very open about your ideas. What do you want this floor to be? What should happen within it? Should there be many puzzles instead of foxes to defeat so it suits weaker fighters? Should I play more into the watery aspect or the coldness? Or do you have an entirely different idea? You could even suggest a theme yourself with the help of one of the Wiki articles: Themes. The article also describes how themes work: they are no law but rather a set of building materials!
I will discuss all of your ideas with the readers gathered on the discord, and though I cannot promise I will use them all as I have a certain vision of the story in my mind, they will certainly be heard.
~ ~ ~
I want to use this chance to thank Onean for his generous donation to my cookie funds. I really appreciate your support and hope you will continue enjoying this story as it unfolds!
Want to learn more about the story or discuss it? Want to give your own ideas or just talk to others who enjoy reading as much as you do?
Join the family on Discord!
Click me!
