The chains rattle as the training hubs tirelessly spin. I feel the burn of the exercise and it gives me an adrenaline rush. I push myself even harder.
After a few minutes, Bunny comes in. We got to the dungeon around the same time and are close in level. We're both Dark Mistresses, so we spar together, pushing, feeling the burn in our muscles. Soon, Binky and Muffy join us. They are level four Mistresses and still fairly small.
It's been a long time. It gets so boring. Train, eat, train, eat, nap. Repeat.
I finally make it to level six. I jump up and down and cheer. The others in the Training Room ignore me. They'll do their own cheer when they level up and I'll ignore them then.
It will be awhile until I make level seven. Then the Dark Lords will give me a magic gift so that I can move with greater speed. It makes the last three level-ups go quickly, or so they say.
I get hungry so I head to the Hatchery. To get there, I have to go past the Workshop. Fiery kilns line the back wall as Trolls and Bile Demons work hard at their tasks. It is hot in the Workshop, which I like, but the smell is something awful.
When I get to the Hatchery I realize I'm starving. But eating is as mindless as the rest of my life. Grab a chicken, twist it's head off, and eat. Tasty, but repetitive. I've seen the Magicians heat the chickens in a flash, which is weird. I tried a piece once that fell on the floor. It tasted strange. Not enough blood in it.
I look over at Fluffy, who is also here for a little snack. She's level 10. They say she was brought over from another Dungeon. She used to work in the Library, and for a while she helped out in the Workshop. But now she gets first pick of the whips in the Torture Room, the bitch.
Well, they do say, Rank Hath Its Privilege.
I head back to the training room. The Dark One's hand is above, dropping a Warlock into the room. Hmm. Warlocks do not train of their own volition. If The Dark One wants him training something must be up.
Still, I see The Dark One's hand above us and hope it will reach down and smack me. They say a girl should like pretty things, and smile all the time, and never, ever let someone hit them. Whomever "they" is has never felt the sweet rush that comes when The Dark One's hand strikes. It is glorious.
"Hi, Bitsy," leers a passing Troll. Yug. I hate Trolls. They're so obnoxious.
"Get away from me. I'm Mitsy!" I angrily retort.
"How can I tell," the Troll says with a sneer. "You broads all look alike to me."
"RACIST!" I yell, spitting at him. I head for my lair. Maybe a little contemplation on that jerk will ruin my mood some more.
Suddenly an alarm sounds.
"The enemy has broken through your walls!" cries The Voice.
I can hear fighting in the distance. That must mean those icky good Heroes are bugging us again.
"Your dungeon heart is being attacked!" intones The Voice.
The call to arms spell makes me rush to the heart. It still throbs; Fluffy and some vampires who can also teleport have made it here before me and are defending it.
The fight is on. I cast Lightning spell after Lightning spell. I take some damage, but the pain just makes me fight harder. Just as my mana is about to run out, the goody Heroes are all dead. Imps run in to grab the corpses and drag them to the graveyard.
"A vampire has risen in your graveyard!" says The Voice.
The call to arms spell stops. I head back to my lair to rest up and heal. Soon I will be able to go train again. I want to go feel the lash of the whip, but I must resist for now. Another fight awaits.
And maybe, just maybe, the Hand will come down for me and I will be rewarded with its stinging slap.