Traverse the dungeon.

Now that you're able to see in the dark, you have no need for a torch or magical light. This will surely allow for a stealthier expedition of the dungeon. Thankfully Trin, as a dragon, can also see well enough. She's rather light on her feet as well. The two of you continue down the hallway in hopes of finding something more than yet another turn, and ideally what you find won't be a massive, terrifying monster.

That being said, it sounds like the Dungeon Core is what needs to be destroyed.

"There has to be a way to get to... well, I guess you'd say its nest," Trin whispers as you go. "Somewhere here is the location where the demon first melded itself into the chapel basement, transforming it into this strange dungeon we're in now. The downside is that's where the Dungeon Core will be at its strongest, but it also won't teleport away if we fight it there, given it has its best shot at killing us."

"But if we're in a living dungeon, what if it just traps us forever until we starve?"

"As far as I understand, it doesn't exactly have full control of every bit of the dungeon at all times. That's why we haven't been found. Its magic transforms the place, but it still requires individual eyes. The Dungeon Core is the main security, and the heart of the beast, but there's no telling what else we'll find that has spawned from its power."

"We need to find Jelly no matter what. Whatever we face, we'll handle it."

"William too."

I suppose. "Ah yeah. William too. But he seems like a strong enough guy. Jelly is still learning about the world."

"She does seem like a fascinating creature. I've seen slime girls before, but they're still pretty rare. They come from slimes who absorb a lot of magical power, causing them to effectively evolve into humans."

"I'm aware."

"Oh uhm... Right. I guess you'd know that already. Sorry." She laughs nervously. "I just think monsters and stuff are really neat."

Your eyes catch an opening ahead. This one seems different. It doesn't look like the last couple mostly identical rooms, and the air just feels different. Cautiously, you creep up to the edge of the doorway and peer an eye around the corner. From what you can tell, this chamber opens up much wider, and there are a number of weapons on racks at the farthest end. No other doors seem to exit the room. Still, there's no other way to go except back, so you might as well check for hidden doors. In a demon-possessed magic dungeon, anything is possible.

Trin grasps her marble flute tight in her hand as you lead the charge with Lauo pointed ahead. The crunch of your boots against the old, filthy stone bricks of the floor, even quietly done, reverberate out across the otherwise deathly silent chamber. You feel somewhat unnerved, as now you must be aware of the signs that tell of the Dungeon Core's arrival.

Just then, your heart skips a beat. Something churns in the center of the room, as if the stone itself is stretching up like melting plastic. The walls don't shift, however, nor does the area around you shift or cause you a sense of dread. Something else is happening. As the floor continues to warp upwards into a shape, you step back and ready to strike. It finishes forming a hulking figure of pure shadow, but then it refines. The flesh turns course and rough, and a loin cloth forms around its waist. It has a hefty underbite with tusks protruding up almost in front of its own eyes, though a tiny, piercing white gaze looms down at the two of you.

"Cave ogre!" Trin cries. "They can barely see, but their hearing is insane. Their flesh is as hardy as stone too."

"Did the dungeon just spawn this thing?"

"I guess it's basically a part of it taking the shape of a cave ogre."

It reaches back and pulls two weapons off the track, which look comedically tiny within its massive mitts. In its right is a maul, and within the other is a halberd, though they appear more like a hammer and a spear. Still, with incredible strength, the cave ogre thrusts the halberd down vertically into the stone tiles between the two of you. As you leap away, you watch as it pierces easily into the ground. As the weapon is drawn back up, the loose stones crumble, leaving behind a crater of impact.

Time to counter attack. You dash forwards with impressive speed, aiming to dash between its legs to make quick, precise cuts at the beast's hamstrings. While it does begin to turn in an attempt to maneuver away, you land several strikes in total before opting to retreat back to the weapon rack, placing it right between the two of you.

It groans out in pain. While the wounds didn't go as deep as you wished, you still definitely damages the creature. It still stands, however, which is unfortunate. You're not sure of cave ogres are normally this strong, or it's because you're battling part of the dungeon itself.

"I've got this," Trin says. She takes a deep breath and then plays a beautiful tune on her flute. She does so with a level of calm unexpected by someone caught in a precarious situation. Mana flows up her body, and as the spell cast reaches its apex, she lifts her lips away and says, "Conjure Beasts: Screech Hounds".

It isn't just one creature she summons this time. The medium sized canines manifest before her. They have shimmering silver coats with thicker fur down their backs somewhat like a hyena. The hounds snarl as they take charge in front of their mistress.

She thrusts her flute forwards and shouts, "Kyle, attack on my signal!"

"What's the signal?" you call back.

This time, she takes an even deeper inhale. Then, with all of her might, she blows hard into the flute, creating the most horrible noise. It screeches, and in response, the hounds join in. From their mouths are not growls or howls. Instead, high pitched screeches emit with such strength that you feel like holding your ears is not enough. It's almost like the sound itself is going to knock you back. However, while you might not love it, the cave ogre clearly hates it far more than you ever could. With its heightened hearing and its poor eyesight, it stumbles backwards in both frustration and agony.

At first, you sheathe Lauo back into its scabbard. Then you turn and grab a mace from the nearby rack. Wham! You crush the beast's ankle as you release the weapon from your grasp. Next, you hurl a small axe into its upper back. Next is a spear, which you impale straight through the back of its leg. You take a warhammer and break the foot on its other side. Then, you take the final weapon from the rack, and leap with a longsword in-hand. It impales straight through its right butt cheek, causing it to fall straight to its knees. Then you climb onto its back with ease as you draw Lauo once more.

One stab though the beast's stone neck, and then another slice as you land on the ground beside its head, which promptly rolls off hardly a moment after.

You step back. "Helpful toolkit you got there."

"Thanks! I told you that I'm the best dragon there is, didn't I?" She looks to her canine companions with a big smile, and then leans forwards to pet them aggressively. "Who's the good boys? You are! Ahh--!" She's cut short as they push her to the ground. They begin happily licking her from head to toe as she rolls back and forth, giggling. "Ahaha, s-stop! I said you're good! You're good!"

You chuckle as you turn back to the head of the ogre. For a second, you swear it moves, so you stare at it longer. Nothing.

"I guess we--" Just as you begin to speak, you twist your eyes back to the head the moment it rolls over to face you with its tiny, beady white eyes.