The Crafter's Dominion: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 5)

by Jonathan Brooks

  She emerged slowly from her mind-space, as if she was waking up, only to see Winxa fluttering spastically around her Core, muttering, “Come on, Sandra, come back to me. You can do it, Sandra—”

  Hey.

  “Sandra! What happened? One second we were talking, and the next second everything just seemed to stop. It was almost like you were holding your breath, as crazy as that sounds.” Winxa sat on top of Sandra’s Core, talking almost incessantly.

  It took the Dungeon Core a few minutes to get her thoughts together, as she checked on everything around her and what she had knowledge of aboveground, restarting the process that seemed to have stopped during her internal experience.

  Well…I think I’ve finally taken care of the little passenger in my mind. Not only that, my dear Fairy friend, but I believe I know what use the Prismatic Core has. As strange as it seems, it might just be our only help for salvation.

  “Really? How? What? Why? I have so many questions—”

  And I’ll do my best to answer them. Besides, it will help pass the time until everyone wakes up.

  “Everyone? You mean…?”

  Absolutely. They’re in for a big surprise; whether or not they’ll like what I have to tell them is hard to say, but it just might end up being the solution they’ve all been looking for but never knew existed. Granted, I didn’t know it existed until now, so I can’t fault them for not knowing. Either way, I’m going to need their help.

  “So, are you going to share what this is all about?”

  Absolutely. So, you know how we were talking about soul fragments….

  Chapter 41

  Violet woke up groggily, her mouth feeling like she had just been snacking on sand, it was so dry. The only thing she could think of as she was opening her eyes was going down to the Royal Palace’s kitchens and getting something to drink to slake her thirst. Perhaps even get something to eat while she was at it, because her stomach rumbled as soon as she sat up.

  When her eyes cleared and she looked around, her mind had trouble reconciling what she was looking at compared to what she was expecting. Stark grey stone met her vision, which was quite a bit different from the beautifully decorated walls of the room she was staying in at the Palace. Her hands on the relatively rough cotton sheets under her body felt much different than what she was used to, but familiar all the same—

  The events of the last day flashed through her mind in a rush, chasing away the last vestiges of sleep immediately. The journey to the northwest to find the ambush site, the discovery of another ambush waiting for them, their deployed defenses, the slaughter of thousands of Dungeon Monsters, and the surprise appearance by 4 Giants. Then a flight back to Sandra’s dungeon, accompanied by—

  —Princess Celeste. Violet whipped her head around, seeing the unconscious form of the last surviving member of the Royal family on a bed nearby. The Journeyman Enchanter scrambled off of her own bed and staggered to the Princess’ bedside, her body not quite acknowledging being awake quite yet. When she managed to make it over to Celeste without falling on her face, she sighed in relief to see that she appeared healthy and whole, breathing regularly in a deep, coma-like sleep. Violet was confident that she would eventually wake up, just like Felbar had, so she wasn’t too worried at that point; the important thing was that she was safe.

  Wasn’t she?

  Their arrival had been a bit strange and awkward, as was the silence from the Core afterwards. Wetting her mouth with whatever saliva she could scrounge up, she asked (a bit hoarsely), “Sandra? Are you there?”

  * Good morning, Violet! I’m so glad you were able to get some rest; the both of you seemed a bit of a mess last night. The others also seem to be waking up right around now, and I have some delicious sustenance prepared for you all in the kitchen when you’re ready. *

  Violet audibly sighed in relief as she heard Sandra’s voice, sounding as normal as she remembered. When she arrived…yesterday?...she had been a bit afraid of what had happened with the Dungeon Core while she was gone; it was very good to hear that Sandra seemed relatively unchanged. Perhaps I was just exhausted and imagining things? That was entirely possible, of course, because she had practically collapsed on the bed when she made sure the Princess was settled as comfortably as possible.

  Speaking of Celeste…. “Is she going to be okay?” she asked worriedly, before something else that Sandra said penetrated her brain. “What was that about…the others?” She had looked around the evening before, and she hadn’t seen any evidence of anyone staying in any of the rooms; she supposed that if Gerold was back, he’d probably be down below, and Kelerim the Half-Dwarf/Half-Orc was either sleeping or working at his forge, so she could be wrong.

  * Echo and Gerold came back just after you did yesterday, and have been sleeping off their own experiences. Why don’t I catch you up with what has been going on around here and you can tell me a little about why you brought a Princess back with you. *

  Violet couldn’t help but feel strange about bringing Celeste to the dungeon, but it was, after all, the only viable way the Princess was going to survive. So, after making sure the Royal family member still appeared locked in her coma, she started to tell Sandra what had happened to her back in Gnomeria, as well as hearing about what happened to the Dungeon Core, the attack by the army of Orcs, and her (thankfully) temporary loss of control.

  *I can’t wait to see those Weapons of War you helped to create! I’m sure that I’ll be able to deliver more Energy Orbs to your people so that they can enchant even more. *

  By the time the storytelling was done, she had arrived at the kitchen, where she stopped in delight when she saw the spread waiting for her. Fruits, cooked and sliced meats, and halved loaves of bread were artfully arranged on two platters, just ready for her consumption. There were also some thin, smooth wooden plates stacked up nearby them, as well as—is that glass?—cups next to the water faucet. She grabbed some of everything she saw and placed it on one of the plates; when that was full, she set it on a nearby table with a stone bench in front of it, before grabbing a remarkably clear glass cup and filled it with icy-cold water. Taking a long gulp before she even sat down, she went back to her food and started to dig in with a passion.

  Which was where Echo found her moments later, scarfing her face full of delicious, still-warm bread.

  “I had heard that you were back, Violet! It’s so good to see that you made it back safely,” said the Elf (through a translation in her head courtesy of Sandra), before bending down and quickly hugging the smaller Gnome.

  Violet paused, shocked, in the middle of chewing the massive amount of bread she had shoved in her mouth. The Elf had always been a bit distant before, which was understandable given the tensions between the races, so it was definitely a surprise that the Elven Ranger had been so friendly. Thinking about it, however, Violet realized she had missed the Elf, just like she had missed most everything around the dungeon.

  She tried to say, “It’s good to see you, too,” but all that came out of her mouth around the food inside was, “Mmph whoo oo ee oo oo.” Echo laughed at her, but Violet instantly knew it wasn’t meant to be mean, but more about the humor of Violet trying to talk through a stuffed mouth. The Gnome laughed herself, but had to stop when she nearly choked on the bread.

  Echo got her own food and settled in a seat near Violet, and they sat in companionable silence as they both ate like they hadn’t eaten in days. Which was actually relatively accurate for Violet, because she couldn’t remember her last actual meal.

  “…oh, yes – I can’t wait to see it! Maybe now Parten won’t look at me like he does—well, hello!” Gerold came through the nearby hallway, appearing as if he had just woken up as well. A lot more chipper than Violet felt, though.

  “It’s so good to be around people again! You would not believe the accommodations I had to put up with back home! The silence and the solitude were wearing on me.” The Dwarf walked over to the platters and picked up a few large pieces of
meat and a hunk of bread for his plate, completely ignoring the fruit altogether. “And the food is so much better here, too!”

  His words sounded strange – almost as if he had been locked up or something. A familiar feeling—

  “You were locked up, too?” Echo suddenly asked. Wait…Echo was locked up, as well? That is a strange coincidence.

  “Yes, I was. Even though it wasn’t my fault that I lost my armor, they didn’t see it that way.” Gerold didn’t seem too beat up about it, though, as he cheerfully tore into the food on his plate. Looking around, he spotted the glasses near the water faucet, before his eyes lit on something else. His mouth opened in shock as he stared. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Violet turned around to see what he was looking at, and for the first time she noticed what appeared to be a small barrel of something.

  * Yes, I took a barrel of Ale from Teving’s stock down below and brought it up here in case anyone wanted some. I left the Whiskey down there, though, because it doesn’t seem appropriate to have that for breakfast. *

  Gerold’s eyes teared up like he had just seen a long-lost family member, and he jumped up almost immediately. A short time later, he was back at the table with a massive stoneware mug filled with what appeared to be (and smelled like) Ale. He took a huge gulp, smacking his lips when he was finished, and Violet saw some of the foam was stuck in his beard. She couldn’t help but smile at how much he seemed to be enjoying himself.

  “Ah, yes! Delicious! A little more bitter than I usually go for, but I’m definitely not going to argue. It feels like it’s been years since I’ve had a good Ale.”

  Violet could see that Echo was amused as well, but in an instant that all changed when Violet heard voices coming from another direction entirely. The Gnome could tell at least partially who it was, not from the voice itself, but from how Echo started to blush profusely and turned towards the hallway where the sounds were coming from.

  “—to get comfortable with the hammer in your hand as if it belongs there. For me, it’s when I don’t have a tool in my hand that it feels strange.”

  “I feel like I could learn a lot from you, Master Jespin. Not that Sandra isn’t a great teacher – no offense, Sandra – but it would be nice to have someone…flesh-and-blood, I guess.”

  * None taken, Kelerim. I too could stand to learn some things from Master Jespin – he’s just that good. *

  “Oh, you flatter me unnecessarily, Miss Dungeon. When you’ve had as much experience as I’ve had over the last few centuries, you’d pick up some masterful techniques, too.” There was a pause, just as two people came into view. “Is that fresh bread I smell? I don’t remember any last night.”

  A very old Dwarf was walking side-by-side next to Kelerim, whom she assumed was the one named Master Jespin. It might be a little stereotypical of her to think so, but she could only guess that he was a Master Blacksmith, as opposed to anything else. He paused momentarily when he saw Violet and Echo sitting at a table, but he recovered quickly enough when he saw the food waiting for him. Not only that, but he eyed Gerold’s stoneware mug – and his eyes almost immediately homed in on the barrel of Ale.

  “You’ve presented a bounty, Sandra! It will be good to have some Ale again; we’ve been on a bit of a ration for the last few months, as shipments are sparse through the strongholds right now.” The old Dwarf immediately loaded up his plate, grabbed some Ale and came and sat down next to Gerold. Then he did something surprising.

  Nodding his head in her direction, he said in highly accented and stilted Gnomish, “Pleased to meet you. I am called Jespin. I apologize for my lack of polish with your language. It has been many years.” She was so shocked that she couldn’t even respond at first, but she finally returned the greeting in almost equally stilted language. He nodded with a smile, repeating her name, and then did the same with Echo.

  Not in Gnomish, but she assumed Elvish. Having heard him speak Gnomish, the Ranger wasn’t as surprised, but Violet could tell Echo was pleased. Or just glad of the distraction.

  “Hello, Echo. I’m very glad you made it back safely—urgh!” Kelerim started to say, before the Elf jumped up and wrapped him in a tight hug, practically engulfing him because of her taller height and longer arms. Violet thought she heard some ribs creak in the process, as the Ranger was squeezing so tightly, but she wasn’t entirely sure. The hug probably lasted a little longer than she intended, because she blushed profusely again and practically pushed him away. Echo then said something to him in Elvish, which for some reason Sandra didn’t translate.

  Or she didn’t translate it for Violet or the others, because Kelerim suddenly blushed just as brightly and looked around as if seeking some sort of help. Violet and Gerold didn’t know exactly what was going on, but Master Blacksmith Jespin had a huge grin on his face. Then the old Dwarf said something in what sounded like the guttural Orcish language, followed by loud guffaws that caused the poor Half-Dwarf/Half-Orc to blush even further, if that was at all possible.

  * Alright, enough fun for now. Echo, Kelerim, I suggest you continue this discussion later. Probably in private, I would think.

  * Anyway, I’d like to give you all an update on the current situation, as well as a simple recounting of what is happening in all 4 lands. I’m not going to go into too much detail on the specifics of each person’s…adventures…but a better understanding of what we’re dealing with is necessary. *

  There followed, as everyone finished up their breakfast and lounged around a little, a simple recounting of what was happening in Gnomeria, Symenora, Orcrim, and the Dwarven Kingdom. Then Sandra explained, in a little more detail than Violet had received that morning, exactly what had occurred with the invasion by the Orcish army, including the revelation that it had been led by Kelerim’s father. The Dungeon Core then went into how the Orcish mercenaries were helping the Elven Rangers in the nearby town of Avensglen; it was almost too incredible to believe that Sandra had set something like that up, but Kelerim and Echo nodded as if it seemed perfectly reasonable.

  * …and right now, we’re at a standstill with the nearby dungeons. They aren’t attacking right now, which has let us get a bit of a breather in, but I expect them to try something soon. They’ve now had time to accumulate large numbers of Dungeon Monsters, so anything really is possible at this point. *

  There was silence as they all considered everything they were told. “So, what’s the plan?” asked Jespin after the silence had stretched entirely too long. “It sounds like you have a nice setup here and are able to defend against these other dungeons quite adeptly.”

  * Without being modest, as I want to be as truthful as possible, I certainly do. With what I have constructed to try to keep me one step ahead of their growth, I believe I can continue to contain the numbers of these 4 Cores indefinitely, even if I had no help from any of the races. I think it will stay that way even when the 4 new Cores emerge from the dungeons they are even now constructing. *

  That was certainly different than it was before. Violet wasn’t certain what had changed, but Sandra seemed a lot more confident than she was before.

  * But that is just this small, tiny corner of this big, wide world. The effect of the enhancements because of the destruction of the local Cores ranges much farther than even I can reach right now. As Gerold, Echo, and Violet are aware, this was why they were sent back home, so that they could both warn those in charge of their lands of what is coming, as well as securing some sort of help to contain the upcoming expansion of dozens of Dungeon Cores within 130 miles or so of the wasteland here. *

  Violet was well aware of that, as Sandra had said. Except that she hadn’t come back with any real good news, though the development of the Weapons of War would eventually help with the culling process. If they lived long enough to make a difference, naturally.

  The Journeyman Enchanter looked around the room, and she could see that Echo and Gerold hadn’t had as much luck as she had. In fact, according to the update on the
situation in the Dwarven lands, it sounded like they were the worst off of everyone, with a few dungeons already attacking their mountain strongholds.

  “You’re saying that there’s nothing we can do? That we should just give up?” No one disputed what the Master Blacksmith was asking, but Violet – for one – couldn’t think of a way to stop the eventual destruction of all their lands. There were obviously some local plans in place, maybe stretching out for a few dozen miles if what Sandra said about her influence was accurate, but the rest of their people were caught without the benefits of the benevolent Dungeon Core’s proximity.

  Fortunately for their morale, Sandra wasn’t one to give up.

  * Not in the slightest. This was a sticking point in my mind when I was trying to figure out how to save as many people as possible, in fact. Destroying more Cores was out of the question, because it would just make every other dungeon that much more dangerous. Trying to contain a continually worsening situation, even with some added supplies, weapons, and Energy Orbs, seemed doomed to failure after hearing what was already happening in all your lands. There had to be another way, I thought…and I believe I have discovered it. *

  Violet was speechless, as was everyone else in the room, including the venerable Dwarf. What did she discover? The Enchanter was about to ask that out loud, when Sandra beat her to it.

  * I was going to let the suspense grow dramatically, but it looks like I’m going to have to delay this whole revelation for a moment. It seems as though some divine happenstance of the Creator has decided to intervene, instead. *