The Crafter's Dominion: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 5) by Jonathan Brooks (e ink epub reader .txt) 📕

“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.