The Crafter's Darkness: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 4) by Jonathan Brooks (e book reading free txt) 📕

as it ran into the tangle of roots shooting out of the ground, and was slammed to a stop as it was wrapped up by a dozen mud-tentacles.  The Dungeon Monster squirmed and tried to break free, but the mud on the roots started to harden into thick spikes, gouging into the hide of the Crocatile and drawing blood as it thrashed around, doing more damage to itself.

“Now, Echo,” the Elder said calmly, still holding her hands out and shaking a little.  More and more energy was draining out of the older Elf as she struggled to keep the Monster in place; it seemed like a waste of energy to Sandra, as she was positive that the Elder could probably find something to actually kill the Crocatile.  Then again, I’m still a bit of a novice when it comes to manipulating energy externally, so I could be wrong.

Startled out of the staring she was doing at the display of spellcasting, Echo let loose a fourth explosive bolt at the bound Dungeon Monster, smacking it in the middle of its upper chest this time since it couldn’t try to dodge away.  The Crocatile roared in pain and frustration, thrashing even more in the root bonds keeping it in place; first one, then two, then four of the roots were ripped out of the ground and torn off from the trees themselves, where they fell to the ground dead and limp.

Fortunately, Echo had already launched her next-to-last explosive bolt, aiming for the roaring mouth of the Crocatile.  The dangerous Monster saw the threat too late and tried to shut its jaw, but the tip of the bolt just ricocheted off one of its teeth on the way in and flew inside unhindered.  The explosion from the inside was relatively anticlimactic as the Beast’s tough hide and strong bones kept it mainly contained, but they also didn’t stop a gush of blood and viscera from emerging from what remained of its eyes and nose, as well as some dribbles from its mouth.

A second later the Crocatile collapsed on the ground, its brain destroyed, and then dissolved away.  All of the blood and internal nastiness that had leaked out disappeared along with the body of the large Dungeon Monster, and soon after that the roots that the Elder had been controlling sunk back down beneath the ground.  The only evidence of their presence at all were some piles of dirt left in their wake – and the exhausted-looking sight of the Elder.

“Wow…I’m really out of practice.  These Energy Orbs are a miracle, though.”  Sandra looked closer at the Elder and saw that she had three different Orbs set in a very stylistic wooden necklace against her chest.

* Nice job, Echo.  That was also some impressive spellcasting by the Elder there. *

Sandra’s words did indeed startle Echo, which made the Dungeon Core glad that she hadn’t interrupted them earlier.  The young Elf looked up, spotting her Shears within a second, before nodding.  “Thanks, Sandra.”  Echo turned to the Elder and said, “Thank you as well, Elder Herrlot.  These bolts didn’t work quite as well as I had hoped.”

“Nonsense, child.  You just helped to take down a Beast that very few your age – if any – have ever seen before, let alone killed.  Even I would be hard-pressed to kill an Agorphier by myself, so I’m impressed that your bow and those bolts could do that,” the Elder said, while looking up at Sandra’s Shears watching from above.  “I’ve decided that I’m going with young Echo here to the capital, though she said I might need to get one of these…bonds in order to do that.  She said there were some—” the older Elf turned to Echo and asked— “what did you call them?”

“Uh…special bonds?”

“Yes, special bonds that would be highly beneficial to have.  I’d also like to have some of the Rangers here get this ‘special bond’, because – based on this Agorphier alone – it appears as though we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

Sandra knew exactly what they were talking about with the ‘special bonds’, of course; they were the new type of Visitor’s bond that infused Elemental Energy Orbs into the palms of whomever was making the bond, allowing them to continuously regenerate their elemental energy and would never run out – as long as they were within Sandra’s Area of Influence.  It was still unknown what would happen if they were depleted outside of her AOI; she expected that the Orbs would eventually deplete after a while and disappear, though the Bond would remain.  I have to see if I can add those Orbs to my older Bonds like Echo, Kelerim, and the Gnomes; that way I could replace any that are used up outside. 

* Are you sure about that?  I’ve heard it is…painful. *

Echo relayed Sandra’s words to the Elder.  “Yes, yes; I can handle a little pain.  Now, when do we leave?”

* I was planning on Echo leaving in the morning.  Why don’t you stop by in the morning and we’ll form a new Bonding with anyone that wants one then?  For now, I need Echo and Kelerim back to finish up a few things before she—and you—leave in the morning. *

For just Echo, the Dungeon Core added,

* You may want to get Kelerim out of that village soon; the other women there are very interested in him.  Though, not as much now; after seeing him speak to empty air to communicate with me, I’m sure they think he’s a bit strange.  I doubt that will last long, though. *

The young Elf looked shocked and then a bit angry.  “Let’s get going then—”

* You might want to hurry; those explosions have drawn a bit of attention to your location.  Once you get past the Dungeon Core’s Area of Influence, which ends just before the break in