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

“Sandra said that there are more beasts coming – let’s run.”  Echo took off to the northwest using her Air elemental energy to speed herself up, while the Elder kept pace with her, using her Earth and Natural energy.  Instead of reducing air friction and pushing her forward like the younger Elf, however, the Earth and Natural energy caused the ground to move along with Elder Herrlot, practically propelling her forward in leaps and bounds.  Once she passed, the floor of the forest returned to normal, leaving no indication that she had even been there; Sandra was actually quite impressed on how economical her energy expenditure was for the continuous fast-traveling spell she was casting.

The half-dozen beasts coming after them – that Sandra had noticed with her Shears – never got the chance to catch up with them and were turned away far before the two Elves got to the edge of the trees.  None of them were as dangerous as the Crocatile, and they both could’ve easily killed the beasts; however, Sandra wanted Echo and Kelerim back in her dungeon for the rest of the day, so that she could go over some things with them.

Echo strode into the village with a purpose, smiling at Kelerim as soon as she saw him, while somehow staring down the village women at the same time.  That was a good thing because they were starting to lose their reluctance to get close to him again after the Blacksmith’s conversation with the empty air.

“Come, Kelerim; we’re going back to the dungeon.”

Sandra translated that for Echo, which caused Kelerim to look extremely relieved.  The village women were disappointed – at least according to their facial expressions and body language as they watched the Half-Dwarf/Half-Orc walk away with the young Elf – but the two ignored them completely.

The Elder followed them to where the Pegasus had been waiting for them likely all day to come back; as they were mounting up to leave, the older Elf looked towards one of the Shears above her head and asked, “Can we get some of those bows and unique bolts for our Rangers?  If there are more of those Agorphiers around, I fear that we aren’t quite equipped to handle them as…adeptly…as young Echo did today.”

* Tell her that I can have some ready in the morning, though they will have to finish up the process of adjusting them.  Crafting them using the materials I can create is the easy part; it’s the fine-tuning that I don’t have the necessary experience to do that’s the hardest part. *

Sandra could easily create the materials, put together the bows with their Elemental Orbs, and even enchant everything, but the precise trimming and shaving needed to adjust them completely was something that her Unstable Shapeshifters could do if pressed, but she’d rather leave those to the experts.  Echo conveyed the message, quickly explaining what was necessary to finish them off after Sandra was done with them.  From what the Dungeon Core knew – and from what the young Elf had told her – it was almost better for those who would be using the bows to adjust the weapons themselves, because what was good for Echo…wasn’t necessarily good for a different Ranger.

“Thank you…Sandra.  We will stop by at dawn tomorrow morning to get these special bonds and to pick up those bows.  Once again, we are in your debt.”

While the Dungeon Core was a bit amazed and shocked that the Elder – of all people – was willing to get a Visitor’s Bond, Sandra was also glad that the older Elf was doing it; not only her, but some of the Rangers as well.  The new Bonds would allow her to communicate with the ones in charge of culling the forests, and it would be easier to warn them if there was a significant incoming threat or change they needed to know about.  Plus, perhaps selfishly, Sandra was excited to acquire some additional Advancement Points from the new Bonds.

With everything arranged, Echo and Kelerim climbed on the back of the Pegasus – Starlight 3 if Sandra remembered correctly – and headed back to the dungeon.

Chapter 12

“What did you need me for, Sandra?  I hope you haven’t changed your mind and are thinking of sending me to see if I can convince some Warlords to cooperate with everyone.  I really don’t think that would be a great idea.”

It didn’t take overly long for the two to get back to Sandra’s dungeon and settled, and the Dungeon Core had immediately informed them both of what had happened with Violet and Felbar – as well as Gerold and the other Shieldmen – while they were gone.  Speaking of them, Sandra checked up on them and they seemed to be doing well, despite their lesser numbers; the addition of the constructs to help them move quickly and efficiently, and a scouting force of nearly 50 Shears running through each forest, was enough to overwhelm just about anything.

There hadn’t been any major increases in strength as far as the Goblins went; for instance, there wasn’t an equivalent of a Crocatile roaming through the expanse.  There were a few larger Hobgoblins – which Winxa mentioned were called Hobgoblin Brutes – that were easily three times the size of the smallest Goblins running around, but they were no match against the combined might of Mechanical Dire Wolves, Jaguar Queens, Titanium Anaconda, and the three Shieldmen.  Sandra’s Mechanical constructs were large, fast, and deadly; they could snatch up one of the smaller Goblins in their jaws and practically snap them in half.  The Anaconda was even faster, wading into the midst of a temporary Goblin camp and striking out with barely a moment in between bites; not only that, but on a few occasions Sandra saw the metal snake snap its tail around like