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

as well as being 5 feet tall at the shoulder.  The Wyvine had enormous claws on its feet…or paws or whatever they were referred to…that reminded her a little of the Bearling claws.  The strangest part of the newly created Monster, though, was that it was completely black – as in, so black that it was difficult for Sandra to make out its finer details.

I don’t think that this would work so well in a forest; it would stand out amongst the background of natural colors out there…perhaps at night?

“Sandra, this is a Wyvine.  Have you checked out its special abilities?” Winxa asked knowingly, after confirming that Sandra hadn’t created a dragon.  Rather than ask what she was supposed to see, the Dungeon Core checked it out.

Wyvine

 

Current Elemental Energy:

Fire – 4000 energy

Nether – 4000 energy

 

Special Ability:

Muffled Step: 5 Fire energy per minute

Shadowwalker: 10 Nether energy per minute

Ah…I see.  They were right – this will be perfect for them.

Chapter 22

Sandra sent the Wyvine out of her Roc tunnel because she had yet to seal it up; it was much easier for such large Dungeon Monsters to get out of her dungeon than through her entrance, mainly because she didn’t have to follow along and watch them navigate the VATS and squeeze through narrow tunnels.  It was still possible, of course, but the Roc tunnel was such a convenient way to get outside; with that thinking, she was considering keeping it largely open and figuring out how to defend it from anything trying to invade.  It would take a bit of work, and she would have to expand some of the sections to make rooms that she could then place traps inside, but it was certainly an option.

Along the way, she had the Wyvine test out its Special Abilities – Muffled Step and Shadowwalker – and was impressed at what it could do.  The Muffled Step Ability was fairly self-explanatory; as it moved, the ability allowed it to move completely silently; not even with her enhanced senses inside of the dungeon could she hear it moving at all, even when she deliberately tried to make a noise.  That would be perfect for the Elves hunting Dungeon Monsters inside of the forests, as moving silently through everything was a great advantage; she was relatively sure it would work even amongst dense foliage, as she could see red Fire energy in a sort of aura around the Monster.  Whether it was literally burning the sound away or not, she didn’t know, but the result was that no sounds escaped the aura.

Shadowwalker was a different Ability altogether.  When activated, the Wyvine projected its form into the smallest of shadows wherever it passed by, rendering it invisible; the Monster didn’t actually move itself into the shadows, but used them as a sort of camouflage.  It was a similar invisibility to what Echo used, though hers bent light; this enveloped shadows nearby and used them to its advantage.  Of course, in the full sun of midday in the wasteland, there was so much light and little in the way of shadows being cast that the Wyvine would be entirely exposed, but in the forests there were always some shadows around that it could use.

One last thing about the Wyvine, which she hadn’t been expecting based on its appearance – but should have – was that it was fast.  In fact, if she was to compare its speed to one of her constructs, she would say that it was as quick as her Titanium Anacondas; not nearly as fast as the Aerie Roc or her Shears, which could cut through the air with ridiculous speed, but fast enough, nevertheless.

Because of that, her new Dungeon Monster raced through the Roc tunnel and made it to the forest where the Beast-Classification Dungeon Monsters were roaming around, and was where Chryla was currently hunting more Beasts.  And all before her supply transport made it to the Orc village; the Animated Slab was certainly useful, but it was also quite slow.

* Special delivery for you, Chryla; I have that Wyvine we were talking about a few minutes ago. *

“Already?  That was fast,” the Ranger whispered, still trying to stay as silent as possible while she tracked down some more roaming Beasts.  “Do I need to go pick it up, or—?”

* Not at all.  Look behind you. *

Chryla whirled around abruptly and screamed loudly as she fell backwards, after coming face-to-face with the Wyvine, which was staring at her blankly with its head cocked to the side.  Sandra knew she shouldn’t feel amused at the reaction, but she had to admit that she was extremely amazed that not even the trained Elven Ranger had noticed its approach; of course, the Dungeon Core had cheated a little by activating its Muffled Step ability, but had left it visible to everything.  Just as she had thought, the Wyvine stuck out amongst the forest like an ink blot on a blank piece of parchment, but it was evidently silent enough to navigate through the trees without any issues.

“That was a bit mean,” Chryla reprimanded Sandra as she picked herself up from where she had fallen, though she soon lost her fear and annoyance at the Dungeon Core’s actions.  She looked fascinated as she approached the large lizard-feline form of the Wyvine, staring at its scaly skin and the way it would wave its tail around leisurely like a cat would.

“I’ve only heard about these before; I’ve never seen anything like it.  I don’t know anybody here that has seen one in person, but I think we all know about the Wyvine; it’s a dangerous dungeon monster that is reportedly seen near a dungeon far to the south of Symenora, though the Rangers and Elites there fighting it off all have Holy elemental energy.  If you diffuse a Holy-based light spell