The Crafter's Defense: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 2) Jonathan Brooks (large ebook reader TXT) 📖

room filled with cascading waterfalls, large pools of water, and nearly a dozen crocodiles emerging from those pools – and couldn’t see what felt off.  She sent her constructs in to attack while a few dozen Shears flew in different directions, looking for any type of trap that could potentially spell disaster.  They found a trap near the center of the room that made the waterfalls increase their flow, which also made the pools overflow into the rest of the room.  Soon enough, the room started to completely fill with water, until all of her constructs were entirely underwater.

Luckily for them, they had already taken care of the crocodiles – losing another Ape in the process when it was ambushed – and they didn’t need to breathe.  It was easy enough for them to travel underwater to the exit, though getting through it was a bit more difficult; it was far above where the grounded constructs could reach, though her Blademasters and Shears were easily able to make it through.  She also learned that her Basher Totems – in addition to hovering over the ground when they moved – could also hover sideways up walls…and she assumed even ceilings, though she didn’t try that.

For her Mechanical animals and her Apes, however, they were forced to dig and tear into the reinforced dirt wall to make handholds that they could climb up, which consumed valuable time that they didn’t have.  While they were doing that, Sandra checked on the progress of the reptile army towards the Elves and found that the force was nearly where she thought they would be – and still about 4 hours out from the edge of the forest.  She turned her attention to the other villages around the wasteland, finding that the Dwarves were just shutting down for the day as the light started to wane, and the Orcs were finishing for the day as well.

When she checked the Elves, however, she discovered what had been nagging at her.  Just entering the village was a group of five Elves decked out in impressive-looking armor and moving very quickly.  Sandra brought her Shears down closer to try to hear what was being said, as there was obviously a commotion in the village going on.

“…surely you don’t want to go tonight?  It’s late and it’ll likely be fully dark by the time you get there,” the woman that seemed to be in charge of the village was saying to the newcomers.

A male Elf sporting what appeared to be – at least to her crafting senses – masterwork Platinum semi-plate armor, with basic-looking faded enchanting runes all over the outside spoke up.  “We deliberately didn’t stop for the night on the road because of the urgency of the situation.  For every hour we delay, that dungeon in the wastelands is getting stronger; we’re going in tonight, despite the late hour.  Besides, the dark of the night doesn’t really matter once you’re inside the dungeon, so there’s no point in putting it off.  We need to ensure this area is safe before we get back to the capital – there’s a lull in the pushes from the nearby dungeon’s Monsters right now, but it probably won’t last long.”

The others with him, two women and two men with hard-looking faces and a no-nonsense attitude to them nodded their head in agreement but didn’t deign to say anything.  An Elf that Sandra instantly recognized as the one that had found Echo’s bow and almost killed Junipar interrupted the conversation between those in charge.

“I can show you exactly where the dungeon is; that blasted evil scourge took Echo almost a week and a half ago, and I aim to get my revenge,” he said with obvious pleasure.

“We’ll take the help finding it, but you’re staying out of there.  We know what we’re doing – you do not.  We can’t afford to protect you, and in all likelihood you’ll set off a trap that will get us all killed,” the leader of the Elites said.

“But—”

“There is no discussion here.  You can agree to show us where the dungeon entrance is and then leave, or you can stay here, and we’ll find it ourselves.  It’ll take a little bit longer, but I assure you we’ll find it eventually – this isn’t our first dungeon, as I’m sure you’re aware,” the dangerous leader said with so much authority in his voice that Sandra was practically convinced by his words alone.  Fortunately, she didn’t have to listen to him and wasn’t about to let herself be walked over – like the village Elf obviously was currently allowing.

“Fine, I’ll show you where the dungeon is located and then head back here,” he said sullenly.

They left the village at a slow jog, heading unerringly for Sandra’s dungeon in the distance.  By the rate they were moving – not quite a walk, but not a run either – it would take them about an hour to arrive.  That didn’t give her a lot of time.

And lest she forget, she still had a Core to destroy herself.

Chapter 43

I think this qualifies as an emergency, Sandra couldn’t help but think.  Therefore, she started to liquidate her treasury, which somehow almost hurt her to do.  Something about her former life as a merchant must’ve bled through to her current existence because it felt like she was pulling all her life savings out from the bank.  Regardless, she wasn’t going to enjoy the experience of accumulating more if she didn’t survive the next hour or so; the wealth of Monster Seeds she’d created when she had plenty of Mana was imperative to that survival.

She couldn’t replace everything she’d originally had in her dungeon rooms because of the cost difference; the Ironclad Apes and Steel Pythons – in their new advanced forms – were much too expensive.  Instead, she made do with Martial Totems for where her Ironclad