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

enchantment with its rune sequence, Sandra was able to copy it using the copies of each Elf with their specific elements.  She previously reasoned that the “unstable” part of the Shapeshifter – where it was impossible to shift for a period of time – only kicked in after a set amount of total time in Shifted forms passed; she worked it out when she had originally copied Violet and then Echo earlier in the day.  Even given that, she had to work very quickly to finish with all of the Elemental Orbs before it kicked in.

Fortunately, the energy cost of the enchantment was very small – probably both in relation to its actual size and the fact that it didn’t do anything really…flashy.  Most of the runes were basic utility enchantments, and those rarely cost a lot of energy to produce – at least from the information she had learned while she was still Human.  That low energy cost was a good thing, because the first two Sandra tried to make failed miserably – but at least there wasn’t an explosion.  The rune sequences weren’t even fully-developed, so it didn’t even pull any energy from the Shapeshifter before they just fizzled away.

When she finally completed one, however, she was elated.  Of course, it was fairly crude compared to the one Violet had made, but it would work; how well, she wasn’t sure, but it was better than nothing.  Subsequent enchantments were marginally better, however, so she knew she could improve – it would just take time.

While she was doing that, she was also using some of her smaller constructs to deliver normal Elemental Orbs to the Elves to start the bonding process.  As hesitant as they were, they all still agreed to it, and the process used only twice the amount of resources as it did with the Gnomes.  Obviously, it’s based on size or some other metric I don’t understand.

Before she bonded with Porthel, however, she made sure the Elven Elite leader had possession of the Earth and Air Energy Orbs to help restore his energy levels a little – enough to wake him up.  The others had to be there to calm him down, though even when they did he was against the whole bonding process – until he really looked at the Energy Orbs he was holding.  Eventually, with the others already bonded to Sandra – and the “gift” of the Orbs already in his possession – he agreed to it reluctantly.

“But what about the Elf that was captured and killed by you?  Are we supposed to forget that?” he asked, still unsure about everything that had been decided without his knowledge.

* Echo is fine.  She was bitten by a deadly venomous snake that came from the other dungeon and I had to pull her inside to bond and then heal her.  I’m not sure how long she’s going to be out still but bonding with someone while they’re unconscious tends to send them into some sort of coma.  My Repair Drone is keeping her alive right now, so that’s why she hasn’t been released yet. *

“What are your plans with her?” Alanthia asked.

* I didn’t really have any plans with her, other than to save her.  But now that we’ve brokered an agreement here, I’d like to keep her near as a sort of Elven…liaison.  It will make it easier to communicate with the village if there is a need in the future. *

“I…understand.  Speaking of the village, we need to get back if this lizard army is as close as you say,” Alanthia remarked hurriedly.

Instead of having them travel back up through the dangerous parts of the dungeon – there weren’t any constructs, but the traps were technically still active – Sandra had them travel through her Home room so that they could reach her VATS to the surface.  She still didn’t completely trust them, so she made sure to keep them “under guard” from her constructs as they passed through; they were anxious to get back to the village, however, and still consumed with wonder at the Energy Orbs they were carrying in their now-bronze-gear-tattooed hands from the Visitor Bond.

Before they went too far, though, she instructed Porthel to grab a new sword from the “Armory” nearby, as his sword had been destroyed.  Of course, she only had high-quality Steel swords for him instead of his Titanium one, but he was happy with it, nonetheless.

“You…crafted all of these?” he asked in shock as he took in all of the weapons and random pieces of armor that she had been storing there.

* Yes, it’s something I enjoy doing.  I’m a crafter’s dungeon at heart, after all. *

Porthel was silent as he selected one of the thinner, yet strong and durable, Steel longswords Sandra had lovingly crafted; she had to admit that it was one of her better ones, which just went to show that the Elf had a very discerning eye.  “I will freely admit that I don’t fully trust you, being what you are, but…you’re also unlike any other dungeon I’ve ever seen or heard about.  The verdict is still out on whether what you’re doing has alternative motives, and only time will tell.  Regardless, I thank you for these gifts and for sparing our lives when you could’ve ended us quite easily,” he said sincerely, before his voice turned harsh.  “Of course, if you are deceiving us about anything – including this lizard army that is purportedly heading for the village – then you can be assured we’ll be back.”

* Fair enough.  Let’s just consider this more of a business deal rather than…an alliance.  If you hold to your end of the bargain, I’ll hold to mine. *

He nodded in acceptance without saying anything more, before he joined the others in traveling up to the top of the dungeon using Sandra’s VATS rooms.  They were barely fazed