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

slowly said after a moment.  “I feel a connection to it, though; it’s almost as if it resonates with the Natural elemental energy I can access…”

Suddenly looking up and at the pile, she walked over and reached down, pulling out a yellowish orb.  “And this feels like my Spirit energy!” she exclaimed, looking at the two orbs in her hands with wonder.

That was apparently all it took, as the others scrambled over and picked out whatever orbs called to them; there were plenty for everyone, fortunately, because Sandra had made sure that there were nine of each Elemental Orb, just in case there were repeats.  It was interesting to note that only Violet had access to two elements, while the others only had one.

With that step at least partially communicated to the Gnomes, Sandra needed their help to save the old Gnome, Felbar.  Again, using her Golem – she found it was easier and likely to be less intimidating to them with the smaller construct, since her Ape towered over them – she pointed to the pile and then to the rapidly dying Felbar, trying to convey what she needed.  While she could theoretically just keep trying different combinations, it might end up taking too long and they didn’t have any time to lose.

Violet, just like all the other times, caught on before everyone else.  “You want to know what elemental energies Felbar has access to?” she asked.  Her Golem didn’t really have a neck with which to nod yes, so she instead just shook her arm up and down.  That was all that was needed, fortunately, and Violet immediately picked out two orbs out from the only slightly diminished pile and placed them in front of Sandra’s construct.

“I’m assuming this is Fire and I know this one is Spirit,” Violet stated, pointing to a red one and a similar yellow one like the one still in her hand.  Sandra immediately picked them up and hurriedly placed them on Felbar’s chest.  After stepping back, Sandra concentrated on establishing a Dungeon Visitor Bond with the dying Gnome – and she felt the tugging at her Core that signified that it was starting to work.

While establishing the bond with Kelerim had taken 1,000 Mana and 5,000 Raw Materials to complete, only half that amount was consumed in the creation of the bond with the old Gnome.  She wasn’t sure if it was the smaller size of her target or if that had only been a one-time thing; either way, it meant that the resources she currently had at the moment filling up her core would be plenty to establish a bond with all of them.

The same bright golden glow erupted from Felbar’s chest as it had when she bonded the half-Dwarf/half-Orc, and the others screamed out in pain, closed their eyes, and looked away.  The light fortunately only lasted a few moments before it faded to a lower level, leaving the sight of the old Gnome with the front portion of his strange faded-rune-covered suit burnt away and a bronze-colored gear covering his chest like a tattoo.  And, just like Kelerim’s had been, if Sandra looked at it in a certain direction, she could see little flecks of red and yellow inside, signifying his elemental affinities.

When they could see again, the Gnomes looked at Felbar and shouted out in surprise, Violet included.  “What did you do!?” she yelled out, kneeling down by his side and hesitatingly reaching out to touch the tattoo covering his battle-wound-scarred chest.  Before anyone else could freak out, they all stopped their yelling when the Repair Drone hovered over and brought out its two thin arms; placing the metal pads on the old Gnome’s broken leg, Sandra saw red and yellow energy flow out from her Drone and into Felbar.

The healing of a flesh-and-blood entity was surprisingly much faster than fixing up her constructs; Sandra thought it probably had something to do with needing to use all of the elements to heal her Dungeon Monsters as opposed to just two for the Gnome.  Or even that the materials were so different that it was possible that metal took longer to create than blood, flesh, muscle, and bone.  Regardless of the reason, the Gnomes all watched in awe as the leg visibly straightened and repaired itself, the pallor of his skin faded and returned to normal, and his body “re-inflated” a little as internal injuries were repaired and blood was returned to a healthy level.  All of that took less than a minute, which made it all that much more miraculous.

Unfortunately, Felbar didn’t wake up; it was possible that bonding and healing an unconscious individual caused them to stay unconscious for a while, but Sandra didn’t really have a good frame of reference.  For all she knew, it was possible that the same would happen if they were conscious and healthy – the only one that she had done it on had been in the same state as the old Gnome had been.

“How—?” Violet began to ask incredulously, before cutting herself off.  “Never mind that – why isn’t he awake?” she asked instead.

Sandra had no way of answering; she was hoping that Felbar would wake up and allow her to explain everything to him.  Instead, she just pointed toward Violet and the Elemental Orbs in her hand.

“What does that mean?  What do these have to do with why he isn’t awake?” Violet asked.  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for the healing you did on Felbar, but what is that on his chest?  Is it some sort of slave mark?”

What is it about slave marks here?  Is that common in this part of the world? Sandra asked Winxa quickly, while she tried to figure out what to do.

“It used to be – especially in the Orc lands – when their population was much greater.  Now, though, everyone is working together to defend against