The Crafter's Darkness: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 4) by Jonathan Brooks (ebook reader with android os TXT) 📗

* I’ve had some time to think about that and I think I may have a solution; I’ll get with you later on about that, however.  We’ll figure it out, don’t worry. *

Sandra really did have a chance to think about it, and thought she might have a solution; it would have to wait until the other races were on board with joint cooperation, though.  For now, her focus was on getting the Gnomes out of her dungeon and back to their capital, so they could get started with that process there.

* Echo?  While I’m outfitting Violet and Felbar for their journey, do you think you’d be able to let your people nearby in your village know about what’s happening? *

“Absolutely.  I was just about to suggest that, actually; I’ll take Starlight 3, so I don’t have to run the entire way,” she responded instantly, as if she was eager to get moving.  “Kelerim – do you want to come with me?”

The Half-Dwarf/Half-Orc looked confused – and it was obvious that he was still entirely oblivious to the attention Echo was paying to him.  “Uh…why?  I can’t even speak your language.”

The Elf looked slightly exasperated, as if she couldn’t believe he was that dense.  “What – do you have something better to do?”

“Ummm….no?”

“Well then, it’ll be good to get out – and you can fly on the back of a Pegasus, so what could be better than that?” she said, smiling and taking his arm while she directed him out of Sandra’s Home room.

Kelerim looked like he had been hit between the eyes as he stumbled along with her.  “Wait—what?”

Sandra smiled to herself, knowing the poor Blacksmith was in way over his head – and he didn’t even know it.  When they were gone from the room, her attention went back to the two Gnomes who still looked completely unsure about the whole flying process.

* Alright, are you two ready to go?  Do you need anything before you leave? *

“Wha—right now?” Violet asked, uncertainty in her voice.  It probably did seem abrupt, but for the most part everything was already set up above – it was just waiting for the two Gnomes.

* Yes.  I have supplies for your journey if you need them up top, and it looks like you already have everything personal with you right now, so it would probably be good to get started before it gets too late in the day. *

“Uh…okay.  How do we—?”

* It’s fairly straightforward.  Just climb up the back of the Roc, place your legs here and here, tie them with the straps and simple buckles there, place another around your waist here, and then hold on with these two straps for your hands and that should be secure.  In the future, I may be able to improve on the whole system, but for now this should work well enough. *

While she was telling them what to do, she had one of her Animated Shears come down and point out exactly where she was talking about with the straps on the wide leather strip.  She had a spot for a total of 4 people as well as a larger system of straps on the bottom for carrying supplies, which could be altered temporarily if other people needed to fly along.  Right now, it was empty, but it would soon be filled once they all arrived above her dungeon entrance and near the workroom up there.

Neither of the Gnomes protested, though Violet was more than a bit hesitant.  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure these straps are secure enough for us, and I’ll make sure you’re safe.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”  Felbar herded the young Journeyman Enchanter up to the giant Aerie Roc, where he helped her climb up the rear tail feathers to where she was going to be strapped in.

It was a unique and secure system Sandra had designed in a hurry, but she thought it would work well enough.  Lying flat against the wide leather harness, a person would first strap their lower legs in two spots to the harness, placing their feet into two deep indentations in the leather specifically for that purpose.  It would give them extra support so that the leather straps holding them down weren’t supporting their entire weight, but acted more as a means to keep them flat.  Then there was a looser strap that wound around their waist and allowed them a modicum of movement, so that they could basically sit on their knees and look around, and also stay secured to the harness.

Finally, two more straps were placed in easy reach of the hands, where they could be looped around the wrists, securing them in place from yet another position.  Every strap and loop could be easily adjusted to fit just about any person; it would only be veritable giants that would have a bit of difficulty.

Felbar convinced Violet to lie down so that he could secure her to the harness, with the poor girl visibly shaking the entire time.  The grizzled old Gnome comforted her and got her fully strapped in, nodding his approval at the safety measures Sandra had provided to keep them both secure.

“This looks good, though after using it I’m sure I’ll have some suggestions on how to improve it,” he said.  “What I’m worried about, though, is the cold, rushing air up in the sky; my brief experience on the back of a Pegasus was traumatic enough to know that will likely be an issue, especially if this thing manages to go faster.”

Sandra was positive that the Aerie Roc would go much faster than her Pegasi, and she had already been working on that.  It was one of the reasons she didn’t have a chance to enchant the harness, because her Unstable Shapeshifters were finishing up the solution to