The Crafter's Dominion: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 5) by Jonathan Brooks (best english books to read TXT) 📗

it wasn’t nearly enough for someone to actually figure out how everything was done.  Only one of their esteemed Blacksmiths could impart the correct procedures and recipes and know-how to create the armor, though it was possible that Sandra could eventually figure it out if given enough time.  Knowing that mithril was involved would certainly help with that, but they didn’t have years or even months for the Dungeon Core to experiment to find the solution.  Still, it’s a starting point for her; if I could only find a way back to her, I can at least do that much.

A sudden noise startled him, as he wasn’t expecting to be fed for another few hours at least.  The sound of a door opening was quickly followed by the appearance of the Master Blacksmith again, looking determined.

“The others will not understand and will forbid the sharing of our secret, but most of them are much younger and short-sighted,” Jespin started without any other discussion.  “My years have afforded me a better perspective of how things have been and where we are headed, and I can’t let our people die hiding in our strongholds without doing something about it.  We have to get you out of here to bring us back to this dungeon of yours, where I will do whatever is necessary to secure the material we need to survive.  Even if it means betraying the oath I made when I became a Master to never reveal our secret upon pain of death for not only me, but my entire family.  It is a worthy price to pay.”

Hope shot into Gerold’s entire body as he heard the Blacksmith’s words.  Did I actually convince him?  I can’t believe it – is this some sort of trick?  He didn’t think so, because Jespin seemed very determined to do what he said, no matter the ramifications.  “Hopefully, it won’t come to that, Master.”

“I hope not, either, but I’m willing to die to save our people, just like you and all of the Shieldmen over the years have dedicated themselves to their protection.”

Even though he wasn’t “technically” a Shieldman anymore since he lost his gear, Gerold knew exactly what he meant.  That was one of the reasons he had wanted to become part of their number, because he wanted to be both useful and to do everything he could to protect the people of their Kingdom.  Even though Jespin wasn’t on the front lines, he was as much or more part of that defense by supplying them the tools to get the job done.

“Now, I’ve got to go; I think I’ve already attracted too much attention to my activities down here, and it’s only a matter of time before someone starts to get curious why I’m visiting the Shieldman that destroyed one of my last works of art,” the Master Blacksmith said, winking at Gerold before he turned to leave.  “I’m going to devise a plan to get you out of here, but you won’t see me until it’s time to implement it.  Just be ready.”

Gerold laughed, feeling good for the first time since he arrived back home.  I’m getting out of here!  “I’ll be ready, it’s not like I have any pressing matters or places I need to go right now,” he said with not a little bit of humor in his tone.  “How long?”

He didn’t have to explain what he meant, because Jespin answered as he was walking out the door.  “No idea.  It will have to be during the next attack by dungeon monsters on the Hall, because otherwise the surveillance of your cell is too thick.  My renown as a Master Blacksmith will only go so far; breaking you out of here with witnesses would not go over well.”

“Understandable.  I’ll be ready,” Gerold said confidently, though he wasn’t sure exactly how he should prepare.  Since he didn’t know when it would happen, and he didn’t want to be on edge the whole time, he laid himself down and got some sleep. He figured it would probably be prudent to get some rest when he could.

Now all he had to do was wait.

Chapter 10

The sudden cessation of constant attacks was so surprising that Sandra had to watch and wait for nearly 10 minutes before she realized it was true.  It wasn’t just one of the dungeons arrayed against her, either, but all 4 of them at the same time.

Goblins, Golems, Beasts, and Slimes were all pulled back into their respective dungeons, the seemingly perpetual outpouring of monsters stopping at the exact same moment.  Her own forces were starting to gain a bit of an upper hand in the war for the tunnels connecting her dungeon with the others, but it was only a slight advantage.  Sandra was sure that, if given enough time, she would prevail and could finally assail the dungeons themselves, but it was extremely slow-going and would likely require a month or more to get to the point where she was comfortable with a push.

But the other Cores apparently had other things on their minds.

A tentative push into the tunnel endings leading inside the other dungeons revealed that trying to assault it without a much bigger force was unlikely to work.  In each of the initial dungeon rooms, there were so many monsters packed inside that even a slight push made by her own constructs was quickly wiped out.  She had no doubt that powerful traps were lying in wait where she couldn’t see as well, and risking an assault could result in losses she would have difficulty quickly recovering from.

Is this some sort of trick to draw me in?  The rage biting at her mind wanted her to ignore the danger and draw all of her not-insignificant army of constructs and Dungeon Monsters together to attack a single dungeon, but common sense somehow prevailed and stopped her before she could do something