The Crafter's Dilemma: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 3) by Jonathan Brooks (english readers txt) 📗

the end, but I’m willing to go along with whatever you have planned if it means that my people will survive longer.  If it requires being a slave, then so be it.”

* For the last time, you’re not a slave.  I told you that you’re free to go at any time, but I would love your help in dealing with your people; I have no way to communicate with anyone I haven’t bonded with, so I need a liaison between the Elves and myself.

 

* But you’re also correct in one thing that you said; these Energy Orbs, even if they provided infinite energy, aren’t enough to turn the tide.  For the Gnomes, it might mean they could make more enchantments, but there are only so many of them that can operate their War Machines, and the production of those same constructs are at a standstill because many of their strongest Enchanters are no longer available.

 

* The Orcs, for their part, are running out of decent weaponry and armor; I had a friend named Kelerim here before you all arrived that is going to do what he can to change that, but he’s just one person.  Added to that, they have very little in the way of resources in which to arm their Warbands, so they are gradually being beaten back by the Dungeon Monsters because of their inferior armaments.

 

* I still have to find out exactly what the issue is with the Dwarves, but from my own observations and from what I’ve been told, they have almost entirely retreated within their mountain stronghold, allowing the dungeons to expand and hold sway over most of their land aboveground.  Given enough time, they’ll either be starved out or the Cores will find some way to tunnel underground, breaking into their strongholds – and there’ll be no end of difficulties they’ll face if that happens. *

“So…what are you saying?” Echo asked.

* What I’m trying to say is that everyone has to work together to solve these problems; staying separated into different areas just doesn’t work for everyone here.  It might work for some of the other races of the world, like Humans and even the Beastkin, but it clearly doesn’t work here.  You’re all too specialized to create a lasting, cohesive defense, and it’s time we changed that. *

“What you’re proposing won’t sit well with our leaders, not to mention the majority of the population – even if it makes sense,” Felbar said, surprising Sandra with his comment.  “There is a deep distrust, if not hatred, of the other races that is instilled in us as a people; I can’t speak for any of the others, of course, but I have a feeling they’re very similar.  Those of us on the border with the wastelands are probably a little more open-minded than the others because we’re technically closer to the other races, even if we see them very rarely, but even that only goes so far.”

Sandra had definitely seen that, especially when the Gnomes and Echo had first met down in the kitchen and dining area she had created.  If that was true – and thinking about Kelerim and how he was treated made her think it was – then she was going to have a hard fight ahead of her.  Years of negative thinking towards a people couldn’t be overcome overnight, if it could ever be overcome at all; it was especially hard when there wasn’t any overt threat at their figurative throats.  Sure, they would eventually all succumb to the ever-increasing assault of Dungeon Monsters, but for the most part there was no immediate danger.

Regardless of that difficulty, Sandra had to do something…she might just have to stick to her strategy of being the middleman – or middlewoman – a lot longer than she planned.

* That’s understandable – however, I have to try.  And the first step is getting more of these Energy Orbs made and distributed to the Elves, since they are the only ones close to us that won’t kill us on sight.  After that, we need to somehow get some to the Gnomes, Orcs, and the Dwarves – if we can somehow contact them without starting another invasion of my dungeon.  If that is successful – and I’m hoping it will be – then we can move on to something else that will help, and from there something else, and then something else.  Eventually, my hope is to give each of the races something that they are lacking, and better equipping them with the tools they need to survive extinction; ultimately, though, I believe cooperation will be the key to continued prosperity.  I’m not aiming to be the linchpin that keeps them all alive, because if for some reason I’m not here, then all I’ve done is delay – like you said, Echo – the inevitable. *

Everyone was silent for a while, thinking over what Sandra had said. It was asking a lot for them to take the burden of their people’s survival on their shoulders, but things had to start somewhere.  Progress was already being made with the Elves, but there was a long way to go to get to the point where survival wasn’t just a possibility but a certainty.

“So…what’s the plan?” Violet finally asked.

* Well, there’s a lot that has to get set up for this to work, but for the moment I need your expertise in Enchanting; as for you, Echo, I’m sure that you’re eager to get back to your village to show them that you’re still alive.  But first, the two of you who just woke up after a 2-week coma need some rest before you pass out where you’re standing. *

While Felbar looked tired, Echo looked practically asleep on her feet after her run and expenditure of energy.  It seemed that although the Energy Orb refilled her elemental energy, it did