Castaway Core: A LitRPG Fantasy Dungeon, page 4
But!
There is something in this world called double-sided tape!
A real marvel!
By using it I managed to join up both components and force the new being to stand up.
It wasn’t large. The skeleton was about 160 centimeters high - the size of a small adult or big child - but thanks to that it could move through the dungeon without problems. My first impression was that it looked like a discount knight figure, similar to the ones that people used in some wargames, back in my old world. Only totally discolored. It moved jerkily, dragging large club behind it and leaving marks on the floor.
But once again, I was not yet finished!
As an icing on the cake my power over Anima, the chosen, inner truth, swelled and drowned the creature. It struggled for a moment, seemingly getting melted under violent currents.
Two reddish eyes formed on its faceplate, hidden under the metallic eyelid, as did two small horns. Or more like thick antennas? They were flat on the end after all. Arms grew more slender and its ribcage stretched, bulging against the body's surface, yet it remained contained within the metal. Fingers thickened, making it able to pick up its weapon with ease, and the creature's legs grew shorter and more robust, allowing for greater power when swinging.
The transformation stopped and I immediately used Analyze, only to be greeted by a weird announcement.
Iron Anima-Touched Lesser Abomination
Making use of sentient parts when creating golems and monsters is a huge taboo. Those who create such monsters tend to gather positive and negative karma in greater amounts.
This never before seen race had touched its inner truth and emerged as half-machine half-undead beings. For now, however, its intelligence is only marginal. In turn, it won’t tire nor grow hungry, working towards nothing else but completing its duty. This type of monster has a clear preference for martial arts and close combat fighting. It has no special abilities except Charge, which will allow it to close distance towards its foe.
Like all abominations its weak towards holy magic and due to its machine heritage - lightning.
Threat level: E+
Wow. That was a mouthful. So… I’ll call them Lebirs? Because of Lesser Iron Abominations? It’s shorter and rolls on my tongue just fine.
The first of the new race simply stood without moving, waiting for my commands. It was more like a doll - without a will on its own. For now, I left it in the corner.
Since I already created my first melee combatant there was a need for something that could take care of fighting at range. There wasn’t much choice, really, when it came to the base of this new monster. It could be either another humanoid or monster similar to a rat.
Since I already used humans now it was time for rats. And I had a weapon just for them prepared - all low-tech and shit.
And just to be fair - I tried creating biological entities - they were just that - bags of meat, collapsing on the floor almost immediately. Their hearts didn’t beat, blood didn’t flow, brains didn’t work. Complete and total failures. And yet with metal and decaying flesh, I was able to grant them life. Weird.
Like before I was basing this new monster on a biological skeleton. On that thin coating of pig iron created pseudo-skin and under it - muscles made from my mana duct tape. After that came enlarging - it gained another ten centimeters and I sculpted a long trench through the middle of its head and on parallel to its spine. The tail was elongated and made more flexible while still full of muscles - allowing for greater motion range, dexterity, and power.
After that, I forced on it a little spear with a wooden shaft and iron head - just long enough to fit into the carved trench. Mechanical rat tail could be used to push it out like a spear thrower, the monster head used as an aiming mechanism. What’s more on the end of said tail I created three-pronged graspers which could be used to pick things up - like for example… new spears.
As a finishing touch, I soaked the beast in Anima just like I did with his predecessor, bringing it to full un-life and elongating the tail even more. Now it was longer than the beast itself, dextrous like a sentient hand. And as a bonus - under rat belly dangled a small pouch with few more spears - far enough to not be seen at first glance, but easily accessible for its tail-hand.
My creation was ready. What Analyze had to say?
Iron Ratling Spear Thrower
Small, beast-like dungeon creature created from basic Grey Rat. It boasts much better speed, strength, and firepower, thanks to iron skin and the spear thrower carved into its flesh. Has pack mentality, a tendency to form tribal societies and will help any dungeon creatures in the vicinity defend their home.
Will breed naturally and convert some locations to Lairs. Natural evolutions are available.
Has built-in mana conversion gland which allows it to roam corrupted wastelands without trouble.
Threat level: E
Good enough. In anticipation, I order drones to dig through western parts of the dungeon. Yes, yes I know - where is west, east, north and south here?
How can I tell without seeing the sun?
I can’t!
So what? My newest decree is that entrance tunnel is to the south, to the northeast is my core room and to the west are now Ratling Warrens! At least as soon, as my minions will manage to dig them through.
I also sent them to the southeastern jail cell and ordered its expansion. My Ratlings would need somebody to arm them after all, but it wasn’t all that pressing matter since there were no enemies to fight as of yet.
In a flight of fancy, I created four more Ratlings. Each of them looked a bit different, like you know - individual creatures, not machines - and ordered them to claim nest in the Warrens as soon as my Drones finished their work.
Two more Lebirs were also made, but due to their nature (or rather lack of intelligence), I moved them towards the entrance and ordered to guard it.
And - most importantly - I sealed all these little pathways that Grey Rats were pouring in my dungeon, turning dirt into sandstone, which was simply too much for their claws and teeth. Now the only way in was from the south, where my mechanical men stood guard.
I could only wait. Drones weren’t really that adept at digging, but they did the job. Eventually.
And after that, I should probably look at my dungeon as a whole.
I wasn’t bothered by a lack of lighting, but some of my creations may be…
Time to do some decorating!
Chapter 7
Uno
I was going mad.
These stupid Drones getting through the prison wall were slowly driving me insane.
*shing*
*shing*
*shing*
*chikk*
*shing*
*shing*
And repeat. Ad nauseam.
Metal clanging against stone, again and again, was unhinging.
To escape from boredom I started to take stock of already done work and things that I still needed to make or create.
Most of my work orders were fulfilled - the western part of the dungeon was now a 4 by 5 meters big room with a strange mound-like structure in the middle. It sported a few entrances from different sides, but the main parts of the structure were underground.
I was staring at the unseen part of it and it was glorious!
The network of tunnels and small rooms dotted pretty much the entirety of the current dungeon and some of them even stretched outside. Normally (because of that twisted mana) even my sight couldn’t penetrate the outer darkness. And yet Ratlings slowly nibbled on it, allowing both me and their kin access.
Still - the singled-out structure looked simply lonely.
And I was about to change that.
Firstly, I was thinking about adding some light - both this one room and all others. Secondly, I would like to force the invaders' hand and funnel them through Ratling Warrens, because right now they could waltz straight into my core room and I would be not able to stop them.
Because of that, I let my imagination flow. What is the first thought when hearing the word “light”? As a human… or rather a former human from a highly civilized society answer was simply - a light bulb!
My idea was to create something that could hang from the ceiling, like a lamp - I would prefer a plant or something of this kind, but since my material options were limited I decided to go for something in-between.
As a base, I created a wooden liane - short and thick, only ten or so centimeters from the ceiling. In the middle of it was a small, pear-shaped “fruit” - it had two iron bolts inside and was built from thin wires. Yes, I know iron was not ideal as a conductor, but until something like copper fell onto my lap I would work with what I had.
Add to that a battery-like organ located in the lower part (in plant equivalent of roots) and my chandelier was finished.
Why chandelier?
Because I also made thinner lianas all around the central one, with only two bolts on their pointy end, and bent them in such a shape that if somebody wanted to take “fruit” from my creation it would snap shut like a bear trap. Electrocuting and hitting unlucky brave in the process.
This “plant” was also programmed by my Anima to sway on non-existent wind thus creating moving shadows, helpful to my other creations. There were also some more… disturbing changes.
Using Analyze I was able to confirm them.
Electrical Chandelier
This dungeon monster uses plant mimicry to look like a safe, but bizarre source of light. It's mostly passive, feeding of local mana and maintaining its form. Unless somebody gets foolish enough to try plucking the fruit it sports.
Not only such a person will get electrocuted but also grabbed by its rope-like appendages.
In the unlikely situation that somebody manages to detach Chandelier fruit without much damage, it's possible to plant it or create accessories and weapons with power over lightning.
Threat level: E++
I immediately planted one of them in every room adding much-needed light to the ceiling. After that, I sculpted tree roots from available materials and distributed them among free space. These were of course only roots, as I still couldn’t get a hang of creating something truly alive. So no trees yet. I guess Ratlings were an exception.
And then I proceeded to seed geometric statues through the dungeon - with swaying shadows one could easily think of them, as enemies. And in some cases, they were designed as such.
It was time for trap creation.
Since most of my minions were either stupid or clumsy it was hard to make something dangerous, but only for invaders.
In the end, I settled on animating some of my statutes - humanlike shapes made from iron and wood, with large, oval heads without hair nor eyes and thin, wire-like limbs. They were mostly just standing around, but some of them I put into poses. There was dogeza statue, a triumphant statue, a running away statue, a begging statue, dancing statue. And so. Each of them was designed to unnerve, but also accustom invaders to their existence.
A few had spear throwers in their chests, cleverly hidden behind the mesh of wires. Some simply grabbed people walking near them, trying to crush their opponents. Others were created to impale enemies with hidden, rusted spears. Possibly. Hopefully. At least my Lebirs were sturdy enough to withstand them.
One of them kinda stumbled over the trap while I was putting it in the tunnel. That’s why I prepared a clear road leading toward every room available. Thanks to that Lebirs and Drones traversing it could actually get some work done.
I also made sure that the road straight towards my core (from the southern entrance, where I decided the digging will commence as soon as possible) was blocked. By using stone and not my Drones' hard work (when digging they were acceptable, but building… nope) I made sure that it was sturdy enough to stop invaders and force them to move through Ratling Warrens in order to reach my core.
I also started working on the now excavated southeastern room. I had a clear purpose in mind - but the materials and blueprints at hand were not enough. Yet.
Instead, I did what I could - making wooden barrels and metal trunks, while filling some of them with additional Lebir clubs, Ratling reserve spears, and even some crude shields I made after a moment of consideration. This would be a forge or rather machining room. As soon as I was able to create somebody or something to man it.
Which would probably take some time. I mean… blueprints for sentients were gained after killing them? I think. Not like I killed any… These bodies were here when I arrived, Mr. Policeman!
In a few minutes more barrels and trunks appeared all over the dungeon - most of them empty, a few filled with traps, and even fewer- with weapons.
This time I went for simplicity when it came to traps. I made two types - one which simply tried to cut a hand searching through the container and another, which pierced it. Of course, if somebody was stupid enough to push his head inside… then the threat level moved toward lethal.
I guess that means it's time to start digging toward my self-proclaimed entrance.
My rats already spied another room somewhere to the south. Only a few meters - logical, considering that all this underground complex was here before and I was only excavating it. The room itself looks more like a long-ish hallway, but to glean anything more from Ratling was simply impossible. I should probably be grateful for any information at all.
I’m also pretty sure that there is nothing alive left in these rooms. Otherwise, my not-so-strong minions would get slaughtered right away. And in the worst-case scenario, something could even invade their tunnels in turn.
But for now, I can only wait.
*shing*
*shing*
*shing*
*chikk*
*shing*
*shing*
And hope to keep my sanity.
Chapter 8
Uno
Contrary to common belief dungeon cores aren’t all-knowing and all-seeing when it comes to their turf. Like I said before - I’m capable of bouncing mana around my tunnels and rooms which gives me the ability to see, give orders or make something out of thin air.
Why am I droning about it?
Well…
Right now I’m getting invaded.
And I was notified of this only because one of Lebirs retreated back to my territory after getting his shit kicked in.
Can you imagine it? These stupid things getting tactical?!
After seeing my minion moving back like a broken toy I made my mana bounce and ran (not a correct word, sue me!) towards the source of the commotion.
After a minute I was able to soak my surroundings.
It seemed like my Drones managed at last break down the wall of earth dividing my mini-dungeon from the large hall to the south. At first glance, I could see that not much remained there after years of disrepair.
Clearly, this room was part of some underground complex and my closest guess would be it was once a food hall, seeing long tables and a large number of chairs strewn around. Or rather their remains. There were also broken down tapestries, which seemed to depict some long lost heraldry - now brown and riddled with holes. There were also wooden poles with a metal part which seemed like something used to light up this dreary place.
This whole room was about four by nine meters with the ceiling as high as three in most places, which in turn put it on about one hundred cubic meters worth of space. There were also three doors visible from the entrance. One on the right and two on the left. Surprisingly my mana wasn’t able to flow into this place, kept back by some unseen force.
Former inhabitants of this room weren’t really in the mood to talk - they instead choose to trade blows with my minions. Lebirs were keeping guard over the new tunnel, smacking down anyone approaching with mirth I didn’t know they had in them. Lively for half undead half machine abominations. Ratlings, on the other hand, created small holes in the wall - high enough to shoot at average male height and pelted advancing enemies with their spears.
It wasn’t very effective though.
Mostly because our opposition was clearly undead - human skeletons clad in remains of armor, with empty eyes and jerky movements. They slowly shuffled towards my minions and entrance to the dungeon, while keeping absolute silence. It was creepy as fuck.
At least most of them were unarmed - using only their stretched hands as weapons. Just a few of them were sporting sword handles and small sticks which weren’t really that hard to repel anyway. Pretty much every single one of them had looks of military personnel and my Analyze confirmed it.
Waltzer Castle Skeleton
While no poor soul inhabits this husk it was once a part of humanity's greatest army, created to stop the northern beasts invasion. After unjust death, the accumulated resentment animated its bones and funneled rage towards any living being.
This undead is not intelligent and will move according to instinct - killing any living beings and devouring pure mana. It has a basic ability to use tools and as undead is an untiring abomination, destroyed on sight by most sentient races.
Due to accumulated damage, its threat rating has been lowered.
Threat level: E+
Even damaged they’re classified as E rank threat? What? My Lebirs are already putting them to the ground though… Easily at that.
Or are they?
Now that I’ve taken a closer look only a few of them stay down. The rest just falls, scrambles for a moment and tries to get back up…
At least my side doesn’t have stamina issues either, but in a fit of panic, I created three more Lebirs and order them to move towards the battle. In the meantime two of the doors in food hall open and even more undead pour in through them, joining the scuffle.
