I looked at the kobolds as they entered. While Life was talking to me, time seemed to have stopped.

"Forgive me Creator." The female I gave the saw said. She came forward and bowed before me.

I looked at her oddly. Looking at the others I could tell they all thought I was angry and going to punish them.

"Please stand." She did though her head was still lowered.

Before saying anything else I remade the 2 spearman that died.

"I am so proud of all of you."

They all looked to my core in shock.

"Each day you leave our home and help me grow by gathering. Twice now some of you have died defending me. You have all fought hard and I asked you here because you have done enough for one day. My other guards can repel any attacks while you have a well earned rest and I upgrade your equipment." I looked at the female. "While your saw was a good tool for gathering it was a poor weapon. The saw breaking was my fault not yours. So I will be making you a better weapon and upgrading some of your equipment."

I thought about what I was going to make for a bit. Using ebony would be pretty but not practical. Others might kill them for the rare wood and it was about as heavy as iron.

The saw I had given her wasn’t working. It wasn’t much use cutting anything larger than a couple inches in diameter. Focusing inward I thought of types of saws. Then started making examples.

Blueprint Unlocked: Iron Back Saw

Blueprint Unlocked: Iron Bow Saw

Blueprint Unlocked: Wire saw

Blueprint Unlocked: Hacksaw

Hack Saw: Variant of the bow saw. A fine-toothed blade held in a frame, for cutting metal, and other hard materials

Iron Bask Saw: has a thinner blade backed with a metal strip to maintain rigidity. they are a subset of hand saws

Iron Bow Saw: a saw with a narrow blade held in tension in a frame; the blade can be rotated and may be toothed on both edges

Wire Saw: Also called a chainsaw. Toothed or coarse cable or wire is wrapped around the material and pulled back and forth to cut.

Looking at the options, my old Iron Saw blueprint changed to Iron Hand Saw. Thinking over what I knew of each saw's use, I gave her a bow saw. It had more teeth, and could likely cut down small trees. Though useful it still wasn’t a weapon. Concentrating I decided what I wanted her to have in a fight.

Blueprint Unlocked: Iron Dagger

Iron Dagger: A small, double edged blade made of iron.

I made a pair of them for her.

She took the blades and looked them over. “Thank you Creator. With each drop of blood they spill I will remember this gift.”

I made a hum noise that they seemed to take as pleasure. I didn’t really know what to do about their violent natures but I didn’t want to stifle them either.

Moving on I made something else for the leader. I had thought of it during the pseudo dragon attack and hadn’t gotten around to making it.

Blueprint Unlocked: Simple Wooden Shield

Simple Wooden Shield: A simple barrier made of wood. Shape and size may vary.

I frowned at the plain round shield that appeared. Vanishing it I tried again several times. While I could change the shape, type of wood and grips, I couldn’t make massive alterations. With unlocking the one type I knew there were many kinds of shields, but for now I could only make simple round, kite and square ones. Trying anything more complex only gave me a sharp pain.

Grumbling I sat to make the shield I wanted within my current ability. I used rich cherry wood with a pinkish pear wood inlay in the shape of my core. The kite shape would better fit her small build.

“You honor me, Creator.” The led kobold said when I offered her the shield. It was just the right size thanks to one of my past lives. I didn’t feel that I had ever made shields but that at least one life had used them often.

“Spearmen you are next.”

Having already made a simple iron spear I knew there were many types and varieties. Trying to make one of the more advanced types caused the same shock of pain. Seems like something has to happen before I can make more than simple weapons.

Blueprint Unlocked: Simple Spear

Simple Spear: A wooden shaft with an affixed tip. Can be many shapes and sizes.

These I made of pear wood, though the tan variety, with amethyst tips. More than one life agreed that amethyst was our favored gem.

Both males took their improved weapons and marveled at them. They were much lighter and I made a broader, serrated tip to increase damage.

The axe and shovel both got wooden handles but neither counted as a new blueprint.

Once they were equipped I thought about giving them armor. And decided not to since their scales were a natural armor and the only metal I had was still iron. I knew there were lighter and stronger metals out there, somewhere.

Finally I made them a backpack to help carry more items and be out of the way. Looking at what I created they seemed to be considered baskets and not a new blueprint.

I made 2 for them and gave them to the male with the shovel and the axewoman. I also gave the leader and the saw woman a vine sack so that if they were attacked again like with the dryad, whoever could return wouldn’t be empty handed.

“Alright that should help.” I told them once I was done making things.

The leader looked nervous but she stepped forward. “Creator, I am ready to level up.”

I looked at her in shock. “You don’t automatically level up?”

“No, Creator, as we are yours you must level us up.” she replied

Having that kind of control of my creations was scary. I added it to my list of things to never get used to or complacent about.

Looking at her closely I didn’t see anything. I took a mental step back and thought about how I would level her up. Maybe there is something in her status sheet. Focusing on her I tried to pull up the status.

Name

Rank

F

Level

1

120/100

Deity

Unnamed Core

AC

12

HP

10

MP

2

Strength

7

Dexterity

14

Constitution

9

Wisdom

10

Charisma

8

Luck

12

Level Up?

Embarrassment flooded me when I saw I was her deity.

Shaking my head I selected level up. It then changed to an unused point, which I added to her wisdom.

Leveling up gave her 5 more Hp and 4 more Mp.

Name

Rank

F

Level

2

20/300

Deity

Unnamed Core

AC

12

HP

15

MP

6

“Thank you. I will use my new stats for your safety.” She declared putting her hand to her chest.

“You are very welcome. Whenever any of you are able to level up let me know. All of you are welcome to wander the dungeon before returning to your rooms.”

With another hand to chest salute from each of them they left the core room.

As they were looking at what was new, I looked at them. Pulling up each of their stats sheets. The spearmen were the nearest to leveling. Both only needed 17 more Xp. The others needed 30.

Deciding to look at all my other creatures I pulled them up one by one. I learned that guardians don’t get Xp as there was no space for it. Also in place of deity, was maker. Reinforcing that they were not alive even if I make them look like it.

My boss was a bit different. In place of a level it said FLOOR BOSS. No idea what that would mean for the future.

Some chickens had a tiny amount of experience. They must have eaten 2-4 Xp worth of bugs. Once I had glanced at them all I saw that bats, chickens, mimics and mandrakes only needed 50Xp instead of 100 the kobolds needed. My snails, shrimp and fish only needed 25Xp. Why and what that meant for the future I didn’t know. I also couldn’t see what the Xp needed to level up creatures I didn’t have placed. So I don’t yet know what a deer or dryad needed to level.

As I was considering summoning my other creatures in the unfinished 2nd floor another group of creatures raced into my dungeon.

I knew these creatures. They were small, fluffy and delicious. They were also running for their lives and followed by 4 larger 4 legged pests. The larger ones were also familiar. I knew they were a nuisance to farmers.

The small creatures split, 2 going down the hall at a rapid pace while the other one turned into the kobold’s back room. Their long back legs keeping them out of the jaws of the larger animals. Watching the 4 hunters after the 3 smaller creatures made me glad my kobolds were elsewhere.

As the 2 streaked down the hall they passed right over all my pits. Not nearly heavy enough to break the tops. They rushed into the hall of projectiles running too fast to stop before being impaled.

The first of the hunters was heavier and fell into the pit letting out a startled yelp. The other one stopped and looked down at their companion trying to claw at the slick walls and get out. There was no way the other could help. The pit was far too deep for animals this size to escape and they lacked the hands needed to climb out. Watching as the one was soon joined by the other pair. They stood at the edge of the pit trying to come up with a way to get their friend, they broke my heart.

I sent Jack forward. When his long body arrived the 3 in the hall snarled and bared their teeth at him. He ignored them and dropped into the pit.

The one that fell swam over to him and let him grab them. Using his spindly limbs he was able to lift the creature in one arm and use his claws to climb out.

Once the thing was back with it’s friends they licked on it and checked their fallen comrade. Jack turned, leaped over the pit and headed back to where he had been standing.

They turned and headed back out of my halls. Picking up the fluffy creature the pair must have killed while I was focused on the one in the pit

Once they were gone the blueprint for the slain creatures unlocked.

Blueprint Unlocked: Rabbit

Blueprint Unlocked: Rabbit Pelt

Blueprint Unlocked: Rabbit’s foot

Blueprint Unlocked: Angora Hair

Angora Hair: Long hair of a few rare types of rabbits. Makes Great wool and is desired for clothes making.

Rabbit Pelt: The hide of a rabbit. Soft and a good insulator. Used for cold weather items and decorative trims.

Rabbit’s Foot: A magical item made of a rabbit's foot. Increases luck and speed.

Finders Keepers

Unlock 100 Blueprints

10 percentage points

20 experience points

Before I could process the achievement, memories came forward more vivid than before.

I was small….young, looking up at my father. He had several traps in a sled. My mother was fussing and trying to add another scarf to my neck. The snow crunched as me headed into the trees…

A rabbit strung up by its neck in a snare. We collected several in a similar condition…

Father standing by my side as I use his skinning knife to remove the pelt….

Mother looks so proud of the ragged skin I show her. It has several holes and meat still attached. My first rabbit pelt.

Blueprint Unlocked: Snare

Blueprint Unlocked: Skinning Knife

Skinning Knife: lightweight with a thin and sharp blade and grippy handle. Is very maneuverable and agile to separate the hide without damaging it or the underlying meat.

Snare: A thin wire trap used to catch small land based game.

I jerk back to myself. The memories of trapping and skinning my first rabbit in that life was so clear. All except my former parents. I didn’t even know what species they were, and couldn’t describe them if I wanted.

All I could do was sigh and store that happy memory. I only hoped that vivid memories like that didn’t happen at a critical time where I needed to have my mind focused on helping my defenders.

Making the next item was obvious.

Blueprint Unlocked: Angora Wool

Angora Wool: Made from Angora Hair. It is soft, durable and rare. Making it valuable.

Why angora hair was unlocked made no sense to me. The 2 that died were not angora rabbits. They didn’t have angora hair. Having no way to investigate I put it on the shelf with everything else that was unexplainable and moved on.

An achievement for collecting blueprints made loads of sense. Though I had no idea what the next threshold would be. It again reminded me that I had no clue what other achievements were out there.

_______________________

Once the kobolds were back in their rooms I went back to digging. Having no passion for the job. Mind turning over all that had happened in the last 2 days since Arizo had left.

As I made halls, moving out of the first room at each of the cardinal points, I had an idea to keep anyone on their toes.

Making the room a bit larger and a perfect cylinder with a dome ceiling I made a shaft of magical stone running up the hole to the 1st floor. Around it I used all my shiny materials to make an abstract marvel. Lines of glossy ebony and cherry. Veins of quartz, amethyst, rose quartz and aventurine add color and shine. Streaks of polished iron and multiple colors of granite and slate finished the piece.

The layer of sparkle was too thin to make mining worth it and harming my creation would have consequences on this level. What those would be I hadn’t decided yet.

Feldspar and mica were used to make colorless crystal steps that wound around the pillar. Finally I made it so each time the stairs were used the whole pillar would make a quarter turn. That should make mapping the floor harder.

With a giggle I wondered how long it would take people to figure out the stairs moved and they were exiting at a different place each time? On that thought I got back to digging.

The room had to be perfectly symmetrical and all the doorways and halls leaving the room had to look the same. I made each of those 4 halls end in a T. After that I would make things different. Connecting all the other rooms I planned to make would increase the likelihood of getting lost and not finding the boss room or my core.

At both ends of the T halls I put cherry doors. So the first room and halls would be a safe zone. Giving anyone time to think and choose. Hopefully they would overthink things and get even more lost. And if they left the doors open my creatures could enter.

Again I was interrupted. This time it brought me joy.

“Arizo Welcome back!!” I cheered, feeling my fairy return.