Sigard groggily opened his eyes, his mind trying to jumble together his memories as he woke up. He quickly remembered that delving into the core’s catalogue was the last thing he did just before passing out. Why was he going through it again? Oh, right he was creating new monsters to act as bodyguards. But then where are they?

Looking around, Sigard saw that he was laying next to the Core. Initially it appeared that the room was empty, but after a few moments of scanning the room he found the Mantis Queen hunched behind the Core, taking up what looked like a defensive posture. Where were the others?

“Where are the other beasts?”

[Master, after you went to sleep this Core reminded the Goblin General of its current standing orders to bring the Goblins under your authority. So it has left to carry out your orders. As for the Golden Thunder Tiger, it wandered off 213 minutes ago.]

‘Okay,’ he thought to himself, ‘so my new followers have already gone of on their own. So, now what? Should I create more monsters? No, I need to build up reserves of Quintessence. I should wait and explore the various ways of gathering resources. Patiently buildup my forces, bring the entire Maze under my control.’

“…I want to go over Quintessence again. Specifically how to gather more.”

[As this Core has already informed, under the current circumstances Masters options are limited primarily to killing intruders or waiting for this Core to regain connection to the rest of the Maze. It will take time to build up the reserves back to their intended size.]

“Well then, are there ways to bring the monsters scattered throughout the Maze under my control, preferably without spending any Quintessence?”

[Yes Master, in fact the metho-] *Growl*

Interrupting the Core was the Golden Tiger. Having entered the room she demanded Sigard’s attention so she could show off her prize. For she had proudly dragged a deer into the room.

Seeing the animal, Sigard immediately realized that he was starving. Having only eaten a few scavenged scraps of meat…yesterday? he obviously was in need of sustenance.

“You went to catch dinner?”

The tiger nodded vigorously while the deer’s neck was still locked in her powerful jaws.

“Can you show me where you caught the deer?”

Again she nodded vigorously.

“Great.”

After cooking and eating the deer, Sigard had the Golden Tiger show him where she caught their earlier meal.

Having travelled through numerous passages they reached a exit. The tiger had leaped through the opening as soon as they got there, leaving Sigard and the Mantis Queen to follow.

On the other side was debris strewn clearing, surrounded by ruined, crumbling walls. The entrance Sigard just came out of was a hole in the ground hidden by tall grass and rubble. There were several openings in the walls hinting at the world beyond. A subdued almost obscure light illuminated the area with wisps of mist pressing in from all around.

Sigard and the Mantis Queen continued to follow the Tiger through the ruins. Going through several more areas similar to the first. Eventually the three came to the edge of the ruins.

Beyond the ruins was an ominous mist shrouded forest cast in eternal twilight. It was eerily quiet, unnaturally silent even. The forest itself looked pristine, there was no brush or debris between the trees, stretching all around the ruins then out into the distance endlessly.

Sigard turned towards the Golden Tiger. “Is this where you caught the deer?”

She bobbed her head up and down as she sauntered towards Sigard. Reaching him she pushed her head up to his hand, demanding a petting. The Mantis Queen watched on while sticking close.

After petting the tiger Sigard turned back towards the ruins. Getting an outside perspective he began theorizing that it may have once been a fort, he even could see the remains of a perimeter wall around the decrepit buildings.

‘Once rebuilt this place could act as a stronghold against hunters. Besides there is an entrance to the core right here, I’ll need to fortify this location anyway. So once that goblin gets back, I’ll begin repairs.’

Finished with his observations, Sigard took a last glance at the forest. Still as quiet and empty as before, the only difference being the outline of a single deer obscured by layers of mist. Sigard then walked back into the ruins followed by the two monsters.