Though I’m feeling a bit better and more motivated to go kick this dungeon’s butt, reality forces me to cool my heels. I pretty much spend the entire rest of the day going over the vague plans and tricks, and have to grudgingly admit there’s not a whole lot extra for me to do at the moment. There’s a couple things I could do, but I think it’d be better to keep that mana for reacting to whatever the dungeon throws at us.

Upgrading the dragon spawner, for example, would get me more of the basilisks, but I doubt it’ll get me enough to let them take the role of footsoldier, rather than the roll of a cavalry or tank, a big scary thing on the battlefield that you don’t want to ignore, but you also don’t want to be the one to go over and try to stop it.

I could finally make the ant enclave, but I think I need to just accept that it’s not going to be a thing until after this situation with the other dungeon is handled. It’s like I’m staring at a present under the tree, wanting what it has, and not wanting to wait for the proper time to open it. No, I need to just leave it be until after this war is done, and possibly until after spring arrives, too. Hard to say with underground stuff, especially if they take after the magmyrm and are all magma-y.

The only other things I have to do are just smaller upgrades to the labyrinth. It’s pretty much down to just fine tuning now, I think. The entrance is still not quite as busy as I might hope, but it’s getting more use every day. I’d say the reason is about evenly split between people just discovering the facilities there, and people watching Jello work. Coda gave her a few shapes for possible zipper teeth, but she’s gotten distracted with kinda toying with how metals can be interlocked. I don’t try to discourage her, either, as she basically makes little blacksmith puzzles among other trinkets. She actually stumbles on something I probably should have tried before zippers, but I got kinda hung up on them: snap buttons. They’re certainly a lot easier to fasten than normal buttons, and a lot easier to manufacture than zippers, so I think the next iteration of the winter wear for my denizens will feature them, once Jello gets them just how she wants.

I spend my time waiting for Teemo and Rocky to return by mostly watching delvers and making small changes. I could start another big project, but the labyrinth was basically my project to fund the fight with the other dungeon. I need to bank the mana from it, instead of spending it on another project. If I still didn’t know where the dungeon was, I might spend to get even more income, but with the scouting reports getting more details by the day, I want to keep that warchest full to bursting. And I’m curious if the ally pool has a limit.

As I watch through Teemo and Rocky’s eyes while they exit the shortcut not far from the cemetery wall, I know it’ll soon be time to test that out. If I still had a mouth, I’d be drooling at the idea of all that mana they’re bringing. As they approach the wall, I can feel Teemo and Rocky’s satisfaction at coming home via the bond, and my Voice speaks up as Rocky comes to a stop just outside.

“Alright Rocky, you ready? How about you, Boss? This is gonna be a lot of mana.”

Definitely. I don’t think it’ll be too itchy to get what Rocky has for me, and I don’t feel that kind of pressure to use it if it’s in the ally pool, so I’m probably going to put it mostly there.

Rocky grunts as Teemo nods. “Sounds like we’re as ready as we’re gonna get then. After you, Rocky.” My boxer smiles and hops the wall, and as his feet hit the cold soil, I get hit with a sledgehammer blow of mana. I quickly shunt it over to the ally pool, and am surprised at how much is in it now.

That almost doubled the pool there, wow. That Harbinger really wasn’t a joke, huh.

Rocky smirks and heads for the mausoleum so he can get to his ring. I think he wants to do a bit of punching before he has to head back out, and I don’t really blame him. Teemo perches on a gravestone near the wall and helps direct my returning denizens, chatting with me as I keep moving the mana into the ally pool.

“So things have been mostly good while I was gone?” he asks, and I try to approximate a nod as I reply.

Yeah, that little panic attack aside. The scythemaw eggs are hatching, and the babies are painfully cute. They’ve been scurrying to the water in small groups, and me and Violet have both mostly been letting them go. There’s a couple rangers watching, and they grab one every so often to check on it. Nobody’s tried to tame one yet.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“How about that panic? Everything alright?”

I think ‘alright’ is a bit strong of a word, but I’m at least ok. I was just a bit blindsided, is all. How about you? Southwood seemed pretty happy with everything, but I think you’re better at judging that kind of thing.

“Yeah, Southwood is fine. I think he’s still trying to come to terms with having an ally instead of a liege.” Teemo smirks before continuing. “I’m kinda surprised you let Rocky teach the Stag about fire, though. It’s a good move. I think the Southwood really will designate a second scion, hopefully before the espionage turns to outright fighting with the dungeon.”

Have you been paying attention to the reports as I get them from Leo?

Teemo grimaces a bit at that. “A little? I worry about Yvonne and the others, so while I want to hear they’re doing fine, I’m also afraid of hearing they’re not.”

Well, they seem to be doing just fine. The last report Leo got relayed from them was that they’ve dropped off their last rockslide and are carefully probing closer to the dungeon. They sound confident, and I don’t blame them. Yvonne knows how rangers work, so she can identify what might make them investigate, and so stay away. Ragnar’s a dwarf, so if anyone is going to be easily able to navigate twisted tunnels and caves to stay under the radar, it’s him. And Aelara has her earth magic. As long as they don’t literally bump into a patrol, she should be able to hide them. With Nova there to be able to feel further than the others can see, I don’t think that’s going to happen.

Oh, that reminds me!

“Hmm?”

Nova’s been working on sculpting! Aelara made her a beautiful obsidian rose from some of Nova’s meltings, and she’s been inspired. She’s still got a ways to go to reach Aelara’s level, but simpler flowers are in her skill. They look cool, too, since she can only manipulate the magma still, so they look a little melted. I think it’s a neat effect, but I think Nova is a bit self-conscious about it.

Teemo laughs. “That sounds like Nova, yeah! I’ll have to ask her for one when she gets back.”

Yeah. I’m also hopeful she’ll be able to expand her affinities to get earth from her sculpting, too. Magma is just really hot earth, after all. I’m sure she’ll figure it out, even if only from trying to add some finishing touch as it solidifies.

“Oh hey, that reminds me.”

Yeah?

“How come you have all kinds of suggestions for the weirder affinities, but not a lot for the simple ones? Water, earth, air and such. I’d say fire, but you know a lot about fire.”

Well… I dunno. Maybe the others are just so well defined? There’s a lot of things in just earth, for example, so I don’t know where to start. Maybe once Nova gets it, she can explain. I get the feeling Rocky won’t be able to expand to earth just by using kinetics to toss around boulders.

Teemo nods at that, and we slip into a companionable silence for a few minutes, before I continue to try to bring Teemo up to date with the situation at home.

Oh, Jello got her title for metalworking!

“Oh yeah! I heard you when it happened, but I completely forgot about that! I’m gonna have to go visit her after the denizens are settled and congratulate her on that!”

There’s also the local haberdasher helping keep the spiderkin and ratkin warm on their trip. Did you know a haberdasher is basically just a tailor that specializes in men’s clothing, not just hats?

“Huh.” Teemo pauses in directing the returning denizens to let that sink in, before resuming his work. “Did he actually show the spiderkin a new way to weave silk?”

Nah, he has access to wool. I think Thing wants to try playing around with some heating and insulating spells to make it even better, but as it is right now, the dwellers are basically ready to march once you and Rocky are.

“I’d like a day or two before heading back out, please?”

Hah, no problem. It’ll give the new basilisks time to spawn some more, too.

Teemo smirks at that. “I wonder if you’ll ever get anything that looks like the dragons you were expecting, Boss.”

I hope so. I’m liking my weird ones too, though. It makes me wonder what else they might look like. Maybe I won’t get any normal dragons, and just get the weird ones!

Teemo smirks again. “It’d fit you, at least. You weirdo.” We both laugh at that and continue to chat as my denizens come home. I’m pretty sure we could talk like this even when he’s out on expedition, but it just feels right to just hang out here, chatting and laughing.