Chapter 15

Jack was sitting on his throne, feeling rather satisfied by the first dive into his dungeon by the adventurers. He especially enjoyed how the dungeon boss fight went. Mose was fast, strong and dangerous but not unbeatable. He could tell that the fight was very one sided since the Faldor and his party were the ones that beat it. Hells, he had had the feeling that the only reason that they didn’t kill the boss faster was because they wanted to get information on it before calling it a day.

Which was fine and understandable. It took a while for them to get to the dungeon boss and they had to deal with a few inconvenient ambushes. Plus he found the fight adventures had provided a good amount of information about his abilities as the dungeon master.

He learned that he could have the mobs resummoned while people were in his territory but it too time for them to respawn. It didn’t take long but it did take long enough but it was still a good ten to fifteen minutes before it happened. He also learned that if there was an adventurer within fifteen yards of where the mob should spawn then it won’t. Which was also fine and since he was a fair dungeon master, he arranged it so adventurers leaving the dungeon wouldn’t be attacked. If the adventurer was moving away from the center, then the mobs would avoid them entirely or hide. But if they took the same path they took before then the adventurers won’t encounter any mobs. Luckily, he was able to set that little feature so he won’t have to consciously make it happen. It was only fair after all. That and he did not want to have to conscious have to stop the mobs from spawning then individually make them spawn each time. NOPE! He was not going to deal with that kind of bulls shit if he could help it. he already had enough to do without micromanaging every little thing.

After almost eleven days since the first divers came and adventurers of all kinds were coming into the dungeon. It was really fun to watch them come and explore while fawning over the dungeon. And each group that killed his mobs he found they gave off some kind of energy, or maybe was it experience? Whatever it was he found that the more they gave off the more he felt his dungeon feed and grow stronger from it. It was in small increments but it was still a profit all the same. When an adventurer died though he got a bigger chunk of that energy, or experience, and it gave him a fair bit of a growth spurt. It was a bit saddening to see it happen but they knew the risks of coming into his dungeon. Not to mention some of them died in what has to be the dumbest ways he had ever seen.

Seriously! Why the fuck would someone go running a METAL CRAB MONSTER with nothing but a fucking DAGGER yelling?! Seriously! They could have just used a surprise attack then weaken it at range!

Buuuuuuut, it was pretty funny to watch that surprised look on their face when they stabbed the thickest part of its body. At least before the crab back clawed him in the head. Somehow that dumbass survived that and Jack still didn’t know how.

The gremlins all laughed or cursed at the sight as they had watched it all happen on one of the newest invention he made. A scying crystal only it wasn’t a ball but instead a large crystal that was shaped like a plane of glass. Many of the gremlins even had their favorite adventuring teams with some even putting on bets on how far they got, how long until they to a certain point, and other things like that.

Jack had just finished watching the latest group of adventurers explore the first layer and they were pretty beat up. They had just finished fighting Mose with their tank taking all the arrow attacks on his shield while the rest of the party wore her done. They had a few bad cuts but nothing that was fatal. Not to mention there was a healer back at their camp. Or better said the new settlement.

There was still mostly tents but there was the beginnings and foundation of a town being made. Trees were cut down for lumber some areas were being inspected to start looking for ore. When Jack pieced that together, he adjusted the loot drops on his mobs so they’ll also drop bronze and coper from his crabs. While Mose would drop ball of iron every now and again. Further incentivizing the adventuers to fight them. With the progress it took for the buildings to be made, Jack had to admit he was fairly impressed. Especially with how some magic users were using magic to shape the ground to make really sturdy looking foundations. Some taking it even further to make a one-story building for themselves.

All in all, everything was going fairly well. More people steadily came to the town from the east, and from what he saw by carrier pigeon, another town was being made in the west. And if his math was right then in another seventeen or so dives with no one dying he’ll level up his dungeon to level two. If maybe six or seven people died in the dungeon then he’ll level up all the sooner. He as actually a little excited to see what other new features he’ll get with the level up. Not to mention all the new information he was getting when people placed the information about other dungeons was helping him out tremendously. Frizzy’s idea for a box to turn in quest items was nothing short of genius. With that information he already had plans for what his second level was going to look like and even start some to set some of it up already.

There as just one little thing that mildly annoyed him… ok it annoyed him a lot. Fine! It really annoyed him.

His dungeon was gaining experience but his dungeon avatar wasn’t. Yes, technically HE was the dungeon and the avatar was just a part of the dungeon. But still, it should also be gaining something. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem the System, or whatever it was, didn’t agree.

After speaking to some of the gremlin elders and Frizzy, he learned the only ways they knew to grow ones level was to personally do things to level up. Such as doing quest, killing monster or creatures, practicing skills and spells, conduct research into subject and other things like that. No matter what he had to put work into it.

This left Jack a choice to make for now. He could stay in his dungeon or he can go out and explore. He could easily stay and work on his dungeon some more and continue working on his projects. Frizzy was also practically and adept fabricator in her own right. It was actually scarry how quickly she picked up the trade and how serious she was about studying. The only thing keeping her from reaching adept ranking in the trade was that she didn’t have the experience and her knowledge of arcane circles was incomplete. Once she learned that then the sky was the limit. But if she wanted to make journeymen rank, never mind master, she’ll need to get that experience and prove her skill. Favorite apprentice or not, there was going to be no special treatment in that regard.

Then there was leaving the dungeon to go on an adventure of his own. Looking for quests and exploring the world and go on a journey of self-discovery.

Jack was sitting on his throne as he contemplated his choices. His chin resting on his knuckles as he wore his new green suite with a blue shirt underneath. It was a hard choice. There was a lot that Jack wanted to do for his dungeon in order for it to be ready for the next layer. He wanted to get new mobs and also experiment with what he could make. Then there was seeing about if there were other humans out there in the world. there was also the fact that he wanted new materials to craft with. He really wanted the more exotic materials so that he can start making really good tools again. He had plans to make specialized rooms for his and his gremlins to use.

Honestly there was just a lot to do.

Luckily, Aegisthal was already at work at breaking into that damned vault. It would take a while since he made that son of a bitch tough as can be. But there was only so much punishment any item can take. It was only a matter of waiting now.

Oh who the fuck am I kidding. I have too much to do to go out and adventurer. Jack admonished himself. Besides, I’m having plenty fun as is here.

Hopping up from his throne, Jack walked over to Frizzy across the work shop who was busy teaching a group of young gremlins who also wanted to learn the trade. She had started teaching them the same way he did, only they were taking longer to figure out the watch problem then she did. It was only right that she be the one to teach them after all since she had proven to have the skill needed to teach the basics. But until she learns to work with arcane circles, she was a very talented tinkerer.

Once she learned that skill though, she’ll be one hell of a fabricator.

The young gremlins upon hearing Jack’s approach stopped their project and looked up at him excitedly. Each one greeting him as with a bright cheery wave and smile. Only for Frizzy to snap at them with a bark to get back to work.

“Hello Teacher.” Frizzy greeted once all her apprentices were back in line. “Was there something that you needed? Or are you just bored and wanted to cause some trouble in my lesson?” she asked with a raised eyebrow and arms crossed.

“Yes to both.” Jack said unapologetically. “I decided that in a few days I’m going to teach you how to use arcane circles. At least the basics to get you started.” He said then crossed his arms over his own chest and made a sniffle noise before sounding as if his feelings were hurt. “But with how fast you learn… I sometimes it feels like you don’t need your poor old teacher…”

“You must be very lucky to have such a talented student than.” She replied with a smirk. “What can I do to help Teacher? You said you needed me for something?”

“Yep. Want to help me make the next mob idea that I had? It’s a fun one.”

“Yes!” Frizzy said immediately, casting aside the air of cool calm and collected she been putting on for her students.

The class of young gremlins were all practically cheering and or begging to also come along if only to watch. Jack deferred to Frizzy to decide since it was her class and they were her students. He might be her teacher but he wasn’t going to undermine her in front of her class. But ultimately Frizzy told them all to go home early and practice at home. Which of course they all did but with no small amount of whining and complaining. As well as a few devious little smiles that promised pranks of retribution on her later.

Once they were all gone from the workshop and tower, Jack ignited the forge and summoned an elven zombie that wasn’t animated. Essentially making a dead body appear on the polished smooth crafting table and summoned some coper, iron, steel, tin, bronze, brass and of course the metal he made Osteal Ferrum. Even if he couldn’t smell, he made a point to make body as fresh as possible with only the smallest bit of rot. If he had to put a time for how long the made body had been dead, it would likely look maybe the person died a day ago.

“So my delightful and devious apprentice. Today we are going to do some experimentation.” Jack said with an eagerness in his voice. “Know I know this is going to be… alright let’s be honest. This might get a bit gross but this is not just a construct dungeon. But and undead and construct dungeon.”

Frizzy eyes the mostly unspoiled body with suspicion but didn’t interrupt as Jack explained. Turning back to him once he was done explaining to silently ask, ‘are we about to do what I think we are about to do?’ to which Jack only nodded.

“Hey, I’m not exactly thrilled about the idea of it either. BUUUUUUUUUT another way to look at his is watch exercise I gave you when you started to learn. You got to take something apart to understand how something works, not just know how it works.” He said defensively.

“I’m not judging Teacher.” She said with her hands raised to show she wasn’t going to fight him on the topic. “I’m actually a little curious myself how we work. But I’m not cutting the body open. Besides, its not like you just robbed a grave or anything. You literally made the body just now.”

“Oh… I was honestly expecting you to… you know… ‘Teacher! What is wrong with you?!’ or maybe, ‘Teacher, have you lost your mind completely?’.” Jack said a bit surprised. “And your condition is fair. You’ll just take notes then.” He said as he made a blank book appear on the work table.

The book cover was leather bound a green cover with vellum pages since he wanted to be a little fancier with this one. Plus he got access to vellum when one of the adventurer’s gave him information on other dungeons since it was written on vellum.

“By the way teacher, I have a question.” Frizzy asked while picking up the book and picked up a nearby pen to stir the ink in the ink pot.

“Sure, what’s on your mind?” Jask asked as he used some the spell Form and Function to make a steel scalpel.

“Is this body able to move if you animated it?” Frizzy asked while testing the consistency of the ink.

“Yep. If I used my reanimate spell, it should get up and do whatever I tell it to do.” He said as he tested the edge of the newly made scalpel on a piece of paper he summoned.

“If you can do that then doesn’t that mean you already know the body and its form?” she asked, seeming satisfied with the ink and left the pen in the ink well. sitting on a nearby stool next to Jack.

“Hmmmmm… Yes and no.” Jack answered off handedly. “It’s more or less the situation with the watch again. If you give someone who never saw a watch the blueprint and the parts, they can assemble a watch.” He said as he made a few more scalpels of different sizes and edge types. “I had my dungeon absorb a few bodies already. Like you said before, anything my dungeon absorbs I can recreate. I have the blueprints in my head and can remake it with mana. But that doesn’t mean I understand how the body works. I only know enough to make a prosthetic that fits the person it attaches to and able to work on their command. Much like how your arm works.” He continued making three new scalpels and placing them next to the first.

Frizzy pulled out her personal note book and took notes. Writing quickly in her small tight letters to write quickly while fitting as much as possible on one page.

“So you understand what make us control the arm but not what makes the arm move?” She asked, quickly looking up from her note book to pay attention to what he might say.

“Pretty much.” Jack shrugged while turning to face her. “Once I teach you to use arcane or mana circles to make magic items, I’ll start to teach you about prosthetics. Making a working prosthetic is how to tell if you qualify as a journeyman level Fabricator or not. Actually, by having you help with me you are getting an early peek at what’s next in your training as a Fabricator. We’ll get more into that later.” He said with a wave of his had as if to dismiss the topic.

“For now…” he said as he picked up a scalpel while looking at Frizzy with what she could have sworn was a shit eating grin despite not having a face. “Let’s open this bad boy up and see what’s inside!”

For the next nine hours Jack dissected the body while Frizzy took meticulous notes. Between Jack inappropriate jokes and Frizzy literally slapping his head off his shoulders, they methodically examined and documented everything they saw. From the layering of skin, to veins, nerves, muscle, organs and bones. They explored and documented each and every part of the body. The end Frizzy, though a little greener than she was blue at the moment, had taken very detailed notes. Making crude drawing and diagrams alongside the notes where she could. It was a tad messy at the end as the parts such as organs and other various tissues were stored in various containers for later examination.

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Once done, Jack wished Frizzy a good night before she turned in for the night. Leaving him alone with the remains as he thought over everything he had learned thus far. It was a good start since he now had a better understanding of how body was formed and how it held together. Now came the part where he had to understand how the parts work with one another.

Looking at what remained of the body, he cleaned up the mess by having the remains reabsorbed back into his dungeon before resummoning a new one. Making sure to leave the organs and tissues untouched.

“Well, my mister body. You and I have a long night ahead of us.” He said as he took some coper and used his spell to form dozens of thin copper needles.

thirteen hours later…

Jack wrote down his latest findings from his experiments. He found that the certain parts tissues were responsive to certain amounts of electricity. Allowing for limbs to move and bend to all manner of degrees. What was really interesting though was that if the muscle contacted hard enough it actually would tear the connecting tissue from the bone. These discoveries actually gave him a few ideas on what he might do for his new mob. But the problem was he didn’t have any of the metals on had that would be conductive enough for what he had in mind. There might be something in his vault but he couldn’t be sure.

During the last stretch of the night, Jack decided to work more on the second layer of his dungeon.

At first it was mainly forested area just outside the actual foundation of the old town. There as a stream that flowed through it also fed into the original town to supply it with water and flush out waste through the sewers. Since there was already a barrier set at the end of the first layer, he decided to build the second layer up from there. He decided to make a stretch a good hundred yard from that barrier before the adventurers saw that first indicator of the second layer. It was there that he started to form a nice tall wall of stone. At fifteen feet tall and four feet thick, Jack seriously doubted that someone would be able to blow a hole through that.

He made three points of entry with gate doors made of thick iron doors designed to hand on a roller rail up top so they can slide to the sides into the walls. The mechanism that opened the doors were a chain crank system that would only be opened with that token that was collect from the skeleton guarded by the first boss. Once it was made, he decided to make the second lay two miles wide. Within that band he decided to make it a worn-down residential area. He made sure that the structures were made to look like they had been battered and attacked. Some were of course collapsed while others looked to be what was left after a fire. The buildings were also overgrown with vines and other plant life. He wanted everything to look like the forest was trying to reclaim it to really give it that old ambiance. Even made a point to do the same thing to the outer wall. By the time he was done making the layer look like it was once a thriving residential area, made another wall and two boss areas. One at the north and one at the south.

Now it was a matter of waiting. To reach level to start setting up his mobs and make the boss.

Until then it was back to experimenting with the body.

When he looked out the window to see that it was maybe an hour before sun rise, he decided to wait for Frizzy to come back. For the experiment he wanted to try graphing a metal ally into the body. Coating the nerves with one of the more magically conductive alloys he knew. Luckily for him it was made with two metals he had already absorbed into his dungeon so he could make the ingredients on demand. Since he was going to teach her about magic circles so he might as well teach her about the alloy and how to make it.

In the meantime, Jack had opted to start making a few toys. It was not something overly elaborate but it was something kept him busy. He needed to have something to do during the night since he didn’t need to sleep nor sure if he could anymore. Not sleeping had really messed with his sense of time.

By the time he was working on the fourth toy, a mechanical wolf made of bronze, Frizzy had come back to the workshop while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Seeing him hunched over while working on his toy. Utterly distracted and painfully unaware of his surroundings. A devilish smile split her face at this while she quietly moved closer to him. Once she was within reach of the of him, she decided to test one of the features of her arm. With a prosthetic finger extended towards his back, she activated the mana conduit feature making a magical spark appear and jump into his tail bone.

“Son of a bitch!” Jack shouted, forgetting the toy he was working on to jump up and clutch the back of his pelvis while the stool he was using tumbled over.

Frizzy for her part had jumped back while snickering in victory at her prank. While Jack continued to curse up a storm. Trying to get the tingle out of his spine as he rubbed his tail bone.

“Why!?” Jack demanded as Frizzy snickered all the harder. “My ass is even more numb then normal now!”

Frizzy only laughed harder at this and even started to cough from how hard she was laughing.

“Retribution…” Jack growled at his apprentice. “It shall come when you least suspect it.”

“Hehehehe. Come on, admit it. I got you.” She snickered once she was able to catch her breath. “Now let’s get back to studying the bod…what happened to the body we are working on?” she asked once she saw the new body in place of the old one.

“Fine, you got me.” Jack grumped. “I replaced the first one. We couldn’t work on it anymore since it was literally taken apart in every way. Got this new one so we could try some new experiments. Need an intact body for that.”

“Alright. Good point.” Frizzy relented as she looked at the body. “But why are there copper needles stuck into it in lines like that?”

“The copper needles are part of the experiment.” Jack answered while picking up his stool. “The needles are lines along the major nerves of the body. Today we are going to use a one of the most favored alloys of a Fabricators for making magic items.”

“We’re going to make Aurigold?” Frizzy asked excitedly. Practically hopping with anticipation while her ears were perked up high.

“Correct!” Jack declared with a clap before pointing at her. “Five points to the blue lady!”

“Yes!” She said with a big grin then gave a confused expression. “What are the points for?”

“Not important.” Jack answered while waving the question away dismissively. “What is important is that I’m going to teach you how to make it.”

Frizzy was smiling from ear to ear while Jack summoned needed gold and silver.

After summoning the needed metals, Jack portioned the metal and needed to make the mix. Making sure the leather sheet was rolled out on a nearby table. Using it show Frizzy the needed transmutation circle for purification and refining the metals.

Even if the metals he summoned were of high quality it was still good to get her in the habit since not everything she’ll be working with will be summoned by him. especially if she ever decided to leave to make her own shop.

With that step done, he proceeded to show her how to combine the metals though both transmutation circle and by using a crucible. The end product being two ingots of Aurigold. Or as most jewelers called it electrum. After he got the notification saying that ingots were of very high-quality Jack placed them next to the body. That was nearly covered in coper needles and also partially by the cloth linens since the body he produced this time didn’t have the freshest skin.

“Alright Frizzy. We have almost everything we need.” Jack said with a clap of his boney hands making her jump and look up from the notes she was taking. “Now this next part is normally done by only Master Fabricators so you aren’t allowed to try this until I say you can. Buuuuuuut since you have been learning everything really quickly and been super responsible, I’m gonna show you so you have another reason to become a master yourself!” Jack said as he grabbed a manna conductor and channeler along with another leather sheet.

“What are you going to show me?” Frizzy asked eagerly. Still just as excited to learn more as she had when he first started teaching her.

It still surprised him to be honest. Most of what he had showed her had been fairly common knowledge. Hells, you didn’t even need to be a fabricator to know that these methods and skills existed. The way she acted though made him think that people forgot these skills and tricks were ever real at all. It made him wonder just how much people have forgotten or how low the standard of common knowledge had dropped.

What he was about to show her though was a trick that was not common knowledge.

“I am going to show you how to make a mana stone.” Jack said casually while Frizzy’s eyes became as large as tea saucers.

“But… mana stones are rare… really rare.” Frizzy said sounding like wanted to believe him but was struggling to do so.

“Yep!” Jack said chipperly, enjoying that he could still shock and surprise her. “They sure as shit are! Fucking expensive too. Yet they are very useful for our trade as consistent power source. The masters of old, like any good fabricator, saw this as a problem and decided to solve it. They invented a way to make their own but in discovering this solution they found another problem. Make too many mana stones and to frequently and you’ll ruin the markets. Plus you’ll also make it too easy for dangerous and irresponsible people to get a hold of it.” Jack lectured as he prepared the leather sheet.

Jack used the mana conductor and conduit to draw and form the arcane circle into the leather. There was no reason to make a permanent one so he was making it into the leather. Besides, by guild laws it was not allowed to make this circle into anything permanent. The arcane circle was a sequence of squares crossing sections across one another. Their lines crossing one another into making a swirl point into the center. The pattern taking form within an octagon with an outward pointing triangle connecting to outer face of each side of the octagon. From an artistic perspective, one could have compared it to a geometric sun.

“What was their solution?” Frizzy asked eagerly like a child listening to a fantastical story told by their parents. “Those sounded like huge problems for what they invented.”

“Damn right they’re big problems.” Jack confirmed while double checking his work. “Their solution was luckily really simple. They kept that knowledge to themselves. They made specific laws within the guild stating that there is to be no written record of this arcane circle. They only taught this circle to masters within the guild as well with the condition that it wasn’t to be used frequently. That way there was no sudden bulk of the stones and knowledge wouldn’t be abused. Plus natural mana stones were stronger anyway so people still had to buy them for making more powerful tools and machines. All and all it worked pretty well.”

“That’s…” Frizzy said, struggling to find the right words.

“Yeah, it’s not what you would expect.” Jack said with a shrug. “And the process for making magic stones is also a bit underwhelming as well.”

Frizzy nodded in agreement.

“Teacher, why are you making a mana stone anyway?” She asked while gazing at the leather sheet curiously.

“You’ll see. Just give me a minute to make the stone.”

Jack placed a hand on either side of the circle on the leather. Resting his thumbs on either side on the tips of a triangle on either side before activating it.

With the circle activated, mana was called and pulled from the air around them. Condensing and compiling it to form just over the leather at the center. The mana gradually taking physical form as a small viscus white blob. Steadily growing bigger as its surface rippled until it was the size of a large marble. Only then did it go from a liquid state to a solid one before fell out of the air to land on the leather with unceremonious plop.

“There we go, a brand new mana ston-“ Jack was saying until a notification popped up to interrupt him.

Attention!

You have found a prime Dungeon Sentinel candidate!

Dungeon Sentinel

Dungeon Sentinels, unlike other dungeon mobs, are the wardens and keepers of dungeons. A Dungeon Sentinel is a more powerful version of a dungeon mob. Unlike a regular dungeon mob who will simply do as instructed by the Dungeon and or Dungeon Master in the most direct way possible. A Dungeon Sentinel will not only do as instruct but also think on its own to accomplish its task in the most efficient way possible. While still being a dungeon mob, these mobs are unique in that they can think for themselves and even have their own personalities.

Dungeon Sentinel Candidate option:

Aurigold Mummy

Create a Dungeon Sentinel?

Yes/No

Attention!

Dungeon Avatar has reached level 2

For your discovery for a second Dungeon Sentinel before the dungeon has reached level 2, Dungeon Avatar have been awarded level 2 status.

Dungeon Avatar Sheet Level 2

Race: Lich

Stats:

Strength: 12 Agility: 15

Durability: 18 Intelligence: 30

Wit: 28

Race Abilities:

Level: 1

Spell Casting

Life Siphoning

Curses Casting

Necromancy Affinity

Quick Study

Spell Resistance

Level:2

Mana Absorption

Essence Scrying

Dark Communion

Chilling Aura

Spells Available:

Level: 1

Form and Function

Stone Needles

Electric Bolts

Detect Resources

Refinement

Reanimate

Minor Detonate

Sickening Fog

Level:2

Spectral Shield

Deathly Lure

Rotting Chains

Sealing Glyph

Haunting Wail

Arcane Weld

Construct Repair

Chain Lightening Arc

“… Frizzy. It looks like we just found another sentinel candidate.” Jack said sounding surprised at first then practically giddy. While Frizzy did in fact cheer. “And I leveled up! Got new spells and abilities but we’ll figure that out later. Let’s see what our new friend is like!”

Frizzy for her part giddily told him to stop stalling and just do it already.

Selecting ‘yes’ they were greeted to the same sight as the first time when they made Aegisthal.

The air started to swirl and churn around the work table while mana from Jack’s mana pool started to get funneled into it. only this time, instead of bone and liquid metal forming the cocoon. A dark energy and bright shining gold like energies swirled and formed around their experiment. Both energies swirled and twisted into one another but never completely mixing. Creating a kaleidoscope of patterns as if ink-stained water and died oil. Both resisting and fighting one another yet still working in harmony to form the singular body while pulsating with power. Greedily it siphoned Jack’s considerable mana pool as he saw it also pulled mana from the air itself. Further feeding the twisting swirling energies as the cocoon became denser. Radiating light while the air crackled with minor arcs of lightening across its surface.

Jack and Frizzy watched with baited breath. Excited to see what this new Sentinel will look and be like. Aegisthal was a presence all of his own. An unmovable bulwark and as unstoppable as a land slide. Very direct and upfront about everything they spoke about. Despite his bluntness it was an actual pleasure to be around the juggernaut though he wasn’t much of a conversationalist.

This new sentinel to be though, they were a mystery. Untapped potential that was just waiting to be released into the world to act as an extension of his will. Jack was eager to see who his new sentinel. Excited to discover what they will become and ready to learn what they will be like in terms of how they will see the world around them.

When Jack felt the mana swirling around them stop flowing into the cocoon, the cocoon swirling back and gold twisted and pulsed all the faster. The twisting and swirling patterns moving all the faster until the eye could no longer keep track. That was then cocoon started to shrink gradually taking the form of a man.

At this Frizzy was thumping Jack’s leg and side excitedly. Practically hopping with anticipation to show she felt the same as her teacher.

“It’s happening!” she all but shrieked in delight.

Once the energies of midnight black and radiant gold took their final form to outline the new sentinel, they vanished to reveal them.

Standing there at just under six and half feet tall, stood a bipedal being. Their body wrapped in interwoven linen that shined with the pale yellow with a grayish hue of Aurigold. Completely covering their form as if it was their skin. They stood regal and posed as some of those metal wrappings hung from their arms and shoulders with frayed endings. Revealing they were made up of Aurigold threads with each being as thin as fine hair woven together. Their frame was fit yet thin, not the build of a warrior or fight as air was filled with the smell of rich spices. In place of their face, saw a mask that was reminiscent of a great horned owl. The mask covered their face entirely and even parts of the sides of their head. Made from the darkest onyx jack had ever seen and inlayed with pure silver to make the details of the mask. Black lenses of the mask covered the eyes yet Jack could feel the eyes of this new sentinel entirely focused on him and him alone. With their gaze, Jack there was a depth of wisdom and intelligence hidden behind that mask. Then Jack felt the link between them where he could sense this new sentinel’s mind.

The new sentinel was focused, eager and excited. Curious of everything around them and wanted to understand all that was around them. They wanted to explore and to understand.

Once fully formed, the figure made a deep bow. Their hands spread wide out to their sides, steping back with one leg while bending both knees, their back bent to lower their head yet keeping their eyes fully on Jack.

“Greetings my Primus Sage! I have come to exist at your behest.” The new figure said sounding rather happy and with a voice of a well-educated young noble man. “What purpose would you have of me?” He asked curiously with his head partly tilted at the question.

Stepping forwards, Jack approached the well-spoken Sentinel then made a gesture for sentinel to stand. Which the sentinel eagerly obeyed.

“You were born from experimentation and study, discovered by an accident like many great discoveries are.” Jack said choosing his words yet also let them flow. “I would have you put that great mind to work. To study magics, to learn of the greater mysteries, to understand why things work as they do. Then share that knowledge with those of who call my dungeon home so they too can learn of the world and understand it’s inner workings. To that goal, I name you Omnus.”

“Then it shall be done! I will absolutely contribute to the creation of a grand library, brimming with knowledge from every discovery and invention! Anyone with a thirst for knowledge will be welcome, and they shall either find the answers they seek or gain the tools to uncover them themselves! I’ll begin at once! Of course, only upon your leave.” Omnus said eagerly with another quick bow.