As Nico, Apper, and Corrin worked on the external structure of our guild hall, Takumi worked nonstop inside. The stout and bulky orc is built like a mountain, at least in girth and muscles. Though he is a head shorter than me, the middle-aged man has a barrel of a chest, shoulders, and legs. But not in a 'get lost in a cozy hug' girth. This is 'throwing rocks and punching bears all day long' kind of thick. It's uncomfortable when he folds his meaty arms and his bulky muscles rest in a strange position. His tusks are white, sharp, and shorter than Bosun's.
The mountain orc has restricted us from entering the underground den while he worked on his masterpiece. Any concerns on the matter are squashed by the assurance of Gavin, Nico, Tracy, Corrin, and practically anyone with any building experience. So while the Guild Hall was being revamped by five cultivators throughout the week, Takumi worked underground alone — nonstop."
"Most important aspect of building a structure," says Takumi in his heavy accent as he leads us underground, "is the foundation." The mountain orc slams his iron hammer into the side of the wall. A violent crash echoes through the tunnels, and before my ear stops ringing, he slams the hammer into the stairs and again into the walls. A crack forms in the head of the hammer and shatters on the next hit. Bits of iron fall to the ground, rolling to a stop at the bottom of the steps. "Normally, we don't go to such lengths for a foundation, especially since the fire glass stone is known for lightness. Since the sapper was adamant about building with the heaviest stone possible, I made adjustments.
"Factor in the underground swamp, the need for space, and flexibility, and well, this isn't anything close to what it was a couple days ago. My lads and ladies, let me present my pride and joy. This is my finest tunneling work and the proudest I've been of a job. Even my ole pops would say he's proud. Might even shed a tear. But Pa was always a ninny, even if he was withholding his approval, and you aren't here to listen to me talk. So let me show you a proper warren."
Besides the changes to the hardened earth, the width of the stairway has increased drastically. Six of us walk down shoulder to shoulder without bumping into each other. Another significant change is the direction in which we are walking. Instead of heading towards the center of the Guild Hall, we're walking away from it towards the east — if my sense of direction can be trusted. What once were long stairs leading to four sublevels are now only ten steps leading to a massive double door. The door is big enough to fit Fury in dragon form through it. The door glows with golden runes in a script I don't understand.
"Space, water, durability, and building concerns all factored into the decision to change the layout of the warren. Frankly speaking, building a basement under the guild hall wasn't feasible. Keeping the groundwater out was already using a bunch of mana, which allowed little improvement to the foundation needed to support the stone dome above. So let me present to you the solution."
The massive double doors open on their own. Excited glances are shared between us. Takumi flashes us a devious grin as he scratches at one of his tusks and leads us through the door. It's as if we're transported back outside. The sky is bright with wispy clouds above. The sun shines high in its early evening position. There's even a faint breeze that smells of pine and dirt. I begin to question if we're actually outside and try to calculate the math involved in order for us to get here. It doesn't add up.
"Thanks to the secrets of my craft and some help from Lana and Becky, we've replicated the exact weather of the perfect day. This natural lighting system and atmosphere will cycle like day and night. We have complete control of the cycle and weather down here. And yes, we're still underground."
I can't believe we're underground. The sun and sky alone mess with my mind. Then, there are pine trees, a small lake, and hundreds of buildings. Homes, workshops, the kitchen and cafeteria, and even farms sprawl across the cavern.
"Welcome to the Den," says Emma. Our guild master pats Takumi on the back, blushing the mountain orc's pale skin. This is the most exclusive hub for guild members."
"How is this even possible?" Nette is the first to express amazement. The academy director takes a deep interest in the forest grove, inspecting the various trees and shrubs. Pine needles shift through her hand, a few dropping to the soft soil below.
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"This is nothing," Takumi says, his chest and shoulders swell with pride. "Back home, entire cities and ecosystems are built underground. Our capital, Domhain, is burrowed into the heart of Mount Leathyne, and yet it spans the size of the entire continent. People think Mauna is small compared to the other three nations until they get a look inside. Cities sparkle with mithril. The streets are paved with silver and gold. Grand forests stretch out for hundreds of miles, lazy rivers connect vast lakes, fast travel is available at every town, and we have the best communities…" The orc trails off. "...But that is the work of mages. This is built by my hands."
The sparkle of pride in Takumi's eye is well deserved. Within a week, the miner created a mini world below ground. The gruff orc nearly tears up with all the admiration his work receives. Gene notices the proud miner trying to maintain his image and clears her throat to speak.
"As a guild city, we must provide for our members." Gene doesn't hide her emotions. Her smile is wide, and her aura is light and peaceful. The matron swells with happiness. "Every qualified member will be offered a place to live, food, and training. Originally, our plan was to establish an academy." The lycan motions to an outdoor campus nestled in the forest and lake.
The campus is large and open, with buildings of all shapes and sizes scattered around. The buildings are made of stone and wood and have large windows that let in the cavern's natural light. "Thanks to the efforts of Takumi and Nico, this campus will be able to fulfill that purpose.
For the next several hours, waves of our people are introduced to their new home. I get acquainted with the area, explore, eat, swim, and do more exploring. Despite being built by one person, there is a large variety of houses differing in shape and size. I pick one of the smaller homes as I don't need much and don't intend to spend much time in it. I questioned whether I actually needed a home. The memory of my old cave and how much I miss my space convinced me that I do.
My home is modest; it has a gathering place that I will fill with the best chairs. Connected to my soon-to-be lounge room is a kitchen and eating space large enough to host a couple dozen people. A hall leads to a gear room, and a stairway and a bathroom are next to that. Upstairs are three rooms and two more bathrooms. Connected to the kitchen is another door leading to a large room I intend to use for cultivation and training. It's perfect, and I already feel attached to it.
Sure, it isn't the largest or most impressive space — Colby, Bloom, and Glimmer, with their castles, get that award. Nor is it the most popular location, with most people choosing houses closer to each other, attractions like the campus, or general-use kitchens. I was actually tempted to pick a home closer to the prepared food. Serenity and a backdoor lake access won me over.
My house still needs work. Most houses on the outskirts still need to be finished. Priority to rune work was given to the more popular areas, or it could be the more popular areas are the completed houses. Glimmer says she can help me with all the rune work I want. She and Bloom are pretty pleased with their new living arrangement; between the two of them, they have three castles. Bloom is already planning for her second castle to be a party palace. Their excitement in my fulfilled promise has turned to gratitude, which they want to express through house upgrades.
I think Bloom is secretly trying to pawn her dead cat off on me, so they're buttering me up. Bloom acts cuddly to Panther and always has her at her side or takes off on rides in the wild. She will realize the castle is much too small for her and her pet, especially when Glimmer has an entire castle of her own. I could see her eyes spinning when she realized her second castle would be less of a home and more of a party. Of course, this can all be delusional speculation, and I just miss my dead cat.
The small moment of longing is almost enough for me to summon Gene's clone from my shadow as a wolf. I don't want to break her from her cultivation, so I start arranging my lounge room. Large group couches with soft fabric are created and positioned strategically. Footrests disguised as tables are placed next to couches. Blankets are woven, and extra soft cushions are added to the couches. Eight side tables are created and positioned next to the four couches. The last arrangement is a large mirror that I hang on an interior wall.
I sprawl out on my new couch. My body sinks into the softness, and I get lost in the abyss of its comfort. My eyes close, and I feel relaxed for the first time in a while. Other than my second and passive focus, working on mind manipulation, my thoughts are empty. I'm filled with joy and peace and let my empty thoughts drift away to rest.
Bang. Bang. Bang. I hear three sudden loud knocks on my door and one louder and more aggressive knock. "Jim, stop lying around, you lazy tart. We got some planning to do," Bones yells from outside. I stay cozy on my couch for one more moment before I greet my guest.