I search through my inherent knowledge before I find the solution. I create three mice, but add something else - a beast core. I instruct them to go forth and search, bringing back as many types of plants and creatures as they can. If they encounter anything they can’t handle, they are to return. The mice venture forth through a crack in the dome as I wait for their return, feeling my mana slowly regenerate.
As my mana fully regenerates, I continue to expand the cavern, adding natural-looking features like dips, hills, rocks, and crevices. I create mountain-like features leading up to the wall and attempt to create multiple waterfalls flowing into rivers that converge into a lake in the middle of the cavern. It takes some time, but I am finally able to figure out a solution for the water using stones I found and absorbed.
One stone is a bright blue that constantly pumps out water, while the other is a light gray that absorbs water. After tweaking them, I place the water stones at the waterfalls and a few absorbers in the lake, enhancing the beauty of the cavern. When my mice return, I shift my focus to them as they bring back their bounty and I absorb it eagerly. Suddenly, a blue screen appears in my vision, startling me.
You have gained new schemas.
You have absorbed a Blue Spruce. You have gained 5 XP.
You have absorbed a Redwing Beetle. You have gained 10 XP. You have absorbed a Aurora Tree. You have gained 20 XP...
I was confused. Why has this appeared now? I go through my memories, hoping for an answer. I finally found a memory of unlocking it, when I was of age. It was called the System, and every living creature had it, and unlocked when they were of age.
I remember the day I unlocked it. I was young, and as was our custom, I was called Folium before. The wolfkin named their pups depending on when they were born, and on the day they unlocked the System, the pups would choose their true Name. I chose Diana, which means ‘huntress under bright moon’ in the lycans’ language.
I remember the lycans’ forest vividly now, and vow to make mine as best as I can. The foliage the mice brought back was not enough for my forest, and I quickly made more mice and sent them all out. With the few plants I have, I populate the cavern floor, creating a few shrubs, mushrooms, and other plants. Experimenting a bit, I enlarged some mushrooms, making them as large as trees. Messing around a bit, I changed the color of some plants. Humming, my core brightened and I figured out how to make a few crystalline structures. They made my forest’s ambience interesting, to say the least.
I was jerked out of my thoughts when several of my mice stampeded into the cavern, squeaking in panic. They were pursued by a large gray-green snake. In panic, I created many more mice, weaving together mana frantically. My mice immediately attacked, scratching and biting. The serpent froze, confused, before attacking, but those few seconds were all my creations needed, tearing its flesh apart. The snake killed many of my mice, but eventually succumbed to its wounds, leaving my defenders victorious.
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You have gained a new schema.
You have absorbed a Gray Forest Python. You have gained 15 XP.
I ‘sighed’ in relief, then ordered my mice to search for plants with the same orders as before. Thank the Titans. After my mana regenerated a bit, I created a few snakes to guard me, sending three out to hunt. As I waited for my creations to return, I searched my memories for anything of use. One memory caught my attention, and as I watched, I was only interrupted once, when one of my snakes returned with part of a tiger. I absorbed it, and after examining my memories a bit more, I hummed in understanding. Profile.
Diana of the Crescent Moon
Dungeon Core
Titles
Dungeon Core
Chosen Of Wolves
Level 1 (65/100)
Racial Abilities
Mana Sense (Level 142)
Mana Manipulation (Level 126)
Creation (Level 65)
Stats
HP: 30
Mind: 25
Constitution: 15
Mana: 12/100 (5 mana/min)
Skills
Perfect Recollection (Max)
Dungeon Laws
N/A
Contracts
0/2
Named
0/5
Perks
N/A (Perks Available)
Schemas
Gray Mouse
Blue Spruce
...
Good. It works. I hum happily, my core glowing a bright silver. I look over my status. Though it is very different from when I was a lycan. What is a perk? I wonder, before ‘shrugging’ and selecting it mentally. After examining the many perks, I pick three: Wyld Affinity, which will let me give my creations the Wyld element, Aspect of All, which will let me empower all my creations, and Formless, which would let me create my own monsters from nothing. I could, for example, create a dragon at a high enough level, or my own unique monsters. I could also use my schemas as a template and modify it.