7 - Refurbish and Recollect

"Well first off, now that I have some time and a helper with a bit more sense and ability, perhaps I can see about trying to fix the place up more so I'm not living in..."

"Poverty? Ruins? Something better than just rocks on wood?" Krea offered as she sat back at the table again, tapping a finger on it, "How'd you even make this?"

"The pool's able to process materials down into usable goods but um...., it kinda needs to know how the thing should look and act first." Zaya explained as she came over and picked up one of the cups, "These poorly made ones I made by bending metal into a good enough shape but all I had to do was make one and the pool could make more in a similar shape."

"Honestly, it feels just like a 3D scanner and printer." she thought to herself. So long as you fed a blueprint into it, you could get what you wanted so long as you gave the materials up too.

"And most the stuff I've found were either rotted away or broken. The board you see here I found in a few pieces and was able to have the pool put it together..., wheels were to far gone to try though."

"Hmmm if that's the case..., I might be able to 'grow' you a bed which you can use as reference. Though it might take some time. Along with a door or two..., semi function ones." Krea shot a glare at a sheet a metal wedged into a door with just a rod stabbed through it and bet to act as a handle, "But you didn't take anything from the bandit.... oh wait no you would have shown up at my place with a mattress if you did."

"Yeaaaaaaaaaah...., for as 'monstrous' as I am, I can't carry much more than a human. I mean I could probably carry two backpacks worth of loot if I really tried but I can't dead left a small homestead. And these little guys can't carry too much either." She gave one of the Larva on the table a small pet which the creature leaned into, "It takes about two or three of them to drag something to the pool. Qilopes are better at carrying stuff but they're slow and I didn't want either of them coming with me."

"I suppose that makes sense and well...., seems you're right." She cocked her head to the side.

Zaya turned and saw two Qilope dragging slain Bramblestriders, one each, to the pool. Given they were about three times bigger than the small metal goo amebas, it was impressive to see them effortlessly drag the larger creatures...., even if the pace was pretty slow. A mental picture of a snail carrying a bundled up blanket flashed in Zaya's head, and that was a good way to describe it.

"And your pool will..., break them down so they don't regrow... right?" Krea voiced as she watched the small creatures drag the plant monsters.

"The core root is mildly toxic. It has been removed and repurposed into alchemical reagents for my Empress." the statue from the pool explained as it started to process the offered corpses, "Remaining plant matter is unlikely to spread any more than uprooted ivy and moss."

"I still need a name for you..., hmmm have to think it over." Zaya called over her shoulder, only to snap back to Krea when she gave a light slam on the table and stood up.

"That plant matter..., could you supply some for me?" She asked, taking a few steps to the pool.

"I have no..." the Statue started, only to see the glare Zaya was giving her over Krea's shoulder, "Very well."

With a wave of it's hand, a square like shape appeared from under the surface of the pool and moved forward, the liquid stretching out like a long tentacle. The 'box' at the tip opened up and dumped a pile of thick leaves and vines onto the floor before the entire mass retreated back into the pool, letting Krea dig through the left behind vegetation.

"And you're going to make a bed... or bedding out of that?"

"No." Krea answered over her shoulder, "The leaves are too rough to be of use like that. I have a different idea. Oh could I get..."

After getting a few more things provided to her by the pool, Krea took her leave over to one of the adjacent rooms to work. This worked out well for Zaya as she wanted to check a few things herself and she didn't want to seem like she was.... zoning out. It had been awhile since she check so she pulled up her info and....,

Oh. Oh wow.

Zaya Information

• -Race: Bioferric(Empress, Level 3, 32/3000 Experience)
• -Class 1: Sorcerer(Tier 1, Level 2, 17/2000 Experience)
• -Class 2: Assassin(Tier 1, Level 2, 3/2000 Experience)
• Race Perk 2/2
• Class Perk 2/2

She'd jumped four levels in total since last she checked and that was before... the innkeep no... since leaving the Bandits. Her "Empress" was the highest level and that made sense given her Demon King Heart perk; seemed 'corrupting' people also seemed to grant more EXP than even killing humans. Two other ideas came to her though; One, it took time to 'process' the EXP so she wouldn't gain it all at once. Or she was getting EXP from somewhere else.

If it was coming from something else; her Pool and Minion's actions granting her some EXP would make some sense. Zaya hadn't paid attention to that while she was inside the ruins at the start. Or perhaps Ryia's actions with the left over liquid would also grant her experience; after all it was both her 'Race' action and '****' from her classes.

The final thought was; both gave her EXP. But she only got that Exp when bonding with the Pool again. It saved all sorts of materials in the first place; perhaps it could 'store' EXP as well. Something to test later, she would just mentally and physically note it down. Speaking of noting things..., Perks?

"Oh I suppose I have some sort of Perk tree and.....oh. Oh no."

It looked to be a pretty 'big' skill tree to the point it looked like it looped back in on itself a few times. Made her head hurt. That was the Classes tree though and that made a bit of sense given every Class could be built towards one of three paths or more, or combined in different ways. So those being stupid webs made a level of sense even if it was tough to process.

What was easier to understand was her Empress tree as it was split into three main arteries; Royalty, Behemoth, and Dungeon Master with not as much overlap between them. And that third option was only due to the fact she was was one so normally that part wouldn't be there.

"Pool... no. I need a name for you." She turned towards the statue and thought for awhile, her memory reaching back to grasp at her previous life, "....Ciara."

"If that is the name you bless me with, I will accept it." the now named Ciara said with a slight bow, "What may I do for you."

"I have two paths to power it seems; three technically but I know what that one is. When it comes to our kind; what is a Royal and what is a Behemoth?"

"Both are the Apex of a Colony." she began, weaving her arms over the pool and causing two small statues to be carved from the material.

One human sized and dressed elegantly, the other a large monstrous creature of pure muscle and, if real, probably way too many metal spikes and tentacles. She put a hand over the smaller of the two statues.

"Royals are just that, the ruling body of the Colony. They make the long term plans and over see the direction of how the Colony should act where as the Core handles the day to day tasks. They are accomplished mages, tacticians, and crafters but are no slouches in melee combat either. Behemoths on the other hand," Her hand drifted over to the other statue, "Are nothing more than engines of destruction. Massive seige weapons of metal, muscle, toxins and rage. They lead assaults against heavily defended areas or are spawned forth to fight the most dangerous assaults."

End of the day it sounded like something Zaya had seen in her previous life. Granted that was about Vampires instead of metal monsters but there were a few stories where Vampires were split between charming schemer of the night...., and unstoppable berserker that drank a body dry in seconds while killing five others.

Ciara also added that under normal circumstances, the Core would usually make it's own choices towards it's growth, or be 'automated'. However with their body due to the Dungeon Master perk; it seemed that Zaya would have to make the choices for her and thus the extra option in her race skill tree.

While certain abilities would still unlock from just level or other conditions, this meant she'd have to use some of her Perks to make Ciara stronger. Upside was that she got to choose which ones she took, and there was a way to get more 'Dungeon' perks; just kill another Dungeon Master and take their Core. And if she stabilized her claim on the ruins, maybe she'd get one that way too.

"Well that's something to get to later." Zaya thought as she put the status screens to the side, "I'll bank them for now."

There was an upside though; minion generation seemed tied to level as opposed to just 'perks'. She could spend some to make her army larger but it was nice to know she could make more just by getting her Monster Level higher. She hadn't unlocked any new minions though but with Krea on board, perhaps that wasn't too much of a problem.

Her thoughts were broken when she saw something get tossed into the pool. She turned and realized Krea was standing there with a look on her face. She waited a moment before she gestured towards the pool with a 'get on with it' sort of look. Zaya rolled her eyes and gestured for Ciara to... well she guessed that Krea wanted to throw something in to 'save the blueprint' so she ordered the object brought back up.

It was... a sheet. No not a sheet, more a curtain. It was made by weaving the vines together into a strong sheet, with the thick leaves wrapped around the mass. At the top, or she guessed the top given what was there, were a series of stone rings that the vines were wrapped around. A long rod of metal was also looped into the rings too, allowing the rings to slide along it's length.

"You made curtains?" Zaya asked. A thought occurred to her; she didn't remember any 'doors' at Krea's place besides the entrance.

"These are more than enough for you in the place of 'doors'. The interwoven leaves and vines are thick enough to trap heat inside of a room and can help muffle noise. NOISE mind you, your little dungeon might make. I also think if you make one big enough, you can probably cover that big hole above." She pointed at the large gap above them.

"I suppose that's easier to make with how fast those Bramble monsters grow according to you. It'll save on stone, wood or metal for now. But these won't attract bugs or something will they?"

"The metal monster is worried about bugs." she got a shrug for her trouble, which made Krea rolled her eyes, "I can weave some repellent spells into the curtains along with a small preservation. That should keep them for a few weeks or months, longer if I can refresh the spell. But this was the easiest thing I could do for you in such a short time. Growing you a bed would take longer."

"Honestly I believe it might just be easier to go buy one in town with the money you'll earn."

"Yeah... that or just get Ryia to give me one of her beds." Zaya said as she commanded Ciara to make more out of the Bramble monster remains, "Or maybe even sell these in town... heh big monster turned into fabric seller; I can hear how puzzled several gods are."

"That would be rather funn.... wait minute. Ryia? The innkeep girl in town? ..... YOU **** HER TOO!!!"

Oh boy. That wasn't a good sign.

"Yes I **** her..., and honestly she's more worrying that you are."

"What do you mean?" Krea folded her arms.

"I used a smaller dose on her than you and she took to it... way harder than you did. So either..., 'normal' people are less resistant to it, or there's something odd about her. ...., Can you have an inherited weakness to mind control or something?" Zaya asked. That might be something she'd need to account for going forward.

"Hmmm, I'm unsure without taking a look at her. It's not as if I had any barriers prepared and apparently also got pretty horny and willing to listen to you..., at least in the bedroom."

"No but you seemed to have a... stronger and more willful personality so you didn't just like... instantly snap. Which is why you'd be one of the head girls if we keep going like this."

"Head girls? You want me to share you?"

"I mean think about it." Zaya pulled Krea closer, her hand tracing up and down her back, "You get to see me put some girls into their places. Mmm you woudn't object if you used a spell or potion to make Dalila our size...., and then I just start spanking that cute ass of hers, making her submit to being a 'good girl' now, would you?"

"She is... a bad girl that needs a good spanking yes...." Krea moaned as she thought about it..., Zaya plowing away at the bratty woman's pussy while she sat on her face..., "Well..... mmmm look." She spun to get a little distance between them and to look Zaya in the eye, "Apparently you let me keep my mind because you either liked me, or you wanted my abilities and a fuck puppet isn't the best at spells. But that doesn't mean I'm going to be an 'easy' girl either."

"Of course not." She brought a hand to Krea's chin and pulled her closer, leaning in to meet her lips, "The hunt is part of the fun. I like the idea of pull and push between us rather than you just wantonly moaning for my cock or ready to drop your pants at a moment's notice. I already said I want you as a partner...., but just be ready to have a lot of partners along side you."

"That said..., if my partners want to go have some fun..., without me, I won't complain either...." Her smile was wide as Krea could see the mischief in her eyes.

"COUGH.. well..., this is a bit much to... process all at once. ...., that said I don't believe you brainwashed Dalila just yet so future ideas with her are off the table for now."

"I did **** her to test but Sprites seem to just burn through that far faster than a normal human. But she does seem fun, not sure what more than that she can bring. Still, even if she isn't brought in, she's 'my people'."

"Your 'people'?"

"My girls. My friends. My Partners. Even if I haven't 'recruited' them like I have you or Ryia, there are people I'm more than likely going to care about in ways that aren't just 'drag them to the bedroom'. I mentioned that already; I'll fight to protect my people who are close to me or that I've decided to protect. I mean an example, that guild girl is pretty cute so I'd like to protect her, maybe recruit her. But some of the shopkeeps seem to be just... okay to nice people. And well if they died in an attack or something; I'd be annoyed but I wouldn't feel the..., guilt of not saving them I guess. It's hard to word it."

"Hmm look at you, talking like you're some sort of Baron. Peasant losses are acceptable but once it starts causing YOU a problem then you have to get involved."

"I suppose I just have to keep you around to ground me then." Zaya gave her one last kiss before they separated, "I won't grief the **** of a random human but touch my stuff and the poisons come out. And currently, Dalila is one of my 'things' as well... she's just fun and useful."

"Alright alright..., I think I get it." Krea said leaning in after Zaya to give another kiss. She pulled back with a deep blush on her face, "So..., what now? I suppose we can go back to... my place if you want...., I'd rather not move in here JUST yet...."

"Yeah I'd rather not move humans in till I have this place locked down. I'll have to deal with that before brining allies here. No reason for them to get eatten by some random monster."

"Oh of course not, they'd only be allowed to be eaten by you huh."

The blush on Krea's face deepened. The woman knew JUST what she meant by that comment and still said it. Zaya was right, keeping Krea largely as is was going to make for some fun times.

Well the break time was over, time to get back to work.

Encounter Table(d20)

• 1-4: Head to Krea's place for... any number of reasons
• 5-8: Check in on the Sprites(See how Krea reacts to Dalila now)
• 9-12: Head back to Town(We should check on Ryia or the Guild
• 13-16: Dungeon Tidying(experimenting with the pool and soldifying her hold on the Ruins
• 17-20: Something else happens(Monsters, Bandits... Adventurers?)