Improvements and set-backs.

You decide that your gathering trip is at an end and return to your lair, depositing the reasonable amount of ore you were able to harvest into your stockpile. The first thing you decide to do with it is to start progress on the workshop. You call up the menu and place the site for the building near to your minion’s barracks with room to expand either building should that become relevant.

You call Grak and Tak over and direct them to start hammering away at the pile of resources that now sat on the ground where your workshop was to be located. They complied quickly, if not eagerly. They definitely still harbored a grudge against you and if not for your ability to easily dismember them they’d likely be a bit more insubordinate. You were almost certain that Chava still stoked their anger towards you. Little goblin bitch.

Chava was currently outside the barracks preparing some herbs that Sylvana had brought her to be dried. She glared at you, unabashed by your fierce glare back. You’d need to keep an eye on her, especially if you began to increase the levels of your minions along with your own. Something that you suspected would be beneficial in the long run; though as of yet you had no idea how best to train up a couple of brainless goblins along with their scheming shaman leader.

“Fade?” You hear a voice behind you speak and you turn away from the goblins to greet Sylvana.

“What is it Sylvana?” You ask directly, raking your predatory eyes over her to discern her body language as well as to appreciate her beauty. She shivered briefly as your gaze washed over her and she swallowed before speaking further.

“I wanted to welcome you back. I hadn’t thought you’d be out so long.” Her eyes meet yours before flicking down once more. You chuff softly in amusement.

“Did you miss me, little rabbit?” You ask teasingly. You step closer to her and take her chin in hand, gently raising it so she meets your eyes.

“N-no, of course not. It’s just that if you’re going to be gone we should know. To better prepare for anything that might happen in your absence.” She replies quickly, stepping away from you and looking down once more. You laugh softly.

“Right. Well then, next I’m to be away from our bed for the night I’ll be sure to warn you.” You smirk and watch the green of her skin grow darker. You did so enjoy teasing her. “Was there something else?” You ask when she doesn’t make any move to leave.

“Yes… about the hero. Your plans for her?” She spoke softly, unsure what more to say without directly questioning your judgement.

“I told you. She will aid me, she’s willing to slay other heroes and gather their life essence. It seems that I’m to need a lot of it. Much of the development to be done in the glade requires it to be done faster, and I suspect that there will be more uses for it. It is a resource only those blessed by Nire can harvest, correct? So those in a pact with her are sure to have some use for it.” You explain yourself, though you’re not sure why exactly you feel the need to. Whatever the case your words seem to put Sylvana somewhat at ease.

“So she… will be killing more heroes. I see. I guess that does benefit us. You. It benefits you.” She corrected herself quickly and you quirk a brow as she blushes an even deeper shade of green. “I’m sorry… It’s just so far from what I had understood of the goddess’s will. I wanted to understand, and um… I wanted to make sure…” She trailed off and stood fidgeting for a second. “Never mind. I understand now. Thank you.”

You watch in silence as she leaves then, amusement and confusion both filling you. For several more moments you watch her as she walks away before shaking yourself free of your thoughts and turning to ponder the clearing once more.

The workshop was a major step in the right direction, you were sure. You’d be able to construct better traps, equipment, tools and more. Still, there must be more that you could do in the meantime. Briefly you wonder if Nire may have more advice for you but discard the notion of asking her. She did not seem a goddess to help those that could not help themselves. You were more likely to provide a moment of sport to her than receive help from her right now.

Still, you return to rune triad to consider the menu. You enter the options and then select the Lair Upgrade Tree.

Lair Upgrade Tree

Upgrades Available:

Essence Pool (Requires 5 Essence of Life)

Well, no luck there, but that was something to keep in mind. It seemed the essence pool was the beginning of the tree and would need to be unlocked before any further upgrades became available. You back out and look at minion upgrades.

Minion Upgrade Tree

Upgrades Available:

Essence Enhancement (Requires 5 Essence of Life)

There wasn’t much of an explanation for what the upgrade did, but as with the upgrades for the lair it seemed that unlocking this was required to progress further. You sigh briefly and exit, selecting the final option for Divine Crafting.

Divine Crafting

Craftable:

Nature Spirit (Consumes 1 Essence of Life)

You tap on the option, expecting an explanation of what it was. Instead you’re greeted with a dialogue.

1 Essence of Life Consumed

You have created a level 1 Nature Spirit

Name Spirit?

As you finish the dialogue your eyes focus on the space behind the semi-translucent display to see a floating, green, spherical wisp. Well, shit. You’re now the proud master of a nature spirit. Whatever the hell it was. You sigh and enter a name, not taking too much time to think it through.

Wispy

Name accepted.

Nature Spirit Wispy has become your minion.

The dialogue closes and the wisp surges towards you, circling you quickly before taking up a stationary position behind your left shoulder. You crane your neck around to look at it and sigh once more.

“Are you going to tell me what you can do?” You ask it not expecting much in reply. The little ball of nature energy lives up to those low expectations spectacularly and says nothing in return. You shrug and begin to walk away, thinking it was time to find something to eat. You were hungry enough that even fruit sounded edible. As you walk the wisp stays with you, remaining in the exact same spot relative to you.

At this point you really couldn’t say that creating the thing had been worth the essence. You had no idea what it did besides follow you around, shedding a minute amount of green luminescence that you were sure would greatly aid your stealth. You sigh once more, your own sarcasm failing to blunt a sense of regression at the use of a somewhat precious material for something so useless. The loud growling of your stomach that followed the thought only added insult to injury. Best to go eat, that at least was something you could fix easily enough.