Magical Engineering

“There’s a problem I hadn’t considered with bonding the other core, and I was hoping you might have the solution,” I said to Traveler, later that day. Karlinovo and I had finally broken our talk, as he wanted to explore the grounds a bit and adjust to this concept of having a real body again.

“Am I correct in thinking it has something to do with the materials you use to socket the cores into their tools?” Traveler asked. The building designs had been given to Trolke already, and with the four Reltleons who had come with Traveler, they had broken ground on the foundation. Traveler had requested to spend that time they were working with myself and the other cores.

“Yes, but I have to imagine that is just really to tie the core with the tool itself, and any mana orb sockets I add to it. It would seem there has to be a way to just bond the core, otherwise, wouldn’t there?” I asked. I just didn’t have enough material to build another tool, plus even if I did, there was the fact that the core had a body, and what right did I have to rip it free?

“Then this begs the question, how do you bond a non-hostile dungeon core that has already taken a host? You may, in fact, not be able to safely, but there may be another way,” Traveler said.

“What’s that?” I asked, glad for another possible option.

“Bond me. We have the materials needed. They will be used to house my physical form in the gate. In theory, if my form is rooted here, you could pass the dungeon ownership to my possession while you go off-world,” Traveler replied.

“You are willing to do that? What about the outsiders?” I asked, both amazed that Traveler trusted me that much, and worried about the possible corruption to them.

“I admit some of this is purely for selfish reasons. I wish to understand more of the bond you have formed with the other cores. I also believe that I could sever it if I did not enjoy it. As for the corruptors, I am not a newly born core desperate for comfort. While I cannot say it is impossible for them to tempt me, I do not believe they would be able to do so, as I would not open the dungeon again. I will keep it as locked down as you have left it,” they replied.

“So then I just bond the gate itself? To be clear, I still have no idea how to do that. The way I’ve bonded the other cores has involved making tools, and the gate isn’t something on the menu I have access to,” I replied, still not sure how we could actually accomplish this.

“Yes, that was a worry as well, but I do have another idea. Though this will require the other cores to agree to it, and it will require the gate to be finished. Trolke believes we can get the functional portions of it done by tomorrow, so while we wait, can you gather all the cores for a discussion?” Traveler asked.

“Including me, eh?” I asked back, surprised they wanted me around for the talk.

“Dave, I consider you more one of us than many actual cores I have met. What you experienced on your introduction to the spiral was not so different from the harsh awakening we are forced into,” Traveler replied.

“Thanks, I think. Alright, I’m calling the cores,” I said, opening the chat window before I started dwelling on their comment too much.