^^ The Core ^^

I was known for my tendency to overdo things, that was a fact.

Whether it was making a statue too big, too detailed, too ambitious, or a blueprint too geometrically perfect, (though I disagreed on principle with the premise of anything being too perfect,) I had a well-known streak of End Results easily qualifying as 'Extra'.

'I think I've outdone myself.' I sighed, looking at the construct before me.

The bottom portion of the space had been turned into a massive ball of slime, essentially; slime that was made of Hard Light, and therefore while it could have the same effects as the Crystal Heart, if couldn't be taken over by any crystals thrown into it. A 'Core' in the center of this ball was the artificial center of gravity for the Demiplane, but the massive ball of slime and all its accompanying pieces were encased in a cube made of (fake)Adamantite. Atop this cube was the various interactive aspects of the construct, such as where all the materials that were purified by the slime were deposited, then collected by the golems, and where all the garbage or metal was dumped in.

The slime created by the Core, however, was real, and therefore different from the (fake)slime; it was a commodity we needed to collect. How to do so, considering it was highly acidic and instantly lethal to anything that touched it? Simple, really; it didn't actually have the ability to touch or harm living creatures. As it was made of Hard Light, it was easy to manipulate, even for me, and so the fake slime itself was in charge of collecting the real slime, and pouring it into a gargantuan pool atop the cube that was siphoned and filtered just like the tower. The fact that the interior of the Cube was -50 degrees Fahrenheit and the slime was therefore as thick as syrup made it much easier for the fake slime, (unaffected by the cold,) to collect and remove the crystals from the real Silicon slime.

The crystals went into one collection bin, and the slime into the pool, effectively separating them and giving them no chances to create monsters, even if the Core wasn't working properly.

The Core... that was definitely something I'd gone overboard on. Using some of the last of our reserves of Adamantite, I'd made a thin ring-shaped tuning fork, about twenty feet in diameter, then I'd made hard light additions in a gyroscope fashion until I had a half-sphere with an open top and bottom, when it was still. In the center was placed the Crystal Heart of the new Dungeon, (as I hadn't dismantled the tower just yet,) and the rings were set to spinning, ringing at a frequency I was happy I couldn't hear. This would be the first line of defense, shattering any crystals that grew too big autonomously. Around that was a series of interwoven bars also made of (fake)Adamantite, which, when coupled with the (fake)Adamantite walls and floor and ceiling, all vibrating and sending out that sound, made the entire ball of slime, as literally massive as it was, (about 330 feet across,) incapable of forming shapes. This was the third line of defense, in case anything went wrong.

The golems I'd made from the Hard Light responded to my orders just like the others, and they patrolled all six sides of the cube, (the center of gravity was inside the center of the cube, so you could walk on all of the sides,) ready to hunt down any slimes that escaped.

The other side of this was another cube, but this one was full of dirt, and it was where I was farming rice, wheat, and Cotton. I hadn't been able to make cellulose with the Hearts, which made sense, so Cassidy had surprised us all by synthesizing a cotton plant from a shirt she'd dissolved in some type of acid; apparently, Cassidy was a Molecular Biology and Modern Agricultural Methodology Dual Major, (Hydroponics, Aquaponics, Superfoods,) and she just didn't tell any of us because she thought it made her seem like a nerd. (Which it did, and we teased her about it, though none of us could actually say anything, except maybe Johann and Sam, the only people who weren't nerds.)

Regardless, I was farming cotton, wheat, and white rice on the other side, and again the center of gravity was inside this cube, far enough away from the other one to be unaffected. Rows and rows and stacks and stacks, all awash in a creek of water that was siphoned from the river outside, by way of a second of my hydraulic screw-trees, this one on the end of the river that faced the village, and didn't have any rivers to pull at it. This was meant to replace the underground farm, upon completion, and that was going to be repurposed into... something. I wasn't sure yet. A Thunderdome? I dunno.

I was planting more and more cotton, wheat, and rice as I received the plants from Cassidy and Clark. We had discovered that Clark was capable of using his Healing abilities to explosively speed up the growth of small plants, so I put him to work very swiftly.

The third cube of the six I was creating for now, using up all of the vertical space within the Room and creating an enclosed space in the middle of them, was full of a grove of fruit trees and berry bushes, of almost every variety that had the same environmental needs. The fourth cube had winter fruits, vegetables, and so on, while the fifth one was just wine grapes. Rows and Rows and Rows of different Wine Grapes, (also provided by Cassidy's research,) planted in regular dirt and also clay dirt, because I knew it would bring about a different flavor.

The sixth cube was all about the collection and cleaning and preservation of all the products from the other cubes, as well as where Sam's Brewery was located. They finally got their wish, and could turn the various fruits and wheat and potatoes into alcohol, despite my misgivings about it as a whole; alcohol was an addictive, destructive substance, which slowly killed those who drank it, and was best drank in moderation, or not at all; Clark shared my opinion, but also said that, much like tobacco, it was necessary for some people to self-medicate as best they could, even just with a placebo affect like the one alcohol provided.

As I looked at my creation, I smiled, and realized what the center area could be used for, due to its perfectly Zero-Gravity nature. The six cubes all had their own gravity, which pulled perfectly at the center, to make a free-floater zone, which was perfect for something like Quidditch, if we had brooms enchanted to give forward momentum... Or maybe we could set up shields and make a testing area for Medea so she didn't destroy various parts of the forest whenever she tested out a new magic spell. I don't know, I'll figure it out later.

"Theo, could you come here for a moment? We've got a visitor." Luna's voice came through my communicator, the private one I'd bought and molded into an earring like Rhea's.

I touched it and hummed. "Will I like this visitor?"

"No, you will decidedly not like this visitor, but I need you here." She responded instantly, and I was already swimming back towards the exit. The air here in the Zero-G field was almost like water you could breath, and so you could swim in it easily enough.

I exited the door into the temple, (looking far more polished, now, given a month of touch-ups, and the Organ was next on the list,) and locked it behind me, jogging out into the plateau. "Where are you?" I asked calmly, pulling my hammer out of the little bottomless bag at my side. I still hadn't managed to replicate her teleportation or Pocket magic, though I'd managed to turn invisible on command, so it wasn't all bad news.

"Front gate." She growled softly, and I picked up my pace, turning invisible with a hummed tune. "Did you just cast a spell? It's adorable listening to you hum music in my ear." She giggled, her mood sweetening with my presence, even only my voice.

"How about I whisper what I'm going to do to you tonight instead? Am I still adorable?" I asked archly as she came into view. Before her stood a semi-recognizable face, and a crowd of people behind the person, like a posse or maybe a Clan.

She blushed and cleared her throat, unaware of my presence right next to her, and covered her mouth, turning slightly away from the group. "Uhm... what would that be?"

I spanked her ass sharply, coming into view and watching the people flinch back as she squeaked in surprise. "More of that, plus some bondage and a suite of toys, and Rhea will probably make an appearance at some point... who are these people, what do they want?" I asked, examining their faces. They were tired, dirty, and clearly unhappy, but their armor and weapons seeming to be in good repair. The man in front, however, was immaculate, dressed in white and green silk robes and carrying a large book with him. Behind him stood two people, clearly his guards, who were dressed in much the same way as the ArchHunters that had accompanied the last official messenger. They didn't look like bandits, so I wasn't sure why she thought I wouldn't want to meet them.

"They're-"

The man interrupted her with a pompous attitude and grandiose speech, instantly explaining why she knew I'd dislike him. "I am Seeker Talon Hechal, of the Green Heart Clan and the Red Band Collective, here on behalf of the Chieftain's Council to collect the Taxes due to the Collective from the Clan of the Children of the Half-Mountain, which number 7 gold pieces total!!!"

I blinked slowly. "Is that all? Why won't I like him? He's a bit pompous, and no one likes the tax man, but isn't 7 gold exactly what we owe? He's not even asking for a bribe." I looked at Luna, confused again.

"Well... I don't know, I just thought you'd find him irritating?" She smoothed her hair back slowly, sighing.

"Oh he is, but this is how you get rid of him." I shrugged and counted seven gold coins into his hand. "Have a good day." I shooed him off casually, and he happily tucked the coins away and tipped his hat to us both before turning and disappearing with his guards; however, he left behind the rest of the people. "Oh... are they not with him?"

"No, that's a separate matter; these are the remaining adult members of the Red Band you helped dismantle during the Challenge. The trial is drawing to a close, and they've been exonerated." Luna explained swiftly.

"Ah... Alright. Well, come in, you're part of our clan now, I believe?" I glanced at her again to clarify.

"Yes, if you'd like to adopt them, yes. Otherwise the Blue-River clan will take them." She nodded.

"Eh, we'll let Rhea decide." I shrugged, and waved them in, showing them around the plateau, where James had begun to build a few long stone barracks/housing for their eventual arrival.

Only one was complete, but they only had about eighty people total, after they summoned the rest from the bottom of the slope, so they would fit very comfortably into the building that was meant for 200 people. It was located along the wall beside the gate into the plateau, curved almost like a parenthesis.

They seemed shocked at the accommodations, as I lead them through, but I ignored it and explained every portion as they saw it, so they weren't confused. "These are the family rooms, they have a queen-sized bed for couples and a smaller twin-sized for children, if you have them, with a bathroom for your necessaries and a sink and vanity to get ready in the mornings, and the Showers are here in the middle; unfortunately hot water is still in the works, we'll get that fixed as soon as possible, don't you worry... and this side of the building is the single rooms; they're smaller, and built for only one person each, with a twin-bed, a desk, and a bathroom." I paused and let them breath for a moment, before continuing.

"The walls are treated with our brand of magic, and we can freely alter the temperature, so if it gets hot, or cold, we can fix that for the interior of the building, so you can sleep a little easier without freezing. The furniture was made of wood, wicker, and hide, but it is comfortable and sturdy. There is a room to wash any clothes that've been dirtied, any sheets that need a cleaning, and a large kitchen is available to you, as well as a pantry we've stocked beforehand. If you need anything else, we'll be sure to provide. Any questions?" Finished with the tour, I navigated my way back to the lounge area that was opposite the shower room, and looked at them expectantly while taking a seat.

They blinked rapidly, looking around and seating themselves on the furniture in stunned silence.

After a few minutes, one of the older women spoke up. "May I see the kitchens?"

"Absolutely darling, this way." I smiled and led her to the kitchens, which James had set up like a bakery, in a way; a row of twelve double-stacked ovens on the outer wall, an island in the middle with all the stove tops and preparation areas, and the wall you came in on having all the sinks for cleaning and storage of pots & pans. "This is the kitchen. James did his best to make it... in such a way to make you comfortable using it. The ranges are here, to heat up any pots just like a fire would, and the ovens are relatively user-friendly, they only have three settings; Meat, Bread, and Casserole, which is a dish with a mixture of ingredients. You can also freely change the actual temperature, once you're comfortable with how they work." I explained and showed her the various settings and how to change them.

She jumped a bit when flames appeared at the bottom of the oven, and again when they appeared on the ranges, but she calmed down quickly and began learning how to change the height and intensity of the fires. After a moment, she hummed and touched one of the flames, causing it to shatter. "This Flame... isn't hot?"

"It's enchanted to make sure no one gets burnt, is all. It'll heat metal just fine, but if wood or fingers touch it, it will turn off. A simple safety precaution. The magic crystals under the counter power it." I nodded, showing her and the others who'd followed her James' crowning achievement, (as far as Sam and Cassidy were concerned, and I wasn't really arguing,); a series of various size magic crystals, which the dial controlled by way of a small gear system, the analog portion of the item. When the dial turned, a Crystal was moved up to touch the plate and summon the hard-light flames, each with different intensities. "To be honest, I'm a bit jealous; James hasn't made one of these for me, yet, so I've snuck in and used these a few times to make some stew." I confessed with a grin, closing the cabinet door.

She laughed, seemingly amused, which was good. I'd worried if it was too much all at once, but as a woman of her age, (perhaps eighty or so,) she probably wasn't shocked by much. "It is quite impressive, yes... alright boys and girls, enough standing around, bring in our pots and pans and spoons and let's get cooking! We've not had a decent meal in two days, and I imagine our new friends would welcome some food as well!"

"Actually! Sorry, we've already... it's a Tradition of our clan to feed guests as well as possible. Usually it's a family joining us through marriage, or a few guests coming over for dinner, but that's fine. I don't mind you making yourselves a light meal to tide you over until nightfall, but that's when we're having your welcome feast." I explained, watching her expression carefully; I didn't want to piss off the old woman. Elders were still alive for more than a few very good reasons, and they should be given precedence when at all possible.

She gave me a stern look for a solid minute, then nodded. "Alright, we'll respect your traditions, and we thank you for the kind welcome... Some quick lunch, then, everyone, don't stand around gaping like fish! Should I toss you in the lake?!?" She smacked a spoon gently against the skull of one young boy who was staring at me incredulously, and he leapt to the side, running off to get to work. "And wash your hands before touching the food!" She snapped after him, making him switch directions comically and go to the sink, where someone had already figured out the water faucets.

I grinned and held out a hand to her. "I like you. My name is Theo, I'm the Sculptor. You'll meet Rhea in a bit, she's the Clan Mother, and Helen and Johann are our elders."

She gripped my hand easily, squeezing with a bit of strength. "My name is Lae, Young Theo, and I am happy to meet you. Now, kindly either get to work or get out of my new kitchen, my dear."

"Yes ma'am." I grinned and obliged, stepping out into the hall and watching her work.

She was walking around casually, examining the various things people were making, calmly correcting them or praising them quietly. She didn't yell at anyone much, as I watched from the doorway, unless they did something she viewed as stupid, such as putting fish in with cheese, as one man did. He received an earful for wasting food, and was sent to wash all the dishes in the room, regardless of whether or not they were clean.

I liked her, very much so. I'd never had a gramma, but I'd met a few, and I'd always liked them. After a minute I shook my head and went to start dinner for everyone, and to inform Rhea we had new arrivals.