Mordecai had barely finished settling Saraag in as the first of their new raid bosses when Moriko told them that Kazue's other-self had just been attacked by a gang of thieves. That had pretty much put ao fleshing out the new details of the dungeon for the evening; it was not the sort of thing that should be done while distracted.

  But that had all turned out rather well in the end and it was the dawn of a new day. So it was time to turn back to the task of filling out their boss nodes. First he checked in with the fungal lord to see how Saraag ting. The upgrade to raid boss had sped up his rea and unication speed, and had enabled him to act freely in any part of their territory, including creating his mushroom 'trees'. He was also iing the non-individualistigal creatures that he was entering as he fully incorporated the sewer's territory, and there was no telling what tricks he would learn from them.

  Now for a sed raid boss. Upgrading more floor bosses seemed like an appealing option with Kstoria and Ryohoho oop of that list, but it was also limiting. It would be better for the dungeon over all to have someone who could go anywhere at any time rather than having duties attached to a specific floor.

  Creativity was important for a healthy dungeon. It was easy to fall into a rut or rely too mu raw strength. So he allowed his focus to wahrough the dungeon and simply started cataloging vague ideas without developing any of those thoughts too far, while his avatar took some time to pte possibilities while brewing some tea. The practice could be meditative when dht.

  Mordecai poured off the ritual 'first cup' from the brewing process and then paused as an idea came to him. It would be a tiny bit tricky but there would be er time to pull it off than wheing a raid boss. "Enki, I'm going to need your help with this one. But could you also ask the pnar tractors to e here a moment?" He set the tea pot down without p himself a cup yet.

  His query got Kazue's attention and she turned her focus to where his avatar was. "What are you thinking of doing? Wait, are you serious?" The question came when she saw what his avatar was looking at.

  "Yes," he replied out loud, "unless you object to giving life to a favored pet?" He was slightly amused that she had figured out his idea so fast, she was getting a good grasp on how he thought. She had plenty of time to mull the thought over while he moved Cimbu to a better spot for this process. The arena had plenty of room. After a moment of further thought he sent a request to Fuyuko and Bellona to gather their guests as well. If he was going to do this, why not call on every resource avaible? It was overkill, but it could bring about something ued and thus better.

  While she did not have any immediate objes, she did have a question. "Why is this going to be trickier than Biblios or the bookwyrms and biting words?"

  "They started as structs and were given souls by the process of your blessing of sapience. And from having souls, they gained life, but they are still structs. Even if they were to do the stru themselves, the making of a new bookwyrm is an act of crafting to create something animated that then es to life. There is not a tinuity of life like with anic creatures and some other forms of life."

  Creating true life from scratch was always the hardest thing for a duo do, and somewhat risky. Which was why he was going to need help from Enki. It did help that the cy tea pet had collected a tiny bit of spiritual energy from the attention and personification vished upon him. Over a suffit period of time this could even give rise to a true spirit, but that was not Mordecai's goal here.

  Once everyone was assembled, Mordecai expined what he wanted of them. "I wish t Cimbu to life as our raid boss. Enki will be providih a tempte of living elemental earth energy, and robably do this with his help alone, but I think this will be more iing and simply better if you were willing to give your blessings."

  He poi the three einherjar first. "You love Cimbu as much as Kazue does, and also csh with her over the proper 'raising' of our tea pet, as she does not approve of the use of alcohol to feed Cimbu. flict is part of life, affe is part of a healthy life, and he will o be a warrior. How I not ask for your blessings?"

  was their guardian ar friend. "The type of warrior he is to be is a defender, a guardian of the dungeon. Your blessing would be more than appropriate."

  Mordecai smiled at the skeptically curious zuhra. "All true djinni have some access to reality altering powers. A sincere wish for life and strength, with a focus on a maion of various metals that often lie hidden inside of cy. Your payment is to have an influen the oute of this creation, the opportunity to see what happens because of it, and to participate in something that I am pretty certain no other zuhra say to have dohe tract that had been made between the dungeon and the metal djinni prevehe zuhra from twisting things in a malicious way, but that certainly didn't mean he couldn't be creative. So there was room for some amusing mischief and it would give him some bragging rights bae if he spun it right.

  Their final tractor from other realms did not fit in quite as ly, but he also didn't flict. "I would ask for your blessing to help guide his way through life and to ensure a ki survives even amidst the flid bat that is part of a dungeoure's life." Which might also offset triess from the zuhra.

  On to their more mundane tractors and guests. "Bellona, I ask for your prayers. Fuyuko, I also ask for yours but I want you to focus on your feelings when you've participated in feeding Cimbu." The girl blushed at having had that bit of her stoic facade seen through. Mordecai gri her and then looked at Shizoku and Derek. "I think you've enjoyed Cimbu as much as the others. Derek, opening yourself to elemental earth and w with Enki should help greatly. Volume of energy is not a , the dungeon provide that easily. Emotions and cepts are much more important for your part. Shizoku, I am hoping you might be able to uh your patron even a little bit, but even without her help a gift of your mana infused with your emotions would be very wele." Mordecai couldn't find an ho use for her alchemy here and he wouldn't lie to make her feel more useful.

  "Orchid, Paltira, Xarlug. Steadfast royalty and nobility have a subtle power that sometimes ma with sincere prayer and wishes, and how could I not want to ask for a touch of life energy from trasting nephilim?" Teically he could sort of provide both, but his aura was also a unique blend and would not be a perfect fit. Plus it wouldn't have the symbology of both of them providing their prayers. "Kansif, you are a knight with a special blessing, and have been imbued with the vitality and traits of a shifter . I 't say what impact your prayers would have, but I have no doubt that they would help."

  One guest he had to be a little more careful with. "Deidre. I offer you the ce to observe a of emotional importao me and mine, and that you may find iing. I ask nothing of you, your situation here would make that inappropriate, but her would I refuse any you made, if there was enough siy to it." She ined her head in aowledgment, but said nothing further. On her shoulder sat a fairy that had not left her since her delve yesterday. Mordecai had suspi he knew where this might lead, but this was the sort of thing to let develop on its own.

  While all took time to somberly sider their parts in this, all of those he asked agreed to give their blessings.

  For his part, Mordecai partially shifted to enable him to find a scale to pull free. He deliberately chose ohat was still well rooted and ighe pain involved. The blood that came with it art of the point. It would be a foolish thing for many scaled creatures to do, but his natural regeion would fix even a damaged root.

  The bloodied scale he pressed up against the body of the cy dragon and began eling a mixture of his personal mana and a prayer to Ozuran for his aid. Enki pushed a small portion of his elemental energy toward the tiny cy struct, which Derek fortified with his own e to elemental earth. This provided the seed of livih from what Cimbu could be born.

  To this swirl of energy and potential the cores delicately ected a strand of mana that led to the open raid boss node. Cimbu's form began to twitch with the first stirrings of life and the others present for this ceremony began their prayers, blessings, energy, aions.

  Mordecai shaped this maelstrom arais potential outes by anch a few key ideas to it and providing the framework for specific abilities he wanted Cimbu to have. But he did not strain it more than he o ensure a coherent ahy oute for their raid boss.

  Kazue now touched the f creation and fed into it her dreams of a happy life and all the love she had for her little tea pet dragon, plus a few small, specific touches of her own.

  Then, at nearly the st possible moment to have influence, came what he could only call a prayer; an of mana filled with desperate hope and a longing for freedom. The mana surged and spiritual energy densed as a brand new mind and soul were formed for a brand new living creature.

  In the ter of the arena now y a rge cy dragon, the rgest inhabitant of the dungeon other than Saraag. If she'd had a body here or an illusion up, Kazue's squeal would have been ear pierg.

  Cimbu stirred slowly, then rose to sit ba his haunches with his tail ed around his feet in a cat like manner as he examined everyone present with glowing eyes of golden crystal. While there was no pupil, the crystal shifted and swirled with the movement of his gaze in an almost liquid like manner. After a long moment he spoke hesitantly in a soft but deep voice, "I do not fully uand my creation, no, my birth, yet. But I know I have all of you to thank for my life and who I am. And I remember the love that had beeowed upon me sihe moment I was first 'fed' by Kazue's hand. So, I thank you all."

  As the giant dragon bowed his head in thanks, Mordecai leaned in to hug Cimbu's head as best he could, and soon almost everyone had gathered close enough to at least gently touch the newborn dragon.

  After a few minutes of versation and people greeting and gratuting the newborn, they began to disperse. Almost everyone had other tasks they o attend to after all. Mordecai gave Cimbu another pat on the nose before stepping back. "Alright, you should rest here for a little while longer and gather your energy. Your body is sound, but f a fully formed soul of such power means you are still gathering and geing spiritual energy, which will leave you weakened until your have a full spirit proteg your soul. When you feel up to it, you explore and perhaps go topside to find enough aerial room to really practice flying."

  The way Cimbu cocked his head to the side made him look a little like a fox or cat, but the motion was a little more refined and trolled, which made Mordecai think of Princess Orchid, and perhaps a little touch of Deidre. "Hmm. I think someone is hoping to show off that his home has a shiny new defehis is something I would be happy to help arrange for you."

  Huh. Cimbu looked to bee their most formal inhabitant to date. Well, it was his own fault for inviting in so many influences. "I admit that I wouldn't mind that either. But your happiness and well being are important too, so rest first and take the time to get to know some of your fellows. Oh, and you will o take on a smaller form to get upstairs. Enki's ability to move through any sort of stone is powerful, and part of the trade off for your own abilities is that you only move through earthen terrain where cy could be found." Enki was also always going to be a lot harder and tougher, and stronger in any purely physical match-up. "Now get some rest."

  With Cimbu resting, Mordecai turned his attention to Deidre. "First, I would like to say thank you. I 't say I know what traits will ma because of your blessing, but I truly appreciate it."

  The woman's face wasn't showing much, but her emotional mask was not sid as it had been. "I am gd to have helped in this creation, but I must admit it was also a test of sorts. Everything there was sincere, but I also traced my mana for as long as possible before it was incorporated." She hesitated before tinuing, "It would have not assimited so well if it didn't resoo some extent. It's not everything I need, but it helps."

  Mordeodded. "I am gd it helps. This brings me to my sed subject. I would like you to tinue your delve, and rotate in more escorts. For now, Bellona ay will alternate, but in a couple of days I think I would like to add Fuyuko to the list, and possibly some others who have differeionships to us. When you are done, I think it will be time for us to talk. This may take several days, even with the modifications Kazue is making to aodate your situation. I am looking to have you learn enough to help you uand us, so certain aspects of the difficulties a normal delver would faly o be presented rather than overe."

  Deidre replied, "I think this will be enlightening, so I agree to tihis delve to the best of my ability."

  Excellent. Now they just had to finish filling all the new boss nodes, y cim to every life form they could in the sewers, evolve a new set of inhabitants for this third route and eliminate any hostile anisms that might remain, and to fill out their new zone.

  Pag was going to be important here. It would be very easy to burn out mentally, and they didn't have enough mana to get everything do onyway. Everything with the sewers could wait anyway, his future pns for that route did not o bee avaible quickly.

  Zagaroth