Chapter 100 Building a firm Foundation

Four days later Van stuck around to help build up the camp. The original design was a bit smaller than the one they were working on right now, which was far bigger with a few added expansions. But all in all, everything was falling in place with enough room to grow should they need to.

He was finding it strangely enjoyable, making the fort, watching it slowly form and rise out of the ground. Already they had proper palisades on three sides of the camp, with one side already having a moat of sorts. The palisades themselves were of course raised higher where they could dig out the earth for the moat, with plans to do the same for the rest later.

He helped where he could by turning regular dirt harder, to give a better and more firm foundation. And using his magic in some places almost like glue to help stick things together. It was how they quickly were able to erect a watchtower so soon. Which at the moment could only hold one goblin. It was that same watchtower that called out when she saw something in the distance, then confirmed it was the hobgoblins they sent out a few days earlier.

Van stopped what he was doing and walked over to intercept their arrival so that he could get news of what happened when they delivered the message. He couldn’t help but notice that there were only three of them coming back, and one looked like she had a bit of a gash on her left arm that was badly bandaged.

“What happened,” he asked as they came to a stop in front of him, worry and concern on his face.

One of the hobgoblins riding her wolf moved in front of him. “We were attacked by some sort of large bear with thorns on its back on the way here. It killed one of us and wounded her,” she said pointing to her companion. “It leaped out of nowhere, had no idea where it came from, didn’t even realize we were attacked until it was too late. All we could do was run,” she said solemnly.

Van grimaced a little at the loss but was just glad that the rest were able to come back alive. “Well at least you all are alright.” but then took a more serious tone as he knew he had to ask them about the letter. “Were you able to send the letter? How did the outpost take it?”

The hobgoblin straightened her back and did her best to act like the soldier she was. But then hesitated as to how to properly convey the outpost's response before deciding to just say it as is. “We were able to successfully deliver the message. They wanted to express their thanks for the warning. But wanted to let you know that they would be doing their own investigations into the going’s on around the forest. And that we don’t have to worry as the professionals will deal with any problems that crop up in the forest so that we can enjoy our camping trip.”

Van frowned. It sounded a lot like they were dismissing some of what he had written to them. Not that he could entirely blame them for it, if he were in their shoes, he too might want another more professional opinion of what might be going on. But that didn’t mean he had to like it. At least he tried. After all, it was understandable that such a crazy thing like an all-out total war breaking out in the forest was a hard pill to swallow.

More importantly, he became painfully aware of the loss of one of his goblins and that they needed more training. It dawned on him that just because they have trained their bodies, learned how to follow orders, and trained with prop weapons, didn’t mean they truly knew how to use them or effectively for that matter. Something he was going to have to fix right away if they were going to survive in this world. But at the moment there were more important things to take care of.

“Alright, you tell Isa and Kella what you told me. And tell them I’ll still be around here doing what I can to help build the fort if they need me.” He said, “Also, have someone properly check that out and treat it, then take the rest of the day off.” addressing the wounded goblin who nodded in response. After that he dismissed them, thinking about what training he could send the goblins through later when he had time to discuss it with Kella and Isa.

Getting back to work, he used his magic to soften up the dirt and make it malleable, then directed the goblins under him to dig there. As they dug, he would harden the sides of the moat to make it easier on them, so new dirt wouldn’t constantly fall back in. With the excess dirt, he would have the girls dump it on the palisades, and with a bit of magic, compressed the dirt down, lifting the wood higher, all the while hardening the earth around the bottom of the palisades to make the foundation stronger.

Like this in a few hours, he was able to add another layer of defense to the wall. He then dismissed the girls and ordered them to take a break and grab something to eat for lunch. Telling them they will do the rest later as he stood back a bit to take a look at what he accomplished. Impressed and somewhat in awe at what one can do with a lot of free time. Enjoying the strange mix of different colored woods that made up the walls of their growing fort. The common browns, mixed with just as much blue-colored wood, with a few red ones here and there, all chopped, dragged and placed just right.

Walking around and entering the campsite, he saw more mana cores near the center of the campsite. No doubt put there by Lyn’s followers. Van was very thankful for all these mana cores but had just been letting them pile up, not touching them because of his indecision. For one, he needed some of Lyn’s blood to help bypass most of the requirements for insect-kin evolution, for another, he needed to see for himself which zapper was able to evolve or not, and finally, he didn’t feel comfortable using them without first having an idea of how much he was going to need.

For all he knew, Lyn could be rushing back right now, in desperate need of his help, only to find that they were short on the mana cores they needed to help her. And because of that, he hadn’t touched the growing pile of wealth in front of him. Only ordering his girls to make a proper place to put them in. a giant bowl on a stand, near the center of camp that already looked halfway full. Filled with more than a hundred mana cores, all ranging from two to eight, with even a few nines and one eleven.

Not only that, but the number and frequency he had been receiving the cores has increased almost exponentially over the course of a few days. And the rank range of the mana cores has increased as well, as higher rank mana cores were becoming more common in the bowl as more time went by.

Of course, that was just the mana cores, Lyn’s followers also brought many other things as well. Thankfully there was another designated area for those things that weren’t mana cores. Where many rare herbs and the carcasses of animals were placed until they could be properly sorted and processed for use. Already Lyn was coming very handy, even when she wasn’t even here.

But would it still be enough?

Van sighed and rubbed his head. In the end, he probably was going to have to use the cores given to him. But if he was, he better use them smartly.

Grabbing the attention of one of the goblins, he asked her to get the mage harpy and to bring her to him. A few minutes later, the goblin came with the harpy in tow. Still wearing the same silken clothing she was before, exposing most of her body, that he admitted was lovely to look at.

“Hello master, you need me for something?” she asked, curious as to what he could want.

“Yes,” Van said, eyeing her up and down intently. “I need to know, how far are you along with your evolution? And what is your mana rank right now? And can you also eat mana cores like other monster-kin races?”

The harpy blinked and took some time to think. “Umm, I'm halfway through to becoming a greater harpy. I have a mana core rank of eighteen. And yes, we can eat mana cores.”

Van was impressed by the high mana core rank but quickly came to the conclusion that he really shouldn’t be. After All, she was probably raised to be the closest thing to a mage and therefore more resources were probably used to help her break through the bottleneck of rank ten, allowing her to cultivate her mana core at least until it hits rank twenty which was the next bottleneck.

“Have you received any formal training to become a proper mage? Or were you just taught the basics you needed to help your fellow harpies?” he asked.

“I was not taught how to be a proper mage... sorry…” she said sadly, even looking a little dejected.

“Hmm… how would you like to be?” Van asked her.

“Huh?” taken aback by the question.

“How would you like to be trained by me?” he asked again, making himself clearer in his words and intentions. “I’ve been thinking I need some help with magic when Lorenzo isn’t around. And you're the only other mage for miles. So… how would you like to be properly trained by me to be a proper mage?”

The harpy’s jaw looked like it was going to fall on the floor, her eyes widened like dinner plates. She quickly snapped her mouth closed and tried to regain control of her expression, but couldn’t help but bow insanely low, face a little pale, at the honor given to her.

“It would be an honor to learn under you, master!” she said. She tried saying something else, but the words wouldn’t come out, there was just too much going on in her brain to make sense of everything, or properly convey how she felt about being chosen as an apprentice of sorts and finally be taught like a proper mage. It was so much, she almost felt like she was going to have a small heart attack.

“Calm down,” Van said, and moved towards her and lifted her up. “There’s no need for that. This is far more for me than it is for you.”

She couldn’t look him in the eye, her whole body was shaking, like a lifelong dream of hers was finally going to come true and the anticipation was killing her.

Van let go of her, giving her a moment, then continuing on whether she was ready or not. “Now, I believe the first order of business is for you to be blood bound to me.” he began to say, noting how that got her attention. “Then I will give you a name.” watching as her eyes began to widen again. “But not before I feed you about fifty ranks worth of mana cores. Once you are fed, you will take my blood and be given a name. That should be enough to push you into becoming a greater harpy. With that newfound power, and pushing your mana core past rank twenty, we can begin your training to become a proper mage.”

“After teaching you a few basic things, I will have you help me when I use the magic circle to create alchemized items or to help evolve zappers. You will help carry the burden and costs, which will help me greatly.”

“Of course, I won’t do this unless you want me to,” he said, asking out of courtesy and because he wasn’t sure she still would be interested now that she knew that she was just being used to help him by acting like a battery for him, and something to share the burden of manipulating magic.

But instead, she looked upon him like he was a god. Something he was beginning to really unnerve him with how easily that seemed to happen. “But then again, how many people go out of their way to help others evolve, even if it is out of semi selfish reasons. This world is dangerous, and for most, these kinds of resources are something most would probably never see in an entire lifetime. I suppose it makes sense they would be awed and touched when someone just gives them enough power out of nowhere. Investing so much into them, while most probably slave away for their entire lives to only reach a fraction of that.” he thought, thinking more deeply on the matter.

“NO!!, I would be very glad to do it! Please let me!” she said frantically as if Van was offering the sun and threatening to take it away. Her frantic look almost scaring him a little.

“Umm… okay, then please help yourself to fifty ranks worth of mana cores,” he said, leaning back a little and pointing at the bowl of cores off to his side. “After that, please enter the magic circle and we can begin.”

Realizing what she did, she blushed and looked scandalized at the same time at her own actions. Bowing down a few times she offered her sincerest apologies before Van had to force her to stop and point her towards the bowl to get her moving.

Thanking him again profusely, she walked towards the bowl both solemnly, because she still couldn’t get over her embarrassment, and excitedly, at the prospect of eating so many mana cores.

Once at the bowl, she paused and swallowed in awe at the sight before her. Slowly, tentatively, she reached in and stopped, her hand mere inches away from a nice glowing orb of mana. Looking to the side, she saw Van waiting impatiently for her to continue. Taking a deep breath she grabbed a core and put it in her mouth. Feeling the cool sensation of the orb on her tongue and its buzzing power coming off of it like waves, slightly shaking her eardrums and brain.

Normally a ball that size wouldn’t go down a throat that narrow. But being a monster-kin race, the mana core seemed to take on a different property when it soaked in her saliva, becoming more malleable, stretchy, and slippery.

With a swallow, she felt it easily go down and enter her stomach, the core already dissolving and its trapped power spreading throughout her being. Then she did it again, and again, until she hit exactly fifty ranks worth of mana cores, feeling incredibly full, and perhaps a little sick.

With that done she turned to her master and made her way to him, standing in the center of the magic circle that he was now in front of. Excited, and nervous for what was going to happen next and feeling like she was on cloud nine. Almost like this was a dream she never wanted to wake up from.

“Good. I see you are ready. Now it’s time we get onto the main course.” Van then pulled out his finger and squeezed out a drop of blood, which the harpy opened her lips, her mouth salivating at the thought it got to add such a delicious-looking dessert to the menu. She could practically feel the power that wafted off that single drop of blood.

Van stuck his finger in, letting her tongue coil around it before pulling out. “Now that that’s done, it’s time for your name,” he said, pausing to give it some thought.

“Your name will be… Gwen” he finally said, thinking harder and longer than he ever thought he had to, just to come up with that name. There were dozens of other contenders, but this one would have to do.

Gwen’s body started to spasm a bit and Van felt the connection between them strengthen. Power flowed from him to her and a newfound feeling of intimacy was born between them. Something that he had gotten used to over time.

Slowly, Gwen’s body started to change. Losing some more of her bird-like features, growing taller and more elegant. Her wings became bigger, stronger, and more downy and soft at the same time. Her feet became more like a humans, keeping some of her claw-like nails. She became amazingly more beautiful with fuller breasts.

Van always thought it was strange that these evolutions always made women more beautiful. Like when Isa became a greater hobgoblin. Whereas from what he heard from men, it made them only a little more handsome and affected their nether regions. It made him think evolution had a sexist bias. But honestly, he wasn’t going to complain. He enjoyed his girl's beautiful.

Finally, after about thirty minutes, Gwen had finished her transformation and became a proper greater harpy. Van felt her mana pool through their new connection, and it was about little more than double what it was before. Which was good, for it meant that she will be very useful in the future.

Gwen stood there, experimenting with her body. Opening up and closing her hands over and over again. Something Van was beginning to think was also par for the course when someone evolves, though he didn’t understand why.

After that was done, Gwen took the Knee and began to swear all kinds of fealty, to which Van did his best to stop. He then ordered her to take the rest of the day off and to get used to her newfound body and power.

“Oh, and when you have the time, I want you and the two crow harpies to come to my bed tonight, bring Isa and the other three hobgoblins. Okay?” Van asked, to which Gwen looked like she was going to faint at the sheer honor of it all.

He then turned to leave her behind before she started ranting about how great he was. His mind falling on more important thoughts. “With this, I secured a valuable resource with future potential. But it still won’t be enough, I can’t help but worry about Lyn and what might happen in the future. I think I have no choice other than to actually breed up an army. No matter how much I hate to think about it.”

but then his thoughts took on a more morbid downturn. “The only problem is, would it be enough? It will take time to get the girls pregnant, give birth, and hatch the eggs, then raise those who hatch and train them. All of it will cost a lot of mana cores and food if I want to accelerate their growth and make them useful in time. Then there's the fact that they will be my daughters I will be sending to their death… or… not really… I still don’t know how to feel or think about that.”

He then turned his head to give a quick glance back at Gwen, a little sad that he didn’t properly congratulate her on her evolution. “Sorry Gwen, I’ll be sure to treat you better in the future.” he really wished he didn’t leave her so quickly, it just was that he wanted her to calm down a little first is all, and hoped she didn’t take it too personally. Which if he thought about it a little, she probably wouldn’t.

With that, Van left to patrol around and make sure everything was going alright. After that, he will do the rest of the walls and moat, and then dinner and perhaps turn in early. Mostly because he had to make time for what he was going to do tonight, and wanted to make sure he got at least some sleep afterwards.