Grandpa Thinker sat down in his chair and looked through the files before him. So far, the most obvious suspect was the overseer. But he stood nothing to gain from all of this.

The only one on the bad list was the old overseer. The gremlin, Darion. He was in all the places of the accidents at all the times they happened. Grandpa Thinker didn’t want to suspect someone who served him for more than 400 years, but he did.

The way he saw it there was only one thing to do. He needed to send all the workers who got transferred from the original coal mining factory away. Even if it was just temporary. And Darion needed a chance to show him that he didn’t deserve to be on the bad list. He knew just the place to send him to.

A blue light blazed and a missive appeared. Both children lunged at it. Marinus reached it first. He grabbed it and held it over Theanore’s head.

“A missive for a kiss on the cheek!” He said and he was swatted lightly over the head by Crassus.

“You are too young for kisses, Marinus. Now, let us see what grandpa Thinker wants.” Said the man and he opened the missive. Both children listened with rapt attention as he read.

Dear family,

I have been befallen by some serious misfortunes. I don’t know who is sabotaging me but I have my doubts. I wish to send you one of the suspects, a hardworking gremlin by the name of Darion. I do not wish to think he would betray me but he was there at all the places.

Keep an eye on him, but don’t treat him like a criminal. Nothing has been proven, yet. Do you agree to take him in? I will owe you a favor. A fish species or plant seeds, free of charge.

Stay on the good list,

Grandpa Odious Thinker.

“What if this gremlin sabotages us too?” Asked Crassus, not liking this at all.

“We have to give him a chance to show that he is a good gremlin. Besides, he is hardworking and must know all of grandpa Thinker’s secrets. I can do with some inside knowledge.” Said Theanore.

“And if the gremlin is bad we will send him packing.” Said Marinus.

Crassus wrote their agreement on the backside of the missive and they spend a single mana crystal to send it back to grandpa Thinker. After a couple of minutes of waiting, another blue light appeared. This time a gremlin showed up, a sack over his back and looking skittish.

This was the first time both Theanore and Marinus have ever seen such a creature. It was green, with green eyes and orange eyebrows. It had on a red and gold Yule scarf, a white tunic with the sign Grandpa Thinker is number 1 on it that also had gray snowflakes on it. The boots that the gremlin had on were brown with green lines and candy canes. This gremlin was the pure personification of the Yule spirit.

“Welcome, Darion. I am Crassus and these are my children: Theanore and Marinus.” Said Crassus, nodding to the green creature.

“Which one of you is the dungeon core?” Asked Darion and Theanore jumped lightly in the air, waving her right arm.

“Me! I am also a nymph. What was your position at grandpa Thinker’s place, Darion?” Asked Theanore and the gremlin’s chest puffed up.

“I was the overseer for all the worker elves…but I have been given odd jobs, as of late.” Said Darion, deflating at the second part.

“Well, you can become an overseer for the ants. The worker elves here don’t need one. You can also oversee the murder muffins. They have been very lazy lately.” Said Theanore. Darion coughed. Oversee ants? How, exactly?

“Lesser overlord, how does one oversee ants?” Asked Darion. Theanore giggled.

“Like this! You say: Ants, line up! Then you give an order.” An ant came to see what her mistress wanted and then Theanore looked down at it.

“From now on this gremlin.” Said Theanore as she pointed at Darion. “Will be your overseer. You are to do anything he tells you as long as it is not something bad or harmful to you.” The ant scurried off and Darion looked after it.

He had heard of a dungeon core that bred intelligent ants, but he couldn’t believe his luck at being sent to it. If he turned this dungeon around and made it good enough to rival Alerion, then grandpa Thinker would surely see the error in sending him away.

“Lesser overlord, do I have an allowance of mana to spend?” Darion was not given one back home but he still wanted to try and get one here. The dungeon core looked like a pushover.

“Call me Theanore or Thea. And sure. How much do you want? I don’t have things to upgrade, so I can give you up to 40000 mana per day.”

Greed shone in Darion’s eyes. This was more mana than even grandma Thinker was rumored to have. With this much mana, he could turn this dungeon into the most feared one on this side of the ocean.

“That would be lovely, Thea.” The little nymph grinned and Darion knew it was the right decision to get familiar with her. “Do you know how to transfer it?”

“No.” Said the little girl.

“Ok, I will need paper and some ink and a quill. I can draw the contract and you can sign it. After reading it, of course.” Said Darion. Maybe this new place wouldn’t be so bad?

“I don’t need to read it, Dari. You are a trusted friend sent by grandpa Thinker. I am sure you won’t cheat me.” Said Theanore.

“But I will read it.” Said Crassus, looking at the gremlin with suspicion.

“Me too.” Said Marinus.

The only thing that came to Darion’s mind was that he needed to get the two males away from the dungeon core in the future to turn this place around. But he could do it all one step at a time.