Being two times the size of the forge, some would call the bedroom ‘unnecessary’ or ‘extravagant’ but Hazel would take no such complaint from Azu. For her new little resident, Hazel was prepared to die on this hill, and took nothing less. As she opened her menu to add furniture, Azu piped up with yet another protest.

[Hazel. I know I’m the one who brought this up…] He (and Hazel definitely thought of the Wisp as a ‘he’) slowly broached. [But the fortress has other directives as well. We will need many such rooms. We’ll never be done if we make them all so large]

Hazel looked up from the menu to send the telepathic equivalent of a glare. Azu was always taking control in these types of constructions, steering them towards ‘efficient’ and ‘important’ deviations of the templates, and Hazel had only now stepped her core down. For once, she was going to make it look good, and she was going to do it without building a single column!

That wasn’t to say she was going to be wasteful however. Hazel had the common sense of a wisp, and made sure to cut corners when she could, but she also knew that taking out the wall etching to save out on a quarter of a mana point was somewhat obsessively insane! And this room already had the rough job of convincing their first guest to stay in the refuge...

[You promised to let me have complete control over a room every once and a while. So I’m just pulling that card now. ] Hazel enabled the core’s mana sense. [Why don’t you mess with the door flows or something.]

Azu grumbled as he began messing with the flows, routing the straightest of paths through corners and walls, but he thankfully left her alone to work. She flared at the duo of stone foxes which had followed them in happiness.

He was right, however, about the low mana point count. The engine only generated about 80 points a day, and already 4 of that was consumed powering the doors and fountain Azu had let her keep. And although they had only just started digging for the day when they’d found the fungal cavern, they’d already used a great deal of mana on it. Then, after adding a somewhat barebones residence hall to the other side of the engine room and the cost of the enlarged bedroom, Hazel’s menu told her that she only had 10 mana to decorate with. It would be a challenge, certainly, but one Hazel was determined to see through.

Hazel’s menu, however, was just as determined to hand her bad news.

Residence Room Options: Sleep < Bed, Stone (1 Mana, Force) Storage < Cabinet, Stone (1 Mana, Force) Kitchen > Recreation < Bookshelf, Stone ( 1 Mana, Force) Spellcasting > Bathroom > Other >

[This is force-shit.] She cursed to herself, carefully keeping inside the thought shield. [No kid on earth is gonna want to sleep on a template-damned stone bed!]

For not the last time Hazel cursed the template corruption. Just about everything actually useful had been destroyed in the botched soul binding, leaving just the most basic and easy to recreate fabrications. They only had a single door design for template’s sake!

Hazel flickered as she sought possible alternate avenues of interior decoration. All Hazel could think of however was gathering some of the plants in the fungal cavern to use as potted plants, or to maybe construct the bed out of shroom stalk, though Hazel wasn’t sure how comfortable that would be. It would also probably take a good chunk of the core’s personal mana reserves to levitate and cut it.

It would have to do.

Hazel left the room, the foxes plodding close behind. Hazel could only surmise that the creatures were somewhat domesticated, though she had no idea how when they lived in such a place as the ravine.

[Unit Hazel.] Hazel flickered at the ‘Unit’ title. [Where are we headed?]

Hazel struggled to keep control as she floated down the hall, explaining her plan to Azure along the way.

[Acceptable.] Azure replied calmly. He seemed to always be calm to Hazel. [We will need substitutes for common materials anyway, if we wish to avoid the surface.]

For once, Hazel completely agreed. They had checked every day since they’d started mining for the storm to subside outside, each and every day careful not to open the door enough to let anything in. Unfortunately, the rain had never stopped, nor had it ever shown any signs of doing so, and after the run in with the wolf-spider thing neither of them had proposed a scouting expedition. If the cave had what they needed however, they might not even need to worry about the surface. Unless they wanted to summon more people with the mana pulse of course.

She reached the ravine with no distractions, and entered the cavern. The familiar sights almost threatened her to stop again, but she tore herself from the view and continued to one of the tallest mushrooms, glowing as it did in the grove.

“Alright.” She turned towards the crowd of foxes to her left. She couldn’t help but flare slightly at their adorable stone chipped fur. “Are you guys ready for a show?”

A few tilted their heads. One barked.

“Good enough for me.”

Hazel summoned a blade of mana and narrowed it to a point, trying for the sharpest edge she could manage. Then, after about a minute of muted pulsing and concentration, she swung towards the tree, the force flying away with a whip sound as it met the air. Hazel swung around in an loop-de-loop to recover, only righting herself just as the blade swept through the stalk. And the two stalks behind it.

“Oops.” Hazel said. “Maybe that was a little too much.”

After a second, the stalks reconnected with gravity and leaned towards Hazel threateningly.

“Timber!”

Hazel and the foxes scattered in all directions as the mushroom thumped down where they were a second ago, sending a spore cloud into the air. In the nearby trees the lightning birds took to the sky, a cacophony of bird cries echoing through the cavern.

Hazel lifted herself off the mycelium she had dived into, eyeing the fallen stalks. She spun as a marbled legged fox next to her narrowed its eyes and attempted to nip the flames of the core.

“Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean for the… oh?” Hazel stopped as her menu opened itself and black text began to fill her vision.

Alternate textile (Silken Mycelium) has been analyzed. Attempting cross synthesis with corrupted templates.

Done.

Connected to 34 templates.

4 templates restored.

Bed Sheets restored.

Simple Clothing restored.

String/Rope restored.

Netting restored.

Artificial Textile Synthesis added.

[Interesting.] Azu chimed in warmly. [Well done Hazel.]

Hazel flared up brightly, scaring the nearby wildlife with her flash, but she didn’t mind. If they could restore the corrupted templates then… well, maybe they weren’t as screwed as they thought they were!

Hazel flicked through her menu to quickly read the descriptions for the items before her eyes snapped to the mana point count, realizing another number sat beside it.

Mana: 7/80

Raw Materials (0/100ne Refuge, .1/10ne Core)< Silk: .1/1ne

[We can hold raw materials in the core?] She asked, perplexed. Normally she had some sort of instinctual memory in regards to everything related to the fortress, but she had no idea this was even an option. [Did you know about this?]

Azure didn’t respond for a second, obviously checking his own menu.

[Negative.] He said finally, a note of irritation entered the message. [I had absolutely no idea.]

[Ah…] She responded. [But its great news regardless! Even if it's only a small amount it should make transporting much easier!]

Hazel turned towards the fallen mushrooms again and approached, a sudden idea entering her head.

The foxes gathered again as Hazel drew close to the stalk, the magical flames of the core whipping the surface. Then, after one more look around her, Hazel plunged towards the stalk, gasping as it disintegrated into her.

Like a charm, the menu opened itself and a waterfall of text began.

Alternate Lumber (Blue Fungal) has been analyzed. Attempting cross synthesis with corrupted templates.

Done.

Connected to 65 templates.

27 templates restored.

Armoire, Wooden restored

Bed, Wooden restored

Cabinet, Wooden restored

Dresser, Wooden restored

Fence, Wooden restored

Fertilizer restored

...

The deluge of text went on for quite a while before it eventually calmed down, letting Hazel navigate her menu again. As well, Hazel felt a new sensation since coming alive, as if gravity pulled on the core several times as much as before, and she saw a ‘10/10ne’ lying next to the raw materials on her menu to explain it.

The Nelvi was, as far as she knew, the primary unit for volume. She supposed that whatever pocket dimension the core was carrying the resources in had such a limit, something easily confirmed with a quick estimation of the hole she had burned into the mushroom tree.

Hazel pulled back from the stalk to take in her new found power, illuminating the grove with a quick flare of happiness.

The core then drew back with a spin however as the stone foxes who had watched then descended on the tree, sudden flashes of green erupted from their paw’s contact with the mushroom. At every point of contact a small section of material vanished into thin air, each hole the size of the fox itself. Very soon, all three trunks were completely gone, split up and taken into the horde of canines.

[Azu…] Hazel sputtered in horror. [What even are these things?]

Azure had no answer for her, and they both simply stared at the beings as they began to dash towards the mine entrance of the refuge, the wisps scared of what they had found.

…

“One bedroom done, hopefully infinitely more to go!” Hazel said aloud, mostly for the foxes' benefit.

After they had gotten back to the residence hall, they had found that a huge amount of cube shaped fungal wood blocks littering the hall, which they had thankfully been able to absorb into the refuge’s storage with an option in the menu. Then, under the now intimidating gaze of three dozen stone foxes, Hazel had finished the room.

The actual shape of the overall room didn’t change very much, but now the rectangle was separated into three distinct rooms by thin bluish wooden walls. Farthest from the door was the bedroom where the bed sat, covered with a silken bed sheet, as well as a nightstand and two dressers, one of which was filled with plain clothes roughly the right size for the kid. To the left connected to the bedroom was a storeroom filled with an empty chest and space for more cabinets if needed. Also connected with the bedroom was a bathroom with a stone tub with a small heater and magical water pump. Finally, connecting the storeroom to the front door was a living room/kitchen with a stone sink, counters, and a small table and chairs.

Thankfully, the wooden furniture was actually cheaper than the stone versions, and even after clearing out most of the wooden stores by replacing the floor with wood a small amount of mana was left over to wire everything up to the mana flows.

Looking over the finished product with a smug flare, Hazel had to admit she’d done a pretty fantastic job with it all. If this didn’t make the kid stay, Hazel wasn’t sure what would. Besides her family, or safety, or… well she could think of a few things actually.

The work done, Hazel let Azure take back control of the core, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hold onto it if he really wanted it now that the construction was done.

[Good work.] Azu said sarcastically. [A bedroom that cost us most of our mana reserves for a whole day.]

[Hey. 20 of those were for the residence hall itself, and that can hold more rooms.]

[After the entrance hall, that was singlehandedly the most expensive room we’ve ever had.]

[And it shows!]

Azure sighed as she chuckled. Even if they didn’t make all the rooms like this, Hazel was happy to have at least one good looking room.

“Mr. Wisp?”

Azu and Hazel both froze at the voice, unmistakingly that of a young girl. Turning around, they saw that the girl had recovered her hat and was staring right at them, surrounded by a carpet of quarried canines. Her ears twitched expectantly.

[...Say something Azu.]

“Wiggles…” She nudged a particularly jittery stone fox. “... said you saved me.”

Azu stared for a second, looking for all the world like he’d rather switch places.

“Confirmative.” Azu eventually said. “You are the first to arrive, so habitation was not completed. You are welcome to rest.”

“Hmm…” She looked around at the smooth surfaces of the residence hall, her eyes lingering on the residence hall’s grooved pillars that Azure had demanded be included. “Are you an angel? Am I in heaven?”

Azu flared in amusement, though none creeped into his answer. “Negative. I am the overseer of this facility. As far as I am aware, you are alive.”

The girl smiled at Azure, and Hazel caught a couple canine teeth. “That's good.”

“It would be a shame to be dead.”

“Yes!” The girl nodded appreciatively. “Did you save dad too?”

“Negative.” Azure responded immediately. “In fact, that's getting at one of the things I wanted to know about.”

Azu lowered himself to her head level. “Do you remember where you came from?”

The girl shrunk at the reply and seemed to think for a second. Looking back up, she shook her head.

“You don’t remember anything?” Azu asked incredously.

“Well…” The girl rolled on her heels. “I know where home is! But everyone was leaving when me and dad did.”

“Alright. We will investigate that when we can then.”

“Really?”

“Of course.” He replied. “It might be a few days however. In the meantime, what would be your identification script?”

She tilted her head to the side, the foxes following suit. “What’s that?”

Hazel rolled her metaphorical eyes. She didn’t think Azu even realized how obtuse he sounded at times. She was able to keep up of course, but it was the reason that Hazel was starting to think she should be handling diplomacy when they got the chance. She surged in to take control of the core away from Azu for a minute, and he acquiesced after a second of debate.

“Your name.”

Hazel made sure to speak with the same voice that Azu had used, which was easy enough with the core controls.

The girl shifted from foot to foot before answering. “Dad said not to tell strangers my name. Or to talk to them.”

“But you’re talking with me already.” Hazel blinked the core a few times for emphasis. “And we saved you. Therefore we’re not really strangers.

She leaned to the side as she pondered something before giving up.

“Okaaay. I’m Numi.”

“Alright Numi, what about this.” Hazel floated towards the door. “How about you check out your room for a rest and we’ll give you a tour of the place after that?”

“‘That’s fine I guess.” She looked down as her stomach rumbled. “Uh...Do you have food at all, Mr. Wisp? I haven’t been able to eat since we left...”

Food? Hazel wracked her mind for a second as she suddenly remembered that some beings needed that. They hadn’t built any hydroponics yet… And after what they had spent on the room, Hazel didn’t think they’d be able to until tomorrow either.

[I told you we’d need leftover mana.] Azu reprimanded. [Curious how I’m correct most of the time, isn’t it?]

[Shut up back there.] Hazel grumbled. [And help me think of something.]

“We’ll get you something in a little bit and leave it on the table in your room.”

“Okay!” Numi walked in the room, the canine carpet following. All except for the twitchy one, who stayed behind to glare at the wisp distrustedly.

“What’s up with you?”

‘Wiggles’ shoved its snout into the air pointedly and marched into the room.

Hazel ignored it, choosing instead to send a telepathic question to Azure.

[So… any templates on cooking mushrooms?]