The recent destruction wrought by the adventurers has given me enough mana to continue work on the Wildwood. Moving to view the unfinished region, I'm met with the awe inspiring sight of woodwalkers moving in herds across the creeping bramble covered deep woods. The huge mammals lower their heads down to chomp at the thorn covered vines. The plants' sharp exterior poses little to no threat for the woodwalkers legs and maw.

  An ant's bite is of little concern to a dog.

  My thoughts refocus on the task at hand. Finishing the Wildwood. I've created the plants as well as the woodwalkers, but there is one other giant creature I want to populate this area with. Unlike woodwalkers, they are not mammals. In fact, they're not animals at all.

  I take a single highbark tree and mold it with mana. The bark cracks and twists as a face is carved into its trunk. Leaves fall to the ground in a shower of green as branches bend and coil to mimic arms. Roots flex and churn the soil in an effort to combine into a mockery of legs.

  These animated trees are treants, a monster capable of pushing back a whole herd of woodwalkers thanks to their frighteningly sturdy wood and comparable size. Creeping bramble is the natural enemy of the treant. Treants need sunlight and soil to survive, resources the creeping brambles take. This means treants will never occupy the deep woods. Woodwalkers will be deterred from the forest center.

  I'd say the Wildwood has more than enough giant creatures now.

  Time for the little guys!

  I could just reuse the monsters I already have, but that would feel uninspired. Great hawks, swarmers, and even goliath toads may have a presence in the Wildwood, but they will not be the primary monsters of the forest. Such status will be reserved for my next creation.

  The towering highbark and the leafy ferns growing on the forest floor are both suitable for a snake. The trees may be difficult for a person to climb, but a large serpent is fully capable of such a feat. I can't make it too big--there's already so much mega fauna in the Wildwood--but I don't want it to be small, either. I'll shoot for a perfect middle ground.

  Mana coils into the shape of a lengthy limbless body. I guide my mana into the correct form, creating a serpent resembling a boa constrictor in anatomy. I don't have any perfect references, just my memories of the things and more common forest snakes living on the surface above my dungeon. The new serpents are built to strangle prey with their muscular bodies. Lying in wait high above, they scan their environment for the heat of prey moving beneath them. When the time is right the snake drops onto its target from high above.

  Highbark constrictors are going to be the most numerous of my new dungeon monsters. They won't be anywhere near as common as the three beasts in Green Valley, but they make up for it with their lethal effectiveness. Most people won't be able to resist getting strangled to death after a thirty kilogram reptile falls on them from several storeys above. I expect some people to perish from the impact.

  To ensure the constrictors have food when there aren't people to hunt, I add a healthy population of mundane deer to the Wildwood. They're bound to avoid the deep woods due to the creeping bramble. Hopefully their primary predator will be the constrictors and not the woodwalkers--after all, the woodwalkers are omnivorous while the constrictors are strictly carnivores.

  Alongside the deer and new monsters I go ahead and spawn in populations of great hawks and swarmers, but not goliath toads. There aren't any consistent bodies of water for them to live in here in the Wildwood. Most of the water will be coming from the frequent rains, and it won't be enough for the toads' young to mature within.

  Some birds, rabbits, and bugs join the forest creatures.

  With this I have almost everything I want within the Wildwood.

  Now, it is time I finally make a custodian. This is going to be my first time attempting to create something that can use mana just like me. I hadn't thought to try before, but with this it should be capable of helping maintain the dungeon like I've been doing until now. The benefits outweigh the risks! I'll design them so they won't be able to betray me, so it should be fine.

  The theme of forests gives me several options for what to make my custodian. I could create a plant similar to the treants, a mammal like the woodwalkers or deer, or any number of less prominent creature types. When I picture a woodland I don't picture a talking tree, though. The first thing that comes to mind is deer, or perhaps a moose.

  I gather my mana into a fine point. Creating the custodian of forests is going to be... a daunting task, I think. I have to focus all my thoughts on what I want the custodian to be capable of and what it should look like. This goes beyond anything I've created so far. It can't just be an animal that behaves based on some instincts I give it, it's going to be an intelligent being that can communicate with me and wield great power. This has to be perfect.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  If I had lungs right now, I'd be taking a deep breath.

  ~

  Cold stone is the first thing I feel. The smooth unyielding surface supports my body from beneath as I flex my body's muscles. My eyes flutter open to reveal a well lit chamber. The ceiling is obscured by shadows, while the lower portions of the room are lit by glowing rocks embedded in the walls and floor. I'm not alone. There's a person wearing a black hooded robe standing before me.

  "Rise, custodian of the forests."

  The robed woman speaks in a strange voice. It sounds as if multiple voices are layered over one another, each speaking in unison. I can pick out the deep voice of an older woman, the softer voice of a young lady, and something inhuman. Something in me compels me to listen to the command of the robed woman.

  I stand on shaky legs. My hooves thump softly against the stone floor as I rise, my furred body chilled by faint swirling winds that come from vents in the walls. The robed woman reaches a hand out, offering some sort of fabric item to me. I take it with a questioning look.

  "Those are clothes, much like my own robe. Wear them well, for they protect you from both the elements and immodesty."

  "Okay... But, who are you, stranger?"

  My voice is a bit scratchy and hoarse. I have a feeling its because this is my first time speaking, but I can't say for certain. As I take the clothes she lets out a soft chuckle, which sounds slightly different in each of her many voices.

  "I am known to most by the simple title of dungeon. You may call me whatever you wish, but know that I am your creator, your mother, and the sole being responsible for your existence."

  Realization fills my heart with a blend of emotions as I look upon the robed woman. This is my mother! She's the one who gave me life, and now here she is, greeting me and giving me something with which to clothe myself. Speaking of the clothes, I put them on. They're loose fitting but they are quite comfortable. A tunic, and some trousers.

  My head bows in a show of reverence toward Mother. She doesn't react to the gesture, but I am unperturbed. I give my feelings life with words.

  "Thank you, Mother, for giving me this life. I swear I will uphold whatever you desire to the utmost of my abilities."

  Mother raises her hand, silencing me with the gesture.

  "I'm glad you know when to show thanks, custodian, but there are more important matters to attend to. The first being your name."

  "My name? Am I not simply called the custodian of forests, like you first said?"

  "Nay. Your name is much more beautiful than that. You are Silva, guardian of trees, protector of woodland creatures, and custodian of forests."

  My chest swells with pride as I stand a little straighter. These titles mean little to me right now, but from the way Mother speaks of them I can tell they are important. Mother offers another item to me. This time it's not clothing, but a strange looking crystal. The lump of glassy minerals glows faintly, drawing me in. I take it with cautious glances directed at Mother's obscured face. I can barely see a hint of her mouth.

  "What is this, Mother?"

  "That is your catalyst. You will be able to return here any time with this, if you need to speak with me. Would you like me to show you how to use it?"

  I nod profusely. Such an item sounds very valuable! Of course, now I wonder where exactly I'll be going if not here with Mother. I suppose this place is not a forest. I'll probably need to look after someplace with more green. Mother begins her lecture.

  "To use the catalyst you will need to first use mana."

  "Mana, Mother?"

  "Yes. Mana is an energy in the air, in your body, and in every living thing. Everything regardless of life or not is made up of mana."

  Everything? Does that mean I'm made of mana? What about Mother?

  "I made you with the innate ability to manipulate mana, just like me."

  "What does that mean?"

  I swear Mother smiles, but I can't actually see her face. Little sparkling motes of light start to appear from thin air around me. I watch, transfixed, as the sparkling stuff glitters like little stars. Now I wonder what it must be like to see a star. I just know them, yet I've never witnessed one. How peculiar.

  "This is what mana can do. It can create, destroy, or change. You try."

  Try? How am I meant to manipulate mana when I don't know the first thing about it?

  No, I shouldn't doubt Mother's teachings. I can do it.

  My brows furrow as I try to focus on the mana. I don't know what it feels like, but maybe I can just wing it anyway. There's mana in everything. I can just twist and move it. Thinking isn't enough to move the mana, is it?

  "Ah. Let me show you what mana is, what it feels like."

  "Thank you, Mother!"

  Mother approaches me before gently placing their gloved hand on my arm. I watch carefully, waiting for some glow or sparkling to occur. Instead I feel a soft tingle move through me. Nothing visually changes, but I can feel the mana moving through me.

  "I-I feel it, Mother."

  "Good. Now, I want you to try using mana for yourself... try making this plant grow."

  I look around in confusion. There isn't a single sign of life in this chamber. Is Mother perhaps blind in some way? I wouldn't want to embarrass Mother, but I should probably tell her.

  "Mother, there aren't any plants in here."

  Mother doesn't say anything, instead she replies by creating a potted plant from seemingly nothing. She must be using mana to do that! How fascinating. I oblige Mother by trying to give the plant mana, pushing the stuff from inside me and into the little tiny sprout.

  My reward is a rapidly expanding plant! It shoots up in mere seconds, growing into a leafy stalk that rivals me in height, almost a meter taller than Mother. A long silence passes between us as we stare at the proud looking plant.

  "Impressive. How would you like to see your forest, Silva?"