Heart beating, I clutch my knees close to my chest. Someone is inside my cave. Two people, men, from what I heard. The worst part? I can't use my core to make changes. The interference they put off is massive--encompassing everything I've built.

  I stiffen up as I hear them speaking to one another. I can't make out words, but I can hear their voices. I can also hear very distant dogs barking. While I could go and look using my core, I don't feel as safe when I'm floating around like that. I can't protect myself as readily.

  There's shuffling feet. Someone's walking around. It gets louder, then quieter. The dog barking stops... and soon after the footsteps stop, too.

  I don't know how long I sat there for. Eventually, I give in to curiosity, and grab ahold of my core.

  The lack of light isn't an issue for me once I'm outside of my body. I float through my cave with bated breath. The pitfall trap has been triggered, but there are no corpses. A single leather boot lies at the bottom of the pit.

  I move up the stairs and out of the mouth of my cave, searching. I don't see anyone around. No people or dogs in sight.

  Relieved to be left alone, I relax.

  No, I can't. I need to prepare. If people found my cave then there must be civilization nearby, and that means more visitors could arrive at any moment.

  I waste no time in extending my cave deeper into the earth. When I'm finished digging deeper, my core chamber is roughly three stories underground. I sculpt the rough tunnel into a proper labyrinth, built to keep intruders out and catch wandering animals for my consumption.

  The entrance is wider and taller, capable of fitting two horses side by side. The stairs have been changed to a smooth ramp which ends in a circular chamber. This circular chamber links up to a corridor filled with pitfall traps--except these pits are lined with spikes.

  Beyond that first corridor is a spiral staircase, leading down to the bottom of my cave. Rather than let them walk straight to me, I add a maze. This maze isn't too complicated, but it is filled with more of my spiked pitfall traps.

  Hopefully, this preparation will keep anyone untrustworthy from reaching me or my core.

  I float back into my body. The sensation leaves me slightly dizzy, and I blink in the relative darkness. Might do me some good to have some lights down here, at least in my core chamber.

  Leaping back out of my body, I create a few sticks. The artificial dowels are made of the same wood as the trees on the surface--maybe oak--and resemble something you'd see in a video game. I expend some energy from my core to create a flash of fire, and it lights the torch as expected.

  Awesome! Now I can finally see properly.

  I create a new torch, this time set in a little slot I carve into the wall of the core chamber. Now I can see. Whenever it runs low I can just replace the wood.

  Of course, now that I'm looking at a properly illuminated core chamber, I realize I have yet to make myself any clothing. That's embarrassing.

  Thankfully I have a leather boot to use as a reference for how to make fabric. It's not too difficult to replicate, the fibers of the material fitting together to form a nice loose robe for me. It's a simple garment meant to keep me modest and comfortable.

  With this, I feel like a person again.

  ~

  Holding the torch aloft, I lead the way through the forest. Skinny is still missing--no idea where he went, but Toothy says he isn't dead. Toothy is carrying a rusted sword. Something he got from the junk seller in town. Hopefully it will be enough to defend ourselves from any wild beasts in that strange cave we found.

  "You sure we're goin' the right way, Shanks?"

  "Aye. I remember the way. It's hard to forget such a... odd place."

  Toothy stays quiet after that. My pace only slows when I catch sight of it--the cave. It's gotten bigger somehow. The mouth is larger, large enough to fit a lion. There aren't stairs anymore. Instead a sloped floor leads down into the black.

  "It's different? W-What is this?" Toothy whispers.

  I take a step forward. My actions are backed by false bravado as I march down the ramp. I hold the torch tight, my knuckles white with strain.

  "It's just a cave. Nothing to worry about, old man."

  Toothy follows me, but I can tell he doesn't want to. Old men like him are far more superstitious. Only God and the king have any real merit to them, not witches or devils.

  I slow down when I step into a room at the foot of the ramp. It's round, like the inside of a tree trunk. There's nothing here except a hallway. Toothy looks around at the smooth walls like he expects something to jump out at him. Old fool.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "Come on."

  Pressing on, I guide Toothy deeper into the cave. I don't know if I can really call this a cave anymore. It's too much like a tomb or temple. Maybe I should call it a crypt-

  The floor shatters, sending me sprawling as I start to fall. The only thing that stops me from plummeting to my untimely doom is Toothy's desperate grip. He holds me, grunting with exertion, as I dangle just over the edge of a deep hole. My torch is down at the bottom, flickering in the darkness.

  "C-Climb up!"

  "Aye!"

  I scramble up, snapping out of my stupor. My legs feel weak and shaky as I sit on solid ground, eyeing my torch at the bottom of the pit. It looks like a whole other corridor is down there, connected to this one by these deep holes.

  "This place ain't safe, Shanks..."

  "I... I want to see what's down here."

  Toothy pauses before asking me "Why?"

  Honestly there's no good reason for me to be so invested in this place. It nearly killed Toothy and I, there's nothing of value to be found here, and it gives me the absolute creeps. There's just something in me that insists there's something to be had. Some grand treasure to find.

  "Do you have that nagging feeling like there's something worth finding down here?"

  Toothy watches me for a long moment. He nods.

  "Aye. It's eerie, but I get that ache in my knee I always get when there's a score to be had."

  The two of us sit in silence for a long time. Things just aren't the same without Skinny here to back us up. Oh. I stand, dusting myself off as I place one hand against the wall so I don't lose my way in the darkness. Toothy watches me with a raised brow.

  "That's it! We need Skinny!"

  "What do you mean?"

  "With him, there are three of us. If we all bring some gear down here I'm sure we can find whatever score is waiting for us."

  Toothy looks convinced, nodding slowly. I offer him a hand, helping him rise. The two of us cautiously leave the cave, having to go off of touch instead of sight. Thankfully nothing goes wrong and we make it out under the moonlit sky.

  It's time to go save Skinny.

  ~

  Those weirdos are far too clumsy. They almost died, and for what? Treasure? There is no treasure down here! Only me and my core, which is certainly not worth much. And apparently they're going to come back with an extra friend in tow.

  They'll be back expecting treasure.

  So maybe they'll leave if I give it to them?

  If I don't give them something they'll go all the way down and find me. That's the worst possible outcome. So instead, I can give them some shiny baubles and send them on their way.

  Floating up to the circular room at the foot of the entry ramp, I create a wooden treasure chest. It's a simple affair, the hinges based on the metal sword the old man carried. I fill it with a shiny metal, something coppery that's buried deep in the ground surrounding my cave. I'm not sure if it's worth anything, but hopefully the three stooges will think it is.

  As for the actual shape of the treasure, I go with simple coins. On one side I inscribe a side profile of a woman's face. The other side gets a four leafed clover. They're shockingly good looking, something I'm sure I owe to my unique abilities.

  I'm not sure how many coins I should put in the chest.

  I'll just fill them in until it looks good.

  With that, I've got a reasonable deterrent for any people trying to raid my cave for loot. Hopefully the animals will come down and fall for the traps, while the people take some shiny things and leave me alone.

  I'd rather not have any blood on my hands.

  Moving on from my uppermost level, I decide to try and have some fun. Since acquiring this power I've struggled to make full use of it. To fix that, I am going to create a laboratory. I float deeper--beyond my core chamber--and dig out a grand room.

  I'm not quite sure what to put in this lab of mine. For starters, I create some nice counters against the left and right walls. These come with cupboards, simple spaces to store objects I create. At the back of the room I build a testing chamber. It's more of a miniature room than anything, but it will serve its purpose.

  As for the experiments themselves, I think I'll start with a light source.

  Sure, I have torches, but they're far too primitive and impractical. Instead of a torch I'd prefer a lantern. I try making several, each one differing in design.

  The first lantern design is a round metal cage with a fire burning inside. Oily goop based on my own body's fat serves as the fuel source, and it burns steadily. The only issue is it can be spilt, as I don't know how to make glass.

  The second lantern design is a wooden mess lined with metal wires. The whole thing is a shot in the dark aimed at creating electrical lights. I have no idea what I'm doing--so it ultimately doesn't function.

  The third and final lantern design is a cube with rounded edges. The material is stone, yet it emits a bright white light. All I did was try to create a rock that glowed. Creating this rock alters how I think about my abilities... Perhaps my core is filled with mana, rather than energy? I can certainly do magical things with it, so it's not too big a leap.

  These simple magic lights are really handy. I put a few in my core chamber, the lab, and the entrance to my cave. I don't put any lights beyond the treasure chest in the circular room, ensuring it appears appropriately foreboding.

  My first experiment is a success.

  Now, for my second, I'll create life!

  Cackling like a mad genius, I move to the 'testing chamber' in the lab. My only references for an animal are myself and a few clueless squirrels on the surface. As for plants, I get a nice variety of grasses, ferns, bushes, and trees.

  First, a plant.

  I manifest a solid chunk of dark soil. Within that soil, I place a seed. It's mostly my intent and a surge of mana--no real knowledge goes into this action. I am hoping it will grow in a leafy fern, but we will have to wait and see.

  To ensure my plant can grow I add in a solar light, using the idea from the modern world. This version is just a big rock that produces sunlight.

  I hydrate and fertilize the soil, knowing this experiment will take time.

  I pray it's successful.