《Ascent of a Dragon》


 Prologue: The shadow and the soul

    A long, thin shadow swipes across a dimly lit room. Dark hands protrude from the shaded form, grasping at the numerous vials and pouches scattered across the room, mixing their contents together while tweaking the many strange devices at dazzling speeds. Pops become sizzles, become crackles as ingredients are added, shaken, and stirred into large cylindrical container.


    As the mixture changes form and begins to bubble the shadow pulls itself from the ground, looming over its concoction, watching with the two pure white orbs glowing from its head. After a moment of observation, the shadowy figure places an outstretched hand into the goopy mixture, pulling out a palm sized glob which it then molds carefully into a solid, gray egg.


    Leaving the egg to rest on a small pedestal, the shadow calmly flows towards the sole source of light in the room, a glass door showing off a dazzling array of lights chaotically scrambling upwards and out of sight, bathing the room in their soft glow. The orbs fill the room with a low melodic hum as the figure stands before them.


    White orbs peer into the lights, watching, searching, analysing. Two orbs become one, become three as they track each light with pinpoint accuracy. Each of the dozens of lights surfing their way up the river is carefully observed and taken stock of within the span of a blink, save for one.


    "How odd." The figure muses to itself, its wispy voice echoing across the room. "For a soul to be able to peer back at me... Has your ego been preserved?" Placing a shadowy hand through the door, the figure gently takes hold of the sole light refusing the flow of the rest. Tiny flakes splinter off the several cracks woven around the diminutive soul as its pulled through the glassy film separating the river of lights from the room.


    "A fragile one indeed." The figure''s eyes condense into one focused point. "Your form has been maintained, yet somehow damaged. I cannot imagine what form of assault could achieve such a feat, though I do not suppose you are in a position to tell me, are you?" A wavy chuckle emanates from the figure, shaking the room and harmonising with the clatter of glass and metal.


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    Gently resting the soul in a cage of silver metal, the figure begins pulling at the various levers and knobs nearby. Every so often the figure will pause, pale eyes taking in every detail of the soul before them, a hand providing it the occasional prod for good measure. The soul shifts, changing between blue and red, from spherical to cubic, bright to dim, and back to it''s natural turquoise glow. On occasion the soul flickers in protest to a change, eliciting a small chuckle from the shadow.


    Satisfied, the figure nods, or at least its eyes bob down to imply the action. "You''re almost perfect for what I need. A soul unattuned to any energy, yet still robust enough to handle the procedure. How you managed this is beyond me, though I suppose I need not know." The figure raises a hand to where it''s chin should be, mimicking a thoughtful posture. "This damage however is an issue. I know nothing of repairing damage to a soul, nor how such a thing is even possible. If you cannot handle the whole process... you may be shattered."


    The soul flickers in defiance, glowing brighter and brighter until its glow fills the room, before petering out. The figure''s eyes expand, before warping up into crescent moons, a thin white line drawing itself across its face creating a wide grin. "Very well then."


    The figure cups two hands around the soul, enclosing the light completely before carrying it to the egg, still resting on its pedestal. Holding its hands over the egg the figure squeezes.


    A resounding crack shatters across the room as small shards leak out from the shadow''s hands, bouncing harmlessly off the egg before scattering into nothing. The figure swiftly presses the two hands into the egg, morphing them around to encompass it without seams.


    Moments pass by in near silence as flickers of light threaten to burst forth from the egg, only to be smothered by the shadowy hands embracing it. Moments become minutes, become hours, perhaps even days. Only the dancing glow from the river of souls and the occasional spot of light breaking free from the egg to indicate the passing of time.


    After a length of time, perhaps known only by the shadow, the hands finally release their grip to reveal an obsidian egg, refracting the soft ambient light into an almost ethereal purple glow. The figure''s eyes, which had narrowed to focused pinpoints, relaxed to their natural size before curving into a grin.


    "A resounding success!" The figure''s voice becoming clear, flowing out like a fresh spring as it claps its hands together. "I commend your fortitude little one, and I wish you luck on your journey. Find me at the deepest point and I will provide you assistance with your goal."


    "Farewell, little soul."

 Chapter 1: A name

    Excellent! A small thud resounds within a pitch black cave. Wonderful! A louder thunk echoes forth, followed shortly by a clatter and a crack Ouch! Crack, thud, crack... flop. Wahaha, perfect! I have finally escaped that dark and sticky prison, as expec-wait... It''s just more darkness... Dammit, who designed this place?!


    Bah well! No use moping in the dark. Let''s take stock of things. A small figure fumbles out of a shattered egg into the darkness, bumping and scratching into obstacles, letting out tiny yelps and squeaks with each impact. First things first, a head count! Me! Good good, that''s everyone.


    And now for the more important questions. Where am I? What am I? Who am I? No, seriously, what is my name? I mustn''t remember. Why?! Memories memories... I have none! Or rather, I have a bunch, but none about me! Little patters of feet softly echo, followed by a flop and a grunt. More of a squeal really. Still though, I need a name. Something memorable, something grand which can live up to my inevitable greatness!


    The figure stands tall, then flops back down again. Dammit! Why is standing so hard?! Who''s idea was it to put these heavy things on my back? Gah, screw it, my glorious name can come later. Right now I need to figure out WHAT I am.


    Body strewn across the floor, the figure begins to systematically tense each muscle. Four limbs twitch in sequence Legs, followed by the jittering of two large coats of leathery fabric Wings. Bone clatters together, sound echoing across the room Teeth. Finally, a long, malleable appendage wiggles itself behind the figure Tail? Something feels odd about this one...


    ... I''m a lizard aren''t I... No wait, wings. So I''m a dragon? DAMMIT! That''s worse! Shadowy bastard dares to turn me into one of these village burning, overeating, good-for-nothings?! I''ll show him... her? It, whatever! The dragon flails about, tail slapping the ground in frustration as the wings flap wildly.


    Calming down, the dragon takes a seated posture and huffs. Hmm... You know what? Screw shadowy dude! I''ma be the coolest damn dragon it''s ever seen! That''ll show it. With a resolute nod, the dragon stands up on its four feet and begins inspecting itself further.


    Next order of business, gender! Scratching a claw, nowhere in particular, the dragon tilts its head in confusion. Nothing... Does that mean girl? Do dragons in this world even have a gender? Whatever, we''ll just say girl. It''s close enough.


    The dragon then flexes her claws, scratching at the nearby rocks. Weapons check! I have claws, very nice, very nice. Placing a claw between her Jaws she begins nibbling at it. Teeth, very sharp, very nice. She then begins to wrap her tail around herself, once, twice... Why is it so long?! This thing is so getting in the way of literally everything! Seriously who designed this thing? They deserve a demotion!


    With a sigh, the dragon flops back down in defeat. Wings? Whatever, they''re not in the way (much) and I can''t exactly test them when I can''t see, so I''ll figure those out later. I guess that brings me back to my first problem then. A name! How about Draggy?


    Draggy bounces up and begins to explore the darkness. Knowing her body better helps her keep balance, but does nothing to stop her bumping into every rock and wall in the area. Thankfully, Draggy''s scales seem to be doing a decent job absorbing the impacts without injury, but that''s hard to really gauge without actually seeing the damage on them.


    Hmm, no. What was I even thinking? Draggy? What a stupid name! I can do better than that. Something cool, epic, with a lot of deep meaning. I''ve got it! I''ll name myself Godslayer! Hmm, yes perfect. Powerful and unique, with much deep meaning I''m sure.


    Godslayer waddles forward, the lack of collisions indicating she''s reached some kind of clearing. Out of the corner of her eye she spots a faint white light for but a moment before it disappears. Tilting in confusion, before shaking her head Godslayer moves forward. Hmmm... maybe a bit too on the nose though. Godslayer sounds cool sure, and lives up to my standards, but it''s more of a title isn''t it? Maybe one I can earn? I''ll have to kill a few gods, but that''s no biggie really. Maybe something cute, like... Lily?


    Moving forward, Lily? discovers a soft patch of ground. Leaning down to investigate Lily? gives the surface a quick sniff. Yes. This is moss. Very mossy indeed. Lily though? Cute sure, but if I turn out to be a guy later on it''ll be awkward as hell. Not that I really care, but still. I''m better off thinking of something androgynous. Maybe a concept, or some kind of cool natural formation? If you can name your kids Hope then I can name myself Nebula or something!


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    But then what would work? Tentails? I only have one though. Light? I''m not much of a bookworm. Yeagar? Nah, too big. Dwarf in the flask? I''m not short! You are!


    The terribly indecisive dragon lays herself down on a particularly comfy patch of moss to relax. Can dragons eat moss? No, let''s just... not go there. I don''t care if I can, I won''t!


    Well, when all else fails, go with math! How about a number? Something big... I could just go with Infinity I guess? Infinity scratches idly at the moss in front of her. No, too much. I''ll just be called arrogant if I name myself that. How about something more obscure like Aleph Null? Sure it''s two words, but I''ve heard of people with a dozen names in one so I''m justified having two. It''s only the smallest infinity, which makes it perfectly humble just like me!


    Aleph Null gives herself a satisfied nod. Hm, yes. This is the name for me. I can go by just Aleph, which rolls off the tongue nicely and has plenty of nickname material for my many friends to use... When I get them. Having finally decided on a name for herself, Aleph gives her body a good stretch, followed by a long yawn... Or rather, a squeal. Resting her snout on the pillowy moss below, she coils up and relaxes.


    Man. Naming things is tiring. I suppose just having been born may have something to do with it, but still. Sleeeep... She thinks to herself as she slowly surrenders herself to the comforting abyss of slumber.


    After what felt like hours of comfy, mossy, rest Aleph stirs awake. Granted, in this dark cave with no way to tell time it could have been a few minutes... or days. Giving herself a nice long stretch and a flap of her wings, Aleph stands ready for the day? Night? Whatever, she stands up.


    Fuaaa, another perfect rest! Or wait... That was technically the first time I''ve ever slept, so... Eh whatever. Opening her eyes, Aleph takes in the grand view of absolutely nothing within the pitch black cave. Haaah... Well there goes my theory of it just being a really dark night...


    Come on, surely the shadowy bastard didn''t just leave me in a pitch black cave with no way to see right? Do I use another sense maybe? Echolocation? Aleph closes her eyes and focuses her hearing. The cave is silent save for a faint dripping and distant chittering. Tapping a nearby rock with her claws she listens as the clack reverberates through the cave.


    Hm yes, I gained nothing from that. The sound of water is pretty nice though. I am pretty thirsty... And hungry. Not sure I want to follow that other sound though, sounds gross. Still though, none of this helps me see. Do i maybe use another sense? Smell? Touch? Am I missing some kind of instinct for this?


    Actually, wait... Do I have ANY instincts for this body? Everything has been pretty hands on so far. No odd feelings, no automatic tail swishing, I don''t even have any weird cravings... Does that shadowy bastard seriously expect me to figure this stuff out myself? This better not be one of those magic sense things, I''m not even attuned! Least it could have done was to give me eyes that could damn well do something in the place I was born!


    Slamming her tail on the ground in frustration, Aleph wobbles herself towards the dripping sound. Haah, no use complaining about it. I''ll just hope this place is an exception and everywhere else has some kind of bioluminescent moss or something.


    I suppose one thing I haven''t considered is that my eyes simply don''t work. I thought I saw a light earlier, but I could be mistaken. Or going insane? Nah, no way. Either way though, I do have eyes so surely they''re good for something. Maybe if I can figure out this worlds magic system I can make myself glow? That is, if it actually has one... Worst case I''ll just have to tap into the pure energies early, but I''d rather have some kind of head start on that.


    As she gets used to her new body Aleph begins to stumble less. Using her front feet to probe the ground in front of her and avoid obstacles she manages to find the source of the dripping in good time, albeit with a mild headache from the endless stalagmites assaulting her snout.


    Sniffing around in search Aleph flinches back as her nose is assaulted by a sudden cold. Huachuu! Eughh... Water in your nose is the worst, no matter what species. Huh, wonder what I was before... No! Not important, water comes first!


    Holding out her tongue she laps down the slowly dripping water, patiently taking in her fill. Fuaaa sweet hydration. No more complaining Aleph, only optimist Aleph here. First order of optimistic business? Food! I''m starving! Haven''t had a bite to eat my whole life! Let''s fix that.


    Giving the air a solid sniff Aleph begins the search for sustenance.  Hmm yes I have a good sense of smell. Would help if I knew what any of these scents actually were, but oh well. Aimless wandering for me then.


    With a determined huff and a stretch of her wings Aleph picks a random direction and strides, somehow not immediately colliding head first into a wall. Hm, this is going well. If things keep up like this then who knows, maybe I''ll even find some friends in this dark and moldy cave.


    That determination was short lived however, as one wet rock would seek to prove to the world. Finding herself now careening down a dark tunnel with no sense of up or down Aleph sequentially lists off every curse word she knows, and a few more, before slamming to the ground with a fwomp.


    Uuuuuuugh... right in the... everything. Good thing I landed on this soft, warm, scaly floor though. Could have been a lot worse. The floor vibrates as a low hiss reverberates through the room. Oh... Um, hmm... Maybe it''s friendly?

 Chapter 2: Making friends

    "HISSSSS!" "Squeeee!" UAAAAAH! Not friendly! NOT FRIENDLY! Where am I going? WHO CARES, AS LONG AS IT''S AWAY FROM THAT. The cave walls tremble as an enraged beast gives chase to its quarry. Aleph bolts forward with all the force her small legs can muster, using her wings to give herself a slight boost while her tail helps her kick off and redirect at every turn she slams into.


    Large as it is, the beast is slow, albeit relentless. An adult human could easily outrun it, if you ignored the issue of stamina. Unfortunately, Aleph is neither human nor adult, and while she is faster, her inability to see causing her to stumble and crash into every obstacle in the vicinity, prevents her from gaining any lead.


    WHY ARE YOU SO STUBBORN?! Really I can''t have hurt you that much, did I offend your whole family or something? Wait, is that what it is? I stumbled into your nest during breeding season? Fuck! The beast makes a lunge for Aleph, clipping her tail with its fang. Yowch! Gimme a break, do I really have to find my way out of its territory? I have no idea how big that is, and I''m pretty sure I''ve already gone in a few circles!


    "HSSSSS!" Aleph manages to leap to the side before the beast''s next lunge, letting it soar past. Despite not being too fast, the beast is heavy, and Aleph light, the wind pressure alone still slamming her into the wall. Finally able to catch her breath, she listens as the long beast slithers its way past. Haaaaah, haah... Not turning around? Ha! Guess you''re too big, sucks to be you!


    Listening intently she hears the rumbling begin to recede, before picking up again. Though the beast is indeed much too large to turn within these tunnels, for a creature which has lived its entire life within such an environment, finding a route to loop back around is a trivial affair.


    It''s coming back, I''ve only bought myself only a little time. I need to think of something before it gets here. The rumbling picks up as the sound reverberates through the cave walls. Can I hide? Where though, I can''t see remember! And I''m pretty sure my tail is bleeding, so if it has half a brain it''ll just track me! I would need somewhere it can''t fit...


    Pebbles begin to clatter across the ground as the sound grows closer. OK, maybe run? I can get a head start if I leave now, maybe lose it if I take a few lucky turns. But which way is it coming from? It''s probably gone for a full loop so it could be coming from anywhere now, and the last thing I need is to dash straight into the thing''s mouth!


    Stalagmites begin to resonate with the growling of the tunnels as the beast nears its approach. OK, no time. I''m just going to have to run for it as soon as I can tell where it''s coming from. I''ll just have to hope I get lucky and find a way to escape.


    Aleph stands at the ready, ears on guard for the slightest hint of which way to run. The echoing tunnels don''t help matters, spreading the sound evenly in all directions, betraying any sense of origin. She stays her focus though, seeking out any hint of where the beast may come from.


    Surprisingly though, it is not her ears that respond first, but her eyes. Spotting a sinister yellow glow out the corner of her eye she tilts her head to see a two wrathful orbs glaring back at here, pitch black slits pressed thin with hatred. The beast spots its prey, letting out a "HISSSSS" as it barrels forward, opening its jaws wide as the glow highlights its serpentine face.


    Run! Aleph jolts away from the serpent, ignoring the screaming pain from her weary muscles. This is not good, why does it have to be so MAD?! And why does it get glowy eyes? I want those! It doesn''t take long for the serpent to catch up and once again begin lunging at the small dragon before it.


    Gah! I need something! Don''t dragons always have weird abilities or something? Aleph turns her head, spotting a faint glow in the wall for the briefest of moments. Ignore it! Insta-kill breath! Facing back she presses hard on her diaphragm to unleash her almighty insta-kill... cough. OK that''s a bust, what else...


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    Aleph raises her legs as she slams into a wall, the serpent''s eyes emitting just enough light for her to catch it a moment early. Turning her head once again she glares back making direct eye contact with the beast. Laser eyes! Yet it remains unperturbed in it''s pursuit as the lasers do not in fact shoot from her eyes.


    Aleph turns back to the side to resume her escape only to find more wall. Shit, wrong turn! The serpent, unwilling to let this chance pass by, lunges forward with its jaws opened wide, before she can turn herself around.


    Uaah! Dammit, umm... Time freeze wings? Liquid bones? Um, tail sword! Leaping out of the way as best she can, Aleph swipes her tail towards the beast''s mouth, hoping to inflict even a minuscule amount of damage, and... IT ACTUALLY WORKS?! Ahem... A long, thin claw unsheathes in segments from grooves along the tip of her tail to about a quarter of its total length.


    Wildly flailing her now bladed tail, she manages to gouge a deep cut into the serpent''s forked tongue and cheek. Despite not being all that sharp, the haphazard swinging was able to generate enough force from a whip-like motion and plunge into the soft flesh of the beast''s exposed flesh.


    Not expecting its prey to suddenly bite back, the serpent flinches away, jerking its head away from the sudden source of pain. Crashing its skull into the wall it misses Aleph by a hair''s breadth, though the air pressure is still enough to send her tumbling a good way forward, leaving behind a few bruises and missing scales as she struggles to regain her footing.


    That worked?! Hell yea! Tails are the best body part, never had any doubt! Her celebration is cut short however, as the serpent pulls its head from the rocks it was buried in. Now quite literally seething, its body begins to glow red, with its yellow eyes burning brighter than before. Aleph shudders as she feels the intense heat emanating from it.


    Oh, um... I guess you weren''t actually that mad before, but you are now, um... Sorry? Aleph gives off an apologetic grin, though without proper lips this just ends up with her squinting and baring her fangs. Ignoring this display, the serpent rears its head back, preparing to lunge.


    Okay think! I''m spent and sore, I don''t think I can handle another chase. Its glowing has made it bright enough to see around... Is there maybe a hole or something I can hide in? It''s a cave there''s gotta be! Sparing a moment to look around she analyses the cave walls and spots the perfect crevasse, just big enough to squeeze into and too small for the giant serpent to follow... of course positioned right behind said serpent.


    Dammit, there''s no way I can just sneak past the snake, more so now that it''s all crazy glowy hot. I can see now, thanks to that, so maybe I can find another hole to hide in if I run? No, either way is a gamble. I''ve got no way of knowing how far away the next hiding spot is, if I have the stamina to reach it, or if I''ll even be able to react in time with a GIANT SNAKE barreling towards me!


    Aleph bends down, ready to charge. Past the snake it is. I sure hope this damned hole is worth the risk... It takes but a moment before both creatures pounce toward each other. Aleph gallops with all her might while the serpent plows forward, leaning in to bash the offending dragon with its red hot skull. Not opening your mouth? Maybe I can use this!


    Pushing her feet off the ground and flaring her wings, with a slam of her tail for an extra boost, Aleph leaps over the serpent''s head, successfully landing on the back of its neck. Ignoring the searing heat as her feet press against the scales she runs along the back of the serpent.


    Yes! Success! Another genius idea from Al- She immediately regrets her decision as she finds herself slammed against the ceiling. The bones in her wings creak as she is compressed between searing scales and the rocky ceiling. As the pressure lets up Aleph attempts to regain some of the air which had been forced out of her lungs, only to be slammed to the side by the thrashing tail of the beast.


    The sound of something snapping is only dulled by the intense pain coursing through the rest of her body as she rebounds off the cave wall, before tumbling to a stop. Continuing its charge, the serpent swiftly exits to make its round trip. Aleph stands, straining against her weary muscles, barely able to coax a step out of them.


    Uuuuugh it huuurts... Blood drips from her broken wing as she ambles toward where she saw the crevasse. Just... a bit further, it was right around here... Feeling the ceiling above her she squeezes herself through the opening as far as she can manage, hopefully out of sight from the serpent.


    The walls around her tremble as the beast returns. Even from within the crevasse, Aleph can still feel the heat it continues to let off. As fast as it arrived the beast leaves, no doubt still relentlessly searching for her. Only after a few more round trips, and some heavy slams against the cave wall, does the serpent leaves for good.


    It''s gone... Great, I can finally... Rest... With a sigh Aleph relaxes her aching body, letting the soothing embrace of sleep take away the pain. Though, she could swear out of the corner of her eye she spotted a soft white light, before letting her mind go blank.

 Chapter 3: The white spider and the black dragon

    Through the eyes of a certain critter


    Fuahahahahaa! Worship me my minion, for I am Divine Beast Lyla! The most powerful spider to ever exist! A small, fuzzy spider stands victoriously atop her newly claimed minion, waggling her front legs in the air excitedly in a very... spidery way. Indeed, you should celebrate! To be taken under the wing of one as great as I is a truly rare opportunity. Though, I suppose you''re the one with wings here... huh.


    Lyla skitters around her perch, the soft white glow emanating from the snowy fuzz coating her basking the room in white. Bouncing her way to the ground she looks up with her eight cyan eyes, fully taking in the form before her.


    A young dragon lay wounded, breathing slowly in its slumber. Two small onyx horns protrude from its head, reflecting nothing in spite of their seemingly mirror-like, smooth surface. Pitch black scales adorn the dragon''s body devouring the light around them to emit a deep violet glow, softly pulsating in rhythm with its breath. Large leathery wings drape wide across the floor, the span of which only contested by the abnormal length of its tail, accented by a long, fine groove along the tip.


    Hmm hmm, yes. Truly the most ideal minion. I''ll admit, the blood is maybe a bit pass¨¦ for my liking. Truly not the best fashion choice in this day and age. A dribble of crimson blood drips off the broken wing, trickling its way towards Lyla. Hm, maybe I should do something about that. After all, I need to earn some good spider points to be accepted as the master here.


    Kneading together a spindle of thread, Lyla tightly wraps a makeshift silk bandage around the broken wing, careful not to further agitate the wound. Hopping back, she marvels at her handiwork with a nod. Ah yes, a fine job indeed. Perhaps I should go all out and make a shirt? Do dragons wear shirts? I don''t think they do, hm... Accessories then? I have a dragon minion, therefore I must decorate it! That can come later though.


    Skittering around her minion Lyla inspects for more wounds, finding only small cuts and a few missing scales. Cleaning the wounds with a hastily made silk rag she steps back satisfied. Hmm yes, very durable to have come out of a close fight against that giant snake thing relatively unscathed. As expected of my minion!


    I was worried when it kept smacking its face on rocks, and stumbling down such an obvious hole, and then kept slamming into walls, and missing all those hiding spots... But worry no longer! For my time spent in silent, sneaky observation was not in vain! Lyla scampers in circles, waving her pedipalps manically like a mad scientist explaining their life''s work.


    Fuahaha, I knew from the moment this dragon flopped its way out of that egg it would make for the perfect minion! And I was right, it even has that cool tail sword thing! All I needed to do is wait for an opportune moment to assist it in its time of need to gain its undying trust and loyalty to me! Now I need only wait, and this dragon, seeing my magnanimity and grandiosity, will have no choice but to accept me as its master, fuehehehe...


    Lyla rubs her pedipalps together as she mentally monologues her ''genius'' plot to thin air. Now awaken my minion! You will make the perfect guide to the lower floors, being one of ''that guy''s'' creations... Hmm, doesn''t sound mysterious enough. Maybe just ''him''? ''It''? Or... Fiddling with a loose thread as she ponders the most mysterious way to refer to what is obviously the shadow figure from the prologue, she turns her head to the sound of movement coming from the sleeping dragon.


    Cyan meets violet as two sets of eyes lock their gaze together. Two vertically slit pupils dilate, revealing a deep black abyss which betrays no end, as they absorb the form before them. Lyla meets the gaze with her own glare of unwavering confidence. Until the slits constrict into thin lines, eyes opening wide in a predatory gaze as quartz teeth bear themselves to the world.


    Uah! I''m not food! Ah right, this is where I must show my dominance as the master in this dynamic! Invisible auras collide between the figure''s of black and white, neither making a grand effort yet still pressing their dominance over each other. The dragon rises, getting ready to pounce before wincing and looking back at its silk-wrapped wing.


    Turning back only to see Lyla skittering from side to side, waggling her pedipalps aggressively in a display of ''dominance''. Fuahahaa! Fear my POWAH fool! These muscles aren''t just for show you know! Obey me my minion, or prepare to face my wrath! This isn''t even my final form!


    Tilting it''s head in a mix of confusion and curiosity, the dragon leans in slowly towards the palm sized spider. Lyla pauses her show of force as their eyes lock once again. This is a good thing right? You accept your place as my minion?


    The dragon plants its snout on the ground before the spider, warm breath rippling through fur. Are you asking for a name? How about Draggy? No! Stupid! Then... Dragolord? Or how about... As Lyla contemplates a name for her new dragon minion a long tail sneaks behind, nudging her forward and onto the dragon''s head.


    Draco? Too wizardy... Dragonite? Might run into copyright issues... Lyla skitters a bit before sitting comfortably, finding purchase between the onyx horns. This one has teeth so that won''t work... I can hardly imagine it stealing from dwarves and terrorising hobbits so that one''s out, hmm...


    The dragon lifts its head close to the ceiling, taking in its surroundings before slowly making its way out of the crevasse, a slight limp in it''s step. What about... Hm, no, but? No... Hmm, maybe? Kinda? Nah... Or what about... No definitely not...


    Through the eyes of a certain dragon


    Wahahaha! Success! Glory! I have acquired myself a flash-light! With my new minion no amount of stupid dark cave can stop me! Now onward! To the first edible thing I can find! I''m starving! Aleph triumphantly gallops through the cave at a frankly slow, and limpy, pace. Still, she is going faster than her earlier fumbling now that she can see, courtesy of the small glowing blue and white spider perched on her head.


    Who decided spiders can be so cute? They deserve a raise! My cute lil'' minion shall be coddled and fed only the finest... Whatever glowing white fuzzy spiders eat. Hmm, I should give it a name. Is it a boy or a girl? The arm thingys are kinda thin so I guess female? Why do I even know that? Whatever. I shall dub thee Bloop!


    Bloop skitters energetically between the two horns on her new perch, eyes filled with an oblivious spidery glee. Striding onward at a reasonable pace, Aleph searches for the nearest source of food. Focusing her hearing she follows every sound she picks up on. Small clatters of falling pebbles, occasional scritches, and the soft drip of distant water fill the cave. The pair come upon various strange, spirally plants and cube shaped fungi, with Aleph giving each a curious sniff and a nibble before rightfully deciding they each taste more revolting than the last.


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    Patiently identifying sounds and filtering the excess noise, Aleph begins to narrow down on a promising scritching sound, slowly growing desperate as she begins to worry if everything here is going to taste this bad. Maybe I just have really bad taste buds? I hope I haven''t poisoned myself already... Careful not to make any noise herself she gently stalks forward, each step chosen with calculation so as to eliminate any possibility of creating sound by knocking a pebble or stumbling.


    Edging around a corner Aleph spots her prey. A small lizard, camouflaged grey against the rocky wall it clings to, lays in place with its eyes sealed shut. Barely noticeable save for the occasional twitch of its front leg and the corresponding scritch of its hard scales against the wall. Doesn''t look tasty... more like a moving rock really. Most dragons can digest pretty much anything as far as I''m aware, but I need nutrition not energy.


    Aleph gently lifts Bloop with her tail, placing the critter behind her before turning back to her target. At the very least it''s alive, so it''s gotta have something in it worth eating, as long as it''s not poisoned. Instincts would be nice here, but alas I cannot simply look at a thing and say ''yes tasty''. Though, I think poisonous creatures usually advertise it with bright colours and stuff, rather than rocky camouflage, so it''s probably fine. Either way I''m hungry, and this is probably better than those weird square mushrooms.


    Crouching low and stalking her way closer she readies herself to pounce the unsuspecting rock lizard. As she enters striking range the lizards eyelids shoot open to reveal two glowing yellow eyes. Taking this as her queue Aleph leaps forward, striking with her claws. The lizard manages to adeptly slither its way between both sets of her front claws before being run through and pinned to the wall by a bladed tail.


    Tail sword for the win! Blood drips down along the boney blade, running off and falling to the ground, leaving not so much as a stain. Guess my body''s hydrophobic. Or at least hemophobic? Worth testing when I get the time. Bloop skitters her way back to Aleph''s side, her glow once again saturating the cave as she looks up expectantly at the newly claimed prey.


    Aww aren''t you just the cutest lil'' critter. Here, you can have the first bite. After all I''m the kind of magnanimous leader who treats her minions well. Lowering the skewered lizard to Bloop she waits as the spider looks back up at her. Cyan eyes glimmering in adoration before Bloop grasps the lizards head, violently twisting it off with her pincers and skittering to the side to nibble on her prize.


    Huh, I guess spiders eat meat. Here I thought they sucked blood or something. Weird. Anyway, bottoms up Aleph bites into the front half of the lizard with a resounding cronch, assaulting her mouth with the taste of blood and rocks. Euugh! Should''ve just ate it whole. I don''t even have lips to chew with so I really don''t know what I was thinking...


    Finishing the rest of her meal in one gulp Aleph places Bloop back on her head before moving on. Wasn''t very filling... I''ll have to hunt a bunch of those to keep up with my own metabolism. Dragons are just way too inefficient... Oh well, hopefully I can find something bigger in these parts.


    <hr>


    Lesser Earth Lizard Juvenile Earth Drake


    Appearance:


    A half stride''s length from head to tail, with four limbs spreading out three palms across. The body is adorned with a thick layer of rocky scales, seemingly composed of actual rocks from the surroundings yet fused to the skin beneath like actual scales. Each leg and the tip of the tail appear to have much less armour, likely for better articulation, with visible patches of black leather on the belly side. They possess the same yellow eyes as most creatures on these layers seem to have, using the reflected light they emit to accurately map their surroundings similar to the sonar ability used by some fish. The flesh beneath their scales is minimal, making it quite the mystery to how they can support their own weight and flee with such speed when I approach. They use gravity magic to reduce their weight! Only they use so little of it that I am unable to detect it with my own. Or perhaps they are able to mask it in some way. Definitely worth further investigation if I can find more!


    Diet:


    I believe these creatures to be omnivorous scavengers. These are most likely carnivores, as most Earth Drakes are Their teeth indicate predation, yet to hunt with such a weight would burn more energy than they would claim from any prey. They likely use gravity magic to reduce their weight and pounce on prey from above It also seems the surrounding rocks make up a part of their diet, as shown by the presence of said rocks in their gizzard. It is also possible that these rocks are somehow further digested to produce their scales.


    Behaviour:


    I have been unable to encounter these lizards doing anything but hide, camouflaged between cracks and crevasses in the rocky walls of the cave. It seems likely that they are somehow able to detect my presence before I can detect them, though whether this is from advanced hearing or some other sense I am unsure. Considering they are actually Drakes it seems they were simply detecting my Mana, rather than relying on any mundane sense


    Other Notes:


    Considering their scales are near identical to the surrounding rock, they have no real use that would warrant hunting them over just collecting rocks from the cave. Their teeth however do appear to be well adapted to grinding down rocks, making them useful despite their small size. Their flesh is minimal, and what meat there is tends to be tough and tastes like rocks. Not exactly a delicacy. The scales are worse. Do not eat the scales. If they are Earth Drakes capable of magic they should have some form of Mana core somewhere, though I have no specimen at this time to test with


    I do wish I could spend more time here. This is one of the more interesting layers of the labyrinth I have explored, with all the creatures adapted so well to the dark. I would especially like to find out what manner of creature could grind the cave floor into such a smooth, lightly patterned surface, almost reminiscent of the great marbled roads of Terris Armoura. Alas, I have a task I must complete in the depths of this labyrinth. I can explore more on my return trip to the surface.


    Addendum:


    Further exploration has revealed to me that these lizards are most likely the juvenile form of an Earth Drake. Their ability to cling to walls appears to be enhanced by a lesser derivative of the Earth Drake''s gravity manipulation, and the clinging pads adorning their fingers likely develop into clawed paws later in their development when they no longer need the additional support to handle their weight.


    This layer of the labyrinth is most likely some form of common breeding ground for many of the greater creatures found in the depths below. How such large creatures can find their way between the layers though is beyond me. All of the inter-layer tunnels I have found are much too small for anything larger than a Basilisk to fit through, let alone a fully grown Earth Drake. I know dragons often have the ability to compress themselves into a smaller form. Do Drakes have something similar?


    -Excerpt from section 50 chapter 7 of the Lost Hero''s Journal

 Chapter 4: Mahou shoujou... dragonou?

    Okay, let''s go over this from the start. it''s been at least a few days now. I''m not dead yet, but things haven''t exactly improved. I was hoping this would be one of the worlds with some kind of Mana-based system in place so I don''t have to deal with an early attunement. Unfortunately for me, there either isn''t one, or it''s not available to me, so I''ll have to attune directly to one of the pure energies.


    Aleph sits comfortably on a patch of moss as she contemplates her next steps while Bloop nibbles happily on a lizard leg next to her. I would still rather wait a bit for this body to develop, but it''s clearly not designed to function without attunement. I can''t even seem to do basic things like heal and see, and I''m pretty sure I''m not digesting food properly! My wing is still broken, or at least fractured, and none of my scales have grown back. I''m not bleeding now at least... much.


    So that leaves the question... Which energy do I attune to? Angelic and Demonic are out. I wasn''t born with them so I can''t use them without exploding or dying a horrifying death, plain and simple. That leaves Mana or Aether. Mana makes the most sense, after all pretty much every dragon is optimised to generate and use it. But... Ugh Mana is just so icky! Aleph slams her tail in frustration, causing Bloop to jump and give Aleph a confused glare, before going back to her nibbling.


    It''s icky and inconsistent, always doing whatever it wants, and it''s ICKY! More importantly I would have to change the way I think to get the best results. If you truly believe Mana can make fire which freezes things it will find a way to do just that. So I would have to convince myself of stupid things like that to get anywhere. Maybe that''s why most dragons have such strange ways of casting like breathing out spells and stuff... Huh.


    Anyway, so that leaves me with Aether. Love the stuff. You tell it to do something and it does it, no more no less. People say it''s harder to use, I say they''re just lazy. Which people? Huh... Guess I forgot. Must just mean they don''t matter. So anyway, issue with Aether is this body is clearly meant to handle Mana. I''m even generating some right now! Eeeww!


    Another frustrated thump prompts Bloop to skitter around to the other side of Aleph in a huff, in hopes of being free from further nibbling interruptions. Uuuugh changing that is not going to be pleasant. I''ll have to manually reshape my stomach, generator, core? Whatever they call that organ on dragons. The one that turns food into Mana, I''ll have to change it into an Aether generator. Leaving it as is will just cause the Mana it generates to interfere with my Aether whenever I want to use it.


    Of course this is the textbook example of exactly what NOT to do with your Aura. Messing with the stuff that binds body and soul is frankly a terrible idea. But really, who''s really keeping track? Bloop? Smart lil'' critter for sure, especially if the last few days are anything to go by. Even made me this cool new hat! The hat in question sat sprawled across her head. A failed attempt at creating a web between the horns which simply refused to allow anything to stick, resulting in loose strands falling every which way. More of an ugly hairdo than a hat, but if you like it, you like it.


    But ability to complain, she does not have. For she is a spider and cannot speak. Therefore I''m clear to do dumb-ass things like tearing up and refactoring my vital organs with my Aura. And it''s not like I have much of an alternative either. I would need Aether to alter my body like that safely. But for that I would need an Aether core to handle enough of it, which of course I''d need Aether to create. I could use Mana I guess... But it''s icky!


    Of course the problems don''t end there... This place has like, no ambient Aether. Is this entire world like this? I hope not, it just feels wrong! There should be way more than this! The stuff sticks everywhere so why is there so little? There''s definitely not enough for me to over-saturate myself with or even attune to. Thankfully though, I am a genius and have this covered though. Aether loves to cling to living things, or anything with a will really. So that''s why I have this!


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    Aleph glances over at a massive pile of various dead lizards and bugs, larger than her and almost twice her body mass. Indeed I have been busy these past few days, stockpiling a nice source of Aether for my attunement. Aleph nods in satisfaction at her handiwork, prompting Bloop to give the dragon a confused glare, followed by a grimace at the corpse pile. Of course the tastiest things here are the rock lizards. Which taste like ROCKS


    Whatever... If I can keep a constant supply of Aether saturated food in my stomach while I attune I''ll be pumped with just enough Aether to both attune and help reshape my stomach, core, thing. My plan is perfect! Who cares if I might explode, or if literally everyone who knows anything about Aura would disagree? I never asked their opinion anyway!


    Well I I''ve gone over this plan in my head at least six times now and it is entirely without (much) flaw, so it''s about time I stop stalling and actually do it! Right... Now... Ah screw it! Begin! Operation ''Don''t explode or crumple my internal organs into organic paste while I rewrite my biology to do something it really isn''t designed to do'' is a go! With a resolute huff followed by a deep, focused sigh Aleph flares her Aura, washing the entire room in her will.


    "Iiiiiiii!" Bloop startles away, staring in shock and confusion as the dragon begins spearing corpses from her death pile and unceremoniously swallowing them whole before laying down to knead her Aura. Energies collide as Mana tries to reject the growing Aether, only to be suppressed by Aura. A soft violet glow emanates from the dragon''s body, consequence of the violent battle being waged by the energies within, filling the room with a low pulsating hum.


    Abject confusion washes over Bloop''s face, fangs open wide, and eyes... Lacking any eyelids to actually express with. Aleph continues her internal battle, gripping her core tightly with her Aura, bending it into shape as she bathes it in every speck of Aether she can pull in from the food she''s ingested on top of the tiny motes found scattered ambiently in the air with a practiced precision. Muscles tense in pain as ligaments are torn and rejoined in her core, the violet glow of her Aura becoming deeper as it absorbs and attunes to Aether, turning the hum into a heartbeat. Small shockwaves of Aura strum their way from the dragon to the cave walls. No other sounds escape into the room, save for the panicked squeaks and chitters of the tiny white spider, an intense focus washing through the violet Aura and reflecting against the walls.


    Hours pass, with Aleph occasionally skewering more food from the corpse pile to keep up her stock of Aether. Bloop spends her time skittering around in a panic, debating whether to be confused or horrified at the display. Her lizard leg long since discarded to the ground below as she stares open mawed at the bizarre act before her. The spider''s own cyan Aura holds, barely contained in her agitation as she tries to figure out what one is actually supposed to do in this situation. And what this situation even is for that matter.


    Eventually though, Aleph''s Aura begins to recede as she relaxes, letting out a deep sigh. The corpse pile sitting at less than half its former glory. Haaah success... Finally... I can actually feel the Aether properly flowing through me now. Hmm, this actually feels much better now. More natural. Ironic for a dragon, but still. Should''ve done this earlier. Aleph lets out another long sigh, standing up with a stretch before shaking off the stiffness built in her limbs from sitting in place for so long.


    I should start actually healing soon. The energies are similar enough for it to just work with natural dragon biology for the most part, and a bit of manual input on my half to even things out. I won''t get any fancy built-in tricks like Mana vision though. Aether is much too hands on for that, though I could always learn... or re-learn? Feels like I''ve done something like this before... a lot...


    Before Aleph can take a step forward, a small spidery form bolts in front of her. "IIIIIIIII!" The squealing arachnid wildly wiggles its pedipalps in protest and frustration. Awww were you worried about me? I''m fine now so don''t stress your cute lil'' self any more.


    Aleph leans in and softly pats the enraged spider on the head with her tail, finishing with a gentle boop with her snout. Bloop waggles some more in protest, with a few hops for good measure. Seeing the lack of effect in her outburst she collapses to the floor defeated. Aleph picks up the sulking fuzzball with her tail, placing her on her rightful perch beside the dragon''s horns.


    Right! Now I''m hungry again, and I need to up my supply of Aether. There''s still some food left in the pile, but those things have almost no Aether in them. The lizards had the most and I ate them all, so I''ll have to go hunting for more. I can get a vague sense of where there are dense pockets of Aether now, so I''ll just use that to find something good.


    Let''s hunt!

 Chapter 5: The hunt

    Through cyan eyes


    What the fuck did I just witness? What the actual FUCK was that?! Okay... I was kinda worried before. A dragon with no Mana sense? They''re the Mana Kings! They should live, breath, and eat Mana from day one! It was already concerning to see this idiot blindly stumble around, walking into walls and stalagmites, and sniffing moss. But to think it can''t use Mana at all? Maybe for the first day, but surely you figure this kind of thing out by now!


    I''ve seen dragons, I know what they should be like and it''s not this! And then there''s this morons eating habits... why would you just eat everything you come across?! Freaky diseased lizards, poisonous insects, hell I even caught it eating a rock! Looked kinda like one of those rock lizards to be fair, but still! You were born here! Use your uber dragon instincts to figure these things out!


    Wouldn''t even listen to me the first few times I tried to steer away from the nasty stuff! Eventually learned though, so it at least has that much going for it. I even had some nice names in mind too, like Fluffy, and Blueglass, and Snoofles. But those names are clearly too good for this idiot! Seriously! You have a nose! Use it! The amount of times I saw this moron sniff something gross, eat it anyway, then almost puke it out immediately after is absurd!


    But then, oh then, we have whatever in the ever loving fuck this dumb lizard spent the past four hours doing to itself! I''m no Aura expert, mine is objectively perfect as is so I don''t need to be, but I''m pretty DAMN sure you aren''t supposed to mutilate your internal organs with it! You can get yourself killed pulling shit like that! And how does it now look healthier?! What? It has LESS Mana!


    Haaaaah... dammit. This idiot is going to be so much maintenance, but it''s my ticket to the lower floors so I need to keep it alive. Speaking of which, where are we now? Why are we hunting again? We still have food... Finally standing up from her slump, Lyla observes the changing scenery from her perch.


    Lyla''s fur puffs up, sensing vibrations within the ambient Mana to ascertain her surroundings. We''re approaching big lizard territory. I''ll have to steer this fool away again. Lyla taps her pedipalps on the dragons horns, to no response. Hmm? That''s usually enough... Moving onto the snout Lyla turns and makes direct eye contact and rhythmically slaps the dragons forehead, almost slapping it in the eyes.


    This is promptly ignored again as they continue onward without pause. Gaah you stupid dragon! Danger this way! Go back! Lyla escalates, wrapping thread around the dragons eyes, only to be pushed back to her perch, thread discarded like a dirty rag. Nooooo why are you being like this now! I thought we had a thing! Why must you betray me like thiiiiiis?!


    The fluffy arachnid throwing a tantrum on the dragon''s head fails to halt their pace as they approach the source of danger. If you''re hungry then just eat the rest of that gross corpse pile! You''re still injured! Just look at your wi- Lyla''s thoughts are interrupted looking at the now unwrapped and distinctly uninjured wing.


    Huh... Did you figure out Mana while I wasn''t looking? Why can I still not sense it? No way you can already suppress it right? Wait, is that why we''re heading towards dangerous beast territory now? To hunt? Fool! You''re still too young! You''re supposed to give yourself time to grow and become strong enough to pro-gamer no-scope instakill one-shot all your enemies! Then you can ferry me down this stupid labyrinth like a cool dragon elevator! That was the plaaaaan... Uugh...


    Lyla is brought out of her internal monologue by a sudden pulse in the surrounding Mana. The dragon noticing the change, and Lyla''s sudden thrashing between its horns, jolts to the side as a loud shock-wave shatters across the cave walls. In their place stands a roughly shaped boulder, at least twice the dragon''s size, resting in a deep impression bored into the crumbling ground.


    The pair eye the fallen boulder, and the boulder glares back. Yellow eyes bore into violet and cyan with the mad fervour of a predator marking its prey. Crooked white hooks bare themselves to the world, dripping with anticipation as a long grey tongue dances behind with a low growl. Limbs sprout forth from the rocky body, thick paws with long, jagged claws eating into the ground as it lifts the tremendous weight of its body.


    Is it too late to convince my clinically insane infant dragon minion to back away from the overgrown giga rock lizard? I think it is... A tail snakes its way to Lyla, nudging her off the dragons head. Lyla scampers to the underside of the dragon''s chin, refusing to be pushed away.


    Huh? You think I''m just gonna sit by and watch while my precious minion goes to fight some crazy rock monster? Hell no! I''m not some heartless minion abandoning spider! I''m a heartfull minion rescuing one! And ill be damned if I let you die to some stupid pile of rocks!


    Before either can continue their silent argument, the cave is once again filled with the explosive sound of crashing rocks. The pair startle as they search for the now missing boulder lizard, somehow having disappeared during their short moment of distraction, only leaving behind several large craters where it once stood.


    Shit! Whe-Above! Lyla swiftly wraps a thread around the dragons horn, leaping to the side and pulling its head along with. Taking the hint the dragon leaps away, spider in tow, as another explosion attacks their ears. Rocks and debris shoot past as the pair resume their stare-down.


    Okay, stay calm. Step 1 in a fight is always to observe your opponent. Know your enem-wait WHAT?! Why are we charging straight in? Lyla clings tightly to the dragon''s horns as they dash towards the beast. I get you''re hungry or whatever, but can we at least PLAN first?! Claws clash with rock as the dragon swipes at the hard scales on the lizard''s front leg, coaxing a trickle of crimson from the wound.


    Instead of swiping back or defending, the boulder lizard simply flexes its enormous legs, shooting them into the floor and slamming its tail off the ground with enough force to launch itself to the ceiling, leaving nothing but a crater and a resounding CRACK of shattered terrain. With a spin, the boulder lizard gently lands on the cave ceiling. Not cling, land.


    What? This thing can use gravity magic? That''s cheating! My dragon minion is only five days old! Aren''t we supposed to start with the easy level 1 baby monsters instead of this level 99 magic casting walking avalanche?! Oh that''s right, WE ARE! But nooo we just had to come hunting probably one of the biggest predators in this place! Stupid minion!


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    The boulder lizard swiftly manoeuvres above the pair, once again aiming to crush them. Great! Now retre-NO WHY?! Finding herself once again charging straight towards the lizard Lyla discovers the newfound desire to shed a tear from her non-existent tear ducts due to the reckless maniac that is her dearest dragon minion.


    As they near their approach the lizard launches itself to the ground, accelerating much faster than a creature its size really ought to be able to. Moments before the collision, the dragon pivots, twisting its body and slashing forth a bladed tail with the momentum of its whole body.


    The lizard lets out a piercing screech as it crashes into the ground. Stone shrapnel presses into black scales as the pair are flung back by air pressure. A deep gash bares itself on the boulder lizard''s shoulder, a small waterfall of blood pouring out and splashing on the floor below.


    Huh? Is my minion... A GENIUS? Fuahaha! I always knew I made the right choice! Never any doubt in my mind! None! The dragon scoffs, slamming its tail on the ground in frustration, a small fragment falling off the chipped blade. What? Not satisfied? You''ve practically signed this things death warrant! It''ll bleed out before lo-oh...


    Blood around the wound ceases its natural flow, rushing back into the gaping hole it came from. Gaaah! Come on, that''s just cheating! Grrr at this rate I''m going to need to bring out my special attack! The lizard strains against its weight, pushing to a stand before launching itself to the ceiling. Oh? Fuehehehe, I have a plan.


    The pattern repeats, dragon charging at lizard while lizard scrambles towards dragon. As they intersect though, Lyla jumps directly below the boulder lizard, giving the dragon a wave and somehow winking despite the lack of any eyelids.


    Clang! CRASH! Bone meets scales, and scales meet earth. A new gash finds itself on the lizards neck as the dragon pauses to register what just transpired. Spotting the faint white glow pulsing below the boulder lizard, the dragon''s face twists, fangs bared and eyes emitting a harsh glow.


    Violet Aura spews forth, basking the room in a soft light. The lizard slightly flinches at the glowing beast now barrelling towards it, deep black pupils threatening to consume it whole. Claws scrape into flesh as sharp teeth sink into the boulder lizard''s neck. In an attempt to lift itself and fling away the clinging dragon the lizard presses it''s legs hard into the ground, but is instead pulled back down by an unknown elastic force.


    As it tries once again to lift itself from the crater, barely managing a few inches, a small bundle of fluffy light squeezes out from beneath. Fuahahahahaa! Behold my special attack you fool! No mere rock with legs can hope to break my invincible webs! Lament peon, as you now slowly bleed out fro- Lyla''s internal monologue is cut short as she stares stunned at the flailing mess of blood and scales before her. The obsidian dragon is flung every which way by the rampaging boulder lizard, quartz teeth desperately hooking into rocky scales for dear life. Despite being bound to the floor and having its neck crushed by enraged fangs, the lizard still manages to thrash and flail with zeal, shattering the rocky floor and filling the cave with it''s desperate roar.


    Gravity warps as the beast tries everything to escape its bind. Rocks fall up to the ceiling, crush down into the ground, and assault the cave walls. The ground below threatens to crumble away from the assault as it sways and flails every which way. However, each motion only serves to worsen the damage as the dragon clamps down harder, using every available opportunity to slash and claw at the beast in its death throes.


    Eventually, the boulder lizard slows down, exhaustion and blood loss catching up to the beast. Flails turn to jolts, turn to twitches as the life drains out of it. Once the final whimper leaves the beast, the dragon releases its clamp, calming its Aura with a solemn expression and taking in the surroundings.


    A familiar white glow catches the dragon''s attention, locking eyes with eight cyan orbs staring back. Fuahahaa indeed! I am fine my minion, no need to fret for my invinc-Uuegh! The dragon pounces, nuzzling the fuzzy ball of white against its snout as its tail wraps around the pair. H-huh, guess you were worried... Sorry?


    Embrace turns to assault as the tip of the dragons tail bears down on the spiders head. Gah! Sorry! I''m sorry! It''ll never happen again! Uaaaah! Lyla flails her limbs in surrender to the repeated tail slaps. Satisfied, the dragon turns around with a huff, leaving a dazed ball of spider to reflect on her mistakes.


    Uugh... Shouldn''t things be the other way round? I thought I was the leader here!


    <hr>


    Earth Drake Q--en


    Appearance:


    I have --c-u----ed -ncount---- possibly the large-t recorded Earth Drake. Larger even th-n any Ea--h Dragon I''ve he--- heard of, this crea-u-- c--atur- is a veritable mountain. An enti-e eco-ystem a-p--rs appears to have found its way on the Dr-ke''s back, cov-red in a thick layer of mo-- --ss -nd a few small plants from the for--ted floors above. - I have not seen it move mo-e than its ---d -ea-, so I can only assume the large of-shoots on the s-de- are its limb--


    Be---ior:


    Unlike other Dra--s, this one does not appear to partake in hunting. Instead it acts something like a hive or nest from whi-h to t-e young strong enough to make it down to this floor. The larger ----es Drake- in the colony seem to be the ones who hunt the most, provi--ng both for themselves and the -ueen. - -ould love to stay and find out how such a- -------- large? I''- not s-re wha- --is was c-eature can ascend to the higher floors. It clearly mo--s, as evi--nced by the disturbed ground by the edges of its body, where plants refuse to grow. And the lack of any footprints intr----s ----i---- me further. Al-s, I haven''t the luxury of indu-ging my own curiosity. Maybe I can spend my -et---ment in -his labyrinth? Ha! A- if I''d ac--ally retire!


    ----- notes:


    I am curious to know what the creature tastes like. Unfortun--ely I am very much not in the business of wrecking ecosys-ems for my own curiosity. S--m- Sh-me too. Such a lar-- specimen must be brim-ing with Ma-a, and taste truly div-n-.


    Adendum-


    W--n I reached a f-w flo-rs lower I f-lt -- enormous tremor origin-ting from above. Gi--n the lack of -arge creatures in these i-- --y layers I beli--e it to have been caused by the Eart- D-a-- Queen. It is the ul---at- ul---at- shame that I''m unable to go back and chec-- I want to -no- so badly what ca-sed such a q--ke!


    F-rt-r -dde-d-m-


    -ome of -y ----- a-p--- to be d--rad--g as - ----end. My --rlier ---es -e-m -- -e fine, so -----er is c--si-g th-s only seem- to a--e-t th- --na in -- in-, preven-ing it from se---in- prop----- --ven ho- -he cr----r-s -- th--e dee--- ----rs r-l- --ss on Ma-a- --d more -- --- -----g--, I beli--e th-- t- be cau--d -- --- con-um----e ------t--s o- ------- E-e---- - ---l --rr-ct wh-t I c-n, --t gi--n th- gro---- degr--a--o- t- -y --k - ---bt it wil- -e-p m--h.-I--l have to -se my -et--n token -- --rp t-es- t- --e su-face s- - c-- preve-- f-rt-er ---age. I w-ll -e r-pe--i-- --is mes-a-- on mu---ple ---e-- -n hop-- of --me st---ng -n ta-t.


    -Excerpt from sec---- -8 ch--te- 1 of the Lost Hero''s Journal

 Chapter 6: Spoils and charades

    Thud! Aleph stares into the crater, newly emptied of the boulder lizard which formed it. Notably, she pays most attention to the spider shaped impression in the centre of the hole. Holy shit, what is this spider made of? Stupid! That''s what! Damn near gave me a heart attack! It was a good plan, considering her ''apparent'' invincibility, but come on! What was I supposed to do if she didn''t happen to apparently be THE most durable arachnid of all time! This place is lonl-too dark for me to go around without my flash-light!


    Aleph prods the spider with her tail, eliciting another apologetic squeal. I guess her carapace is harder than her floofy exterior makes her appear. Still no excuse for nearly giving me a heart attack. No perch for you. Sinking her teeth into the dead boulder lizards tail, Aleph storms off in a huff. A very slow huff, as she drags the absurdly heavy lizard which, even without gravity magic pulling it down, weighs at least five times her own body weight in bulk and rock.


    Man, this thing is heavy! Ugh, one solid hit from it would''ve killed me for sure... If that''s how every fight I get into is going to go there''s no way I''ll survive long enough to even make it out of this place. Boosting my offence would be nice, and ranged attacks could trivialise most confrontations. But there''s simply not enough ambient Aether to get away with casting.


    The pair slowly trudge forward, leaving a deep groove in the ground as they drag the dead lizard to their mossy abode. Shame too... I''m pretty sure I would know some cool giga laser beam attacks. But I can''t afford the Aether loss with so little ambient Aether to recover with. Besides, the big advantage of Aether is its persistence. Just using it on myself won''t expend it at all, so by relying purely on physical reinforcement I can remain at full capacity all the time.


    Unceremoniously dumping the boulder lizard on her corpse pile, Aleph hacks off the head for Bloop to lay claim to before taking a chomp out of the felled beast. Tastes like more rocks... Actually I''m pretty sure these scales ARE rocks. Biology is weird... Oh well, I''m a dragon with a crazy dragon furnace for a stomach so I can just eat it anyway. If it has Aether it goes down the hatch. Aleph ignores Bloops dumbfounded stare as she devours a solid third of the lizard, bones, rock scales, and all.


    Haaah. Guess my Aether core works well enough. I did just eat my weight in lizard, and have already digested most of it after all. These things aren''t some kind of lesser dragon are they? Would that make this cannibalism? Hmm good question, how about I simply resolve not to think about it? Sounds good. Great. Let''s sleep. With a grand yawn she squomps herself to the ground and clocks out for the day. Bloop following suit shortly after.


    <hr>


    I try to open my eyes. I cannot. I don''t have any. Yet I can still see. All around me is a seemingly endless river. I cannot breathe. Yet I do not drown. It is not water, but something else. Lights. Everywhere I look there is a dazzling cacophony of lights dancing its way forward. I follow. I know not where I will end up, but I must search for... something. What am I looking for again?


    I think to myself. It''s all I can seem do here. Who am I? I cannot remember. There is something important. But I must not remember. I have a goal. A mission? I must be somewhere... no, something? Perhaps there? I see something in the distance. I must go th-no wait, I am already here.


    I try to open my eyes. I succeed. Around me I see trees. A forest. A jungle. I look at myself. At my hands. All... four of them? I look at my feet. At my tail. At my golden fur. I am held by a creature, much like myself. It cares for me. She cares for me. Raises me. They all do. My... family. Yes, this is right. How things should be. But it is not enough. I cannot... remember. I need strength, I need... Aether.


    I must stand. I remember how to stand. I must run. I remember how to run. I must be faster. I learn to swing through the trees. I must be stronger. I hunt, and I hunt. I become strong. But there is not enough Aether. Why is there so little Aether? I pry what I can from the living. But it is not enough. The creatures I hunt I give to my family. I provide for them. I have become their leader. Because I am strong. But I must grow stronger. How strong must I be?


    I hunt more. Take in more Aether. There are great beasts, having collected an abundance of Aether in their old age. Yet they are too powerful. Perhaps I could best them, but the risk is too great. If I die, what happens to my family? My tribe... I must provide for them. My mission... can come later. Right?


    There is no more food. I must seek out more. But my tribe is too large to relocate. The forest grows weak. I grow weak. Old. I have Aether. But it is not enough. My body fails me. I cannot grow stronger. I cannot provide. We are starving.


    My tribe begins to die. I grieve. I can do nothing more. I have failed them. I brought this upon them. If I were only stronger... I cannot give up. Yet I can no longer succeed. I starve. My tribe starves. My tribe...


    I should have done more. I could have done more. I should have taken greater risks. I should have...


    Stolen story; please report.


    I try to open my eyes. I cannot. I don''t have any. Yet I can still see. All around me is a seemingly endless river. I have been here before... I follow the river. I cannot remember my mission. But I must succeed. I must continue on. This time... I''ll do better.


    <hr>


    Violet eyes dart open, a soft glow escaping them. A tear dangles precariously at the corner, refracting violet light into small patterns against obsidian scales. Aleph sits up, her thoughts suspended in an almost meditative state of contemplation. She remains lost in thought for what feels like an eternity, yet could only have been moments.


    With a glance behind her she eyes the remainder of the boulder lizard, as well as the discarded pile of smaller lizards and bugs she had collected. Such a waste... Pulling herself from the ground she begins devouring the remainder of the boulder lizard''s carcass, along with the left over bits of her corpse pile, not letting herself slow down despite the growing protests coming from her overworked core. Leaving nothing behind but a patch of dry blood, she stands up and shakes herself off.


    Settling down by Bloop she lets a deep breath of air ripple across her tiny companion''s fur. Startled awake by the sudden gust of wind, Bloop jumps on guard, waving her pedipalps like swords at whatever threat deigned to disturb her slumber. As Bloop''s eyes cross the dragon''s she pauses her panicked swings, a sympathetic chitter exits her upon spotting the dragon''s tear-filled eyes. Warm breath brushes the tiny critter''s fur as she leans in to the closest thing a dragon and a spider can come to an actual hug, resting her pedipalps on the dragon''s snout and letting out a frankly annoying set of chitters. Soothingly of course.


    Clearly dissatisfied with the level of comfort, Bloop skitters backwards before spreading out her front legs and curling them. She flexes her barely existing spider muscles like a trained body builder, pulling different poses as if saying ''Look at me! I''m strong!''. Pff, naww I just can''t stay mad at that. What was I even mad about in the first place? Who knows? Not mad anymore though. Nudging her companion onto her rightful perch Aleph sets off, ignoring the look of abject shock as the spider spots the now empty corpse pile. It''s about time I begin my descent proper. I''ve been way too slow thus far. The pair head onward, this time avoiding any signs of life as Aleph searches for a way down.


    After a few hours of blind searching, Aleph spots a tunnel arching downward. With her destination set she marches forward, only to be interrupted by the tiny white fuzzball now blocking her way. Bloop?


    Standing in the entrance to the tunnel, Bloop aggressively waves her front legs. As Aleph makes the attempt to move forward she is halted once again as the spider shoots to the sides, wrapping the entrance in web before the dragon can so much as take a step.


    What is she trying to tell me here? Normally when there''s danger she''d just tap my head. Is this because I ignored that yesterday? Maybe... But this feels different somehow. Like she''s telling me something else. Does she just not want me to go down? Why? Aleph sits down a short distance from Bloop, calmly eying her companion.


    She''s clearly more intelligent than I first gave her credit for. If that wasn''t obvious from our initial interactions, the hunt yesterday spelled it out nice and clear. Perhaps she can even speak. But alas, we both lack lips, cheeks, and probably vocal chords so standard languages are out the window and I don''t speak spider. I could maybe summon a demon to help translate? Nah, I don''t have nearly enough prepared for that.


    Aleph idly scratches at the ground with her tail before pausing. Right! Where words fail actions succeed! Or something like that. Raising a paw, Aleph pokes herself a few times with her claw, before pointing down the tunnel. Bloop watches, before shaking her body side to side.


    Aleph responds with a curious tilt to her head. The spider thinks for a moment, scritching her head with her pedipalps, before skittering off and returning with a few differently shaped rocks. Picking up a small rock, Bloop points at Aleph, and then the rock. Ooh I''ve never been a rock before... I think?


    Taking a larger rock Bloop lifts it high in the air and slams it to the ground, repeating the action a few times. She then hits the two rocks together before discarding the bigger rock. Picking up a yet larger rock she points at the rock and then the tunnel. She then mercilessly slams the larger rock on the smaller one, discarding the smaller one.


    Hmm, I think I get the gist... Aleph leans forward to pick up the smaller rock representing herself. She then takes the second rock, hitting them together before discarding the larger as Bloop did. But then Aleph discards the smaller rock, taking the larger one again and pointing at herself and the rock. Hope that translates.


    Bloop thinks for a moment, before giving Aleph a suspicious glare. Aleph in turn stretches out her now undamaged wing, giving it a hearty flap for good measure. Suspicion turns to surprise, but then back to concern. The pair lock eyes, neither giving the other an inch, lest they all but admit defeat by looking away.


    Invisible lightning bolts spark between their eyes as they wage a calm, silent war with each other. The bloodless battle drags on, wearing down its combatants who both refuse to even blink. One might think it the spider who holds the advantage here, after all it is she who has no actual eyelids to even blink with in this situation. Yet all eight of her eyes waver at the unrelenting conviction held behind the violet orbs she contends with.


    Bloop collapses in total defeat, weary of this long war. For war brings naught but suffering, and the only way for it to end is for one side to acknowledge their defeat, or be destroyed. Hell yea! Dragon one, spider zero. Aleph picks up the thoroughly defeated fuzz bundle before triumphantly striding forth.


    Her March remains unperturbed as she simply walks straight through the wall of webs. Though the threads hold tight, giving no indication of being strained, the walls they stick to have other ideas as they crumble away helplessly with minimal strain. Bloop makes to complain, before remembering she is in fact a spider and cannot speak dragon, so she instead just flumps across her perch, officially done for the day.


    The pair make their way down the tunnel, ready to explore the floor below.

 Chapter 7: Bioluminescent moss

    The pair take in their new environment with awe. Glowing veins of green and blue light pattern the walls of the enormous cavern they now stand in, fading into the distant horizon. Glimmering droplets of water chase down the stalagmites spattered across the ceiling, leaping down into ponds below as glowing ripples dance across the water surface.


    Tiny streams run from the ponds, coalescing towards a larger body of water at the base of the cavern. Still waters in the middle of the pond reflect the ceiling above, casting the illusion of a starry night over a calm ocean. The occasional ripple reaches the pond centre, disturbing the reflected patterns.


    Bloop stares at the view, making sure to take in the awe inspiring sights with all eight of her eyes. Aleph finds herself distracted by the shapes flitting around the corner of her eye, refusing to be caught by direct sight. The pair slowly wander towards the large pond, spotting the telltale yellow glow of nearby rock lizards drinking from the clear waters.


    Hopping off for a closer look, Bloop skitters to the lake edge, playfully tapping the surface. Each ripple glows blue, filling the spider''s cyan eyes with a childish glee as she eagerly splashes patterns into the pond surface. Before she can lean in to take a sip, an obsidian tail snakes its way in front, blocking her path and pulling her back. Looking up, Bloop sees Aleph eying the rock lizards ahead, who now lay twitching by the pond edge.


    I knew it! Can''t just have a nice and pretty bioluminescent cave, can we! Gotta have some weird poison algae or whatever in the water! Of course, as always tends to happen, now is the moment Aleph''s throat decides it''s extremely dry and in some dire need of refreshment. Should''ve had something to drink before I left. No way am I even touching this stuff. I just don''t have the Aether to deal with that kind of toxin. Food poisoning is one thing, but if this stuff can soak itself into my skin I want no part in it.


    Lifting her tiny companion, who is currently occupied with staring in horror at her soaked legs, to her perch, Aleph walks away from the scary death pond. Following a river with no glowing water, the pair come upon a smaller pond with a few larger rock lizards relaxing by the edge. The largest of the rock lizards cautiously eyes the approaching dragon for a while until shortly after they stop, deciding they''re no major threat.


    Aleph dips her tail in the water, swishing it around a bit yet seeing no glow. No algae up here I guess. Still not satisfied though, she sits down and watches the group of rock lizards. The largest once again takes notice, taking her on in a staring contest, which she of course wins. After a few minutes, one of the lizards gets up to drink its fill from the pond.


    Watching closely as the lizard takes hearty gulps of water before shaking itself dry and heading back to the group, Aleph decides the risk is worth taking and leans in for a sip. Hmm, this water tastes like water. Guess I just wait now and see if that turns me into a twitching mess. I didn''t drink much, so I shouldn''t die at least... hopefully. I really need more Aether...


    Through the eyes of a panicking spider


    Omygodimgoingtodieholysheeeet! Lyla sits in a stunned daze as she Internally panics. It''s not the end of the world if I die, right? Another can just be sent after me if I do, and it wasn''t hard getting this far... But I got so lucky! I have a dragon! That''s so coo-useful! No way something like this happens again. And if I die there''s no way this fool is surviving even five minutes without me, I mean look! It''s already drinking the deadly glow water!


    Wait, WHY ARE YOU DRINKING THAT?! I look away for two seconds and you''re already-oh wait, it''s not glowing? Huh, guess this stuff must be safe then. Lyla hops down from her perch and gives the pond a probing poke, letting out a sigh of relief as the colour remains clear. Fuuu, no danger glow. It is the glow that''s dangerous right? Not just the water? Those lizards seem fine... but it might just be slow acting... You know what? I''m not thirsty.


    Resolving to ignore the fact she hasn''t had anything to drink in days, Bloop skitters a healthy distance from the pond and plonks herself to the ground, resting. Seriously... First step on the next floor and I''m already encountering a near-death experience. I mean... Okay, I could probably survive that. That''s what this body was designed for in the first place, but still! Mana based poisons are insane, and my amazing skills in magic and survival only go so far!


    I guess I should''ve known about this, but I don''t remember seeing this cave the last time I was here! Maybe we should look for the route I originally took... probably safer than this...


    Through the eyes of a probably not poisoned dragon


    Aleph gives her wings a stretch, pushing them to their full span and giving them a solid flap. Water ripples into small waves from the sudden air pressure, startling the rock lizards, who scamper away and out of sight. Despite this, her body remains rooted to the ground, unperturbed by the force. Yea, these wings aren''t taking me anywhere. Not until I have enough Aether to offset my weight. Shame too. This cavern is huge, so flying around could have been pretty fun...


    Stolen story; please report.


    Bloop skitters over, hopping onto the outstretched wing to traverse the obsidian scales and nestle herself comfortably between the dragon''s onyx horns. Deciding it''s totally safe (probably), Aleph leans forward to slurp down her fill, with Bloop also caving to her thirst after a moment of hesitation. Satiated, the pair set of again striding onward into the unknown. Until they aren''t.


    Ow! What? What is this thing?! Just a few steps from the pond, Aleph finds her foot trapped in a pale white mushroom-plant-tentacle?-thing, slowly burning away at her scales. Yanking her foot from its grasp she stumbles back, glaring daggers at the offending blob. And now my foot is numb. Hooray... The pale plant grasps at the empty air, searching for its lost prey, before eventually unfurling its white petals and laying them on the ground. As it presses them flat, the white surface shifts colour, taking on the blue and grey tones of the surrounding mossy rocks.


    Are you kidding me? How many of these things are there? I can''t see this thing at all any more! Why don''t I get cool stuff like insta-camo-skin? Shuffling closer, Aleph scans the rocky surface the pale plant once sat. The surface is slightly smoother... Dammit! If I didn''t know it was here I wouldn''t notice a thing! It doesn''t have enough attached Aether for me to reliably detect either, and I doubt it has any Mana either for Bloop to detect. If I had more Aether myself I could boost my immune system enough for it to be a non-issue...


    Aleph gives her numb leg a flex to gauge the damage. A soft tingling slowly creeps through her leg, giving way to a paralysing numbness as the toxin spreads. It''s getting worse... Wait, do dragons not have an actual immune system at all? They''re basically half Mana spirit, so I could totally see that being the case! This is actually really bad then! More Aether might actually be my only real option here. Closing her eyes in focus, Aleph flares her Aether, spreading it thin in search for a large enough source, the telltale violet glow seeping through the grooves in her scales. I don''t see anything... on this floor at least. Whatever''s on the floor below is seriously huge, but it''s also the only viable source of Aether I can see. I could maybe find something if I keep exploring this floor, but I don''t know if I have the time to take that chance. I have to go now before this starts spreading to my vital organs!


    She bolts, hunting for any way down to her quarry. Spreading her wings she lightly glides, minimising her contact with the potentially dangerous floor. The mass of Aether below her lies dormant, unmoving. Tendrils spread wide, sprawling from the centre mass in a web-like tapestry. Some of the vines poke close to the upper layer, conforming their shape to some kind of surface. Aleph sprints to the nearest such vine, in hopes of it leading her to a way down.


    Leaping high off a tall rock to glide she manages a glimpse at the horizon, or rather, the lack of one. The distant walls of the cavern continue for kilometres, fading into a greyish blue atmospheric fog as the distant lights are scattered by air over the immense distance. Aleph is stunned for a moment as she contemplates the sheer enormity of this cavern. Bloop meanwhile clings on to the dragon''s horns as she contemplates why being bitten by a funky camo plant warrants dashing recklessly through the cave.


    Reaching the ground above the vine, Aleph searches the area. Finding no ways down she sets off for the next one. And the one after that, stepping into another weird plant thing along the way. Time ticks by as she desperately seeks a path down, all the while the numbness keeps spreading up her leg. Eventually, she spots a cavity reaching deep below, glowing moss webbed together in ever increasing density the further down it goes, covered in a net of pale white vines. By this time, Aleph''s gait has become a limped scramble as her numb leg fails to properly support her body.


    Ignoring the minor tantrum being thrown on her head by Bloop, who at this point has figured out what she''s trying to do and is not happy, Aleph leaps down the moss hole, the tiny spider dangling by a literal thread wrapped precariously around her horns. I''ve made it! Now all I need is to quickly snag one of the bigger vines and leave. That''ll be enough!


    Hastily stumbling her way down, the tunnel begins to widen, before opening out into a sheer drop. Gliding her way to the ground, Aleph fumbles the landing, her weak leg failing to support the fall as she crashes into the soft vine covered floor. Pulling herself up from the sticky green goo oozing from the torn vines and coating the floor of her impromptu landing pad she casts a cautious gaze at her surroundings.


    Something''s not right... Anything with this much attached Aether would have to be old. There''s just no way something this fragile could survive that long, let alone get so big. Aleph glances around herself, searching for something, anything out of place. Even bloop looks around frantically, trying to find whatever has put the dragon on edge. Yet they only find more of the same vivid tapestry of pale vines and shimmering mossy rocks. Save for the cavern centre, at which lays a thick amalgam of shining vines. Nesting together in a lightly pulsating bulb, the vines practically ooze Aether.


    A few chunks of that would be more than enough. I just need to grab some then get out of here. I don''t want to stay any longer than I have to. Now if I can just- The cave walls spin violently, blue and white blending into a uniform blur. Bloop is sent flying off her perch as Aleph careens into the air, a blinding pain seeping across her left side. What?! Collecting herself, she flares her wings, regaining enough control to land herself in a readied stance as Bloop bounces across the ground, skittering back to her companion at the first available chance.


    Aleph focuses, pumping Aether across her body, hardening her scales and tensing her muscles. Her eyes scan the cavern, searching for any hint of movement, her ears poised to catch even the most minute of sounds. The Aether shifts. Behin- Too late. Once again she is sent tumbling, the blunt, rocky surface of the floor bruising against her scales. The Aether reinforcement is enough to prevent any real damage this time, but does nothing to help the intense vertigo of being spun in the air by a sudden force. Bloop manages to hang on, clinging to a thread hastily wrapped around the dragon''s neck.


    Planting her feet hard into the ground, Aleph regains her footing. Violet eyes burn, a fervorous gaze eating into the cavern walls. Focus. Breathe.


    Fight.

 Chapter 8: Belly of the beast

    Violet


    Aleph leaps, just too late to avoid another assault. Shit! What is this thing? It doesn''t matter where I look, it always finds a way behind me! Using her wings to stay afloat for a moment longer, she scans the area, searching desperately for her assailant. Gone again! How fast is this thing?


    Cyan


    What have you gotten us into?! Why have you gotten us into this?! Agh! A whoosh of air precedes another bout of vertigo as the pair spiral recklessly through the air. Lyla clings tight to her makeshift harness, desperately trying to suppress the growing nausea from all the spinning. Okay, I can chew this idiot out later. First things first is getting us out of this mess! Can we go back the way we came?


    Violet


    The entrance is gone! Dammit, and I don''t see any other way out! The wall where their way in was believed to be lays covered in moss and vines. Were there once a tunnel there, there is no longer. Okay, think! Escape isn''t an option, and I seriously doubt I can hide anywhere either. My black scales stand out here like a sore thumb! I can''t fight either if I can''t see the enemy... Shit, what else can I do?


    Cyan


    This thing has been avoiding both of our sight perfectly. We can''t see it, but it can see us... Or is it maybe invisible? Another swipe, this time targeting Lyla. The dragon shifts, turning just enough to avoid taking the full brunt of the blow to the neck as the pair are slammed into the ground.


    The instant she regains control of her motion, Lyla turns swiftly to catch their assailant, finding nothing but the empty air and sparkling cavern wall. How is it so fast? Where does it go? My dragon can somehow sense it coming. What does it know that I don''t? Wait! I still don''t have a name for it!


    Violet


    This is getting easier. There''s a shift in the Aether all around me every time it attacks, but this thing is too fast for me to react! If I knew where it came from I could turn in time to strike back, but even when I guess it somehow seems to just know where I''m going to look! Another whoosh of air, and another tumble. Dammit!


    Cyan


    What about Shenron? No wait! Not the time! Lyla clings tight as they''re sent flying once again. Damn, I really need to figure out what''s going on here. We''ll get nowhere if we keep letting this thing toy with us like this. Okay... I''ll need to focus. She breaths in, eyes losing their vision as she focuses every aspect her mind to its peak. All faculties report! Panic mode is a go!


    Violet


    Huh? What happened!? Aleph panics, catching the limp fuzzball with her teeth, trying her best not to clamp down too hard as they''re sent tumbling again. Why is she unresponsive now? Was she hit? This thing doesn''t even hit as hard as that big rock lizard though, and she took that just fine! The attacks don''t let up, slamming at the pair with increased vigour. Aleph swipes randomly, almost managing to nick their attacker with her bladed tail. Yet the constant flailing through the air makes any meaningful attack nigh impossible. Dammit!


    Lyla


    "Identify the problem." "Unseen enemy." "Fast attacks." "Idiot dragon." "Avoids gaze." "How?" "Uncertain." "An archmage?" "Or perhaps an equally powerful beast?" "No, we''d be dead." "Then an ability." "To detect gazes? Or perhaps Mana?" "Dragon has none." "Assume it''s the gaze." "What else?" "Many vines, lots of moss." "Vines?" "Do they have Mana?" "Barely. More than the dragon though." "Fucking weird dragon." "Agreed." "Could the vines be the threat?" "Too fragile." "Not if they''re never struck." "Stays out of sight. Attacks one-sided" "Can''t be the moss." "The moss looks cool." "Then it''s the vines." "So the plan." "It won''t attack where it can be seen." "Then we need only have eyes everywhere"


    Violet


    Swoosh! Crack! Crash! Attacks come with increased ferocity, filling the air with the crack of whips as Aleph struggles to keep contact with the ground. Pain sears through her bruised scales as each blow slams into her with an increased fervour. Unable to even think as she endures the onslaught, a strike manages to reach through her guard, slamming against her belly as the air is forced from her lungs.


    Shit! She loses grip of the spider, who goes tumbling away from her. Slamming her foot the ground to chase after her companion, she halts. The pair simply stand there, eyes locked with tiny spidery legs outstretched in a stopping gesture. What? Silence. No attacks, no movement, save for the laboured breathing of the obsidian black dragon and the slowly waving legs of the pale white spider.


    Cyan


    Ha! I knew it! Ten points to spiderdore! Hm? Why am I wet? The cavern remains calm, serene as the pair stand motionless under the shimmering glow of the white and blue walls. Okay whatever, if we keep looking at each other like this there''ll be no ''behind us'' to attack from, and we can simply walk out of here uncontested. Probably. Now to just communicate this to-oh, wait. Beaten to the punch. Lyla watches the dragon''s tail as it points towards the amalgam of vines in the centre. What?! No! That''s the opposite of where we should go!


    Violet


    Right! I should have realised this. Can''t attack from behind if there is no behind to attack from! Aleph frowns at the spider shaking her body side to side. No? I figured as much. But I''m in no position to relent. Lifting her front leg, now completely bereft of sensation from the knee down, she points at it with her tail, and once again at the vines.


    Cyan


    Huh? The leg? I was wondering about that... That''s the one that got snagged by the plant isn''t it? But so what? You can heal now! Though I still can''t sense your Mana... Unless it''s not Mana you''re using. Don''t those abyssal abominations some cultist idiots occasionally summon each have their own energy type or something? Hold on... There''s no way this dragon is actually some eldritch freak who gains power from consuming the living, right? I swear if this idiot starts sprouting rocky scales and freaky white tentacle vines I''m gonna...


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    But there''s just no way. I know his handiwork, this dragon was clearly made by the Progenitor, and there''s no way he''d let some X-dimensional wacko sneak its gooey tendrils in one of his creations. The guy made me! And I''m perfect! So clearly this one is too! Just a bit of a raging dumb-ass. So then, what could it be?


    Violet


    Aleph''s frown grows desperate, the silence within the cavern only accentuating the tension of their staring contest. This situation is my fault. I panicked when I realised what being too slow could mean, and I rushed us into needless danger. I stand by the need to pick up the pace, but I should''ve been more careful. I should have considered the immune system issue before I set off, hunted more big rock lizards, and dealt with it. The stare-down continues, the dragon watches in desperation, while the spider glares back with suspicion.


    I wish I was able to communicate this properly. But I don''t have that luxury. And neither can I wait like this. I''ve already lost all sensation in my foot, and if I lose control of my knee as well I won''t be able to run. I''ll find a way to apologise later. Hopefully she at least got the gist of the issue.


    Cyan


    Hey wait! Why are you running towards me! Stop! The dragon plants its snout on the ground as it sprints her way, beckoning Lyla to her perch. Gah dammit! Lyla hops, landing cleanly between the horns, still facing in opposite directions. Fine! Whatever! Not like I have much of a plan either. I doubt this thing would let us just walk out of here. It probably hid the way back when we came in. The pair bolt towards the core of vines in the centre unchallenged, a slight limp the only thing slowing them down.


    Violet


    Something''s moving! Aleph jumps, cleanly dodging the vine whipping towards her from in front. So it was the vines! That actually explains a lot... I guess it''s desperate now that I''m running to its core, but so am I. Able to dodge the now visible attacks, Aleph bounds onward. Even as the attacks build in frequency she charges unperturbed, not letting the occasional brush against a whipping vine slow her down.


    Almost there! I just need a decent chunk, then I can flee. I''m not sticking around to find out just how outclassed I am here! She reaches the nexus of knotted vines. A swipe of her tail cuts clean through, letting her clamp her jaw on the loose vine and tear it from the core. Now I jus-... shit. No, I can handle this. I remember, I''ve dealt with worse. Just... Breathe. Focus. Fight.


    Cyan


    I believe this is what one might call being royally fucked. The entire cavern shifts. Every vine pries from the wall, leaving behind bare grey stone patterned between the patches of vibrant blue moss. The air trembles. The ground shakes. How do we- The view shifts, as if answering Lyla''s desperate query. A violet glow wraps around them both. Tiny bubbles form between the dragon''s obsidian scales, dancing through the air like violet flames.


    The dragon bolts. Lyla grasps on with all her might as they bound onward towards the rapidly approaching wall of vines. Panic encompasses the spider''s mind as the charge towards their doom, yet she holds strong, clinging desperately to the dragon''s onyx horns.


    Aleph


    Onward. The only goal processing within her mind, all irrelevant thoughts culled in the name of pure concentration. Muscles are tensed to their peak, claws splinter and crack against the force of each stride, every speck of energy is devoted to the task of escape.


    Aleph maps out her winding path through the wall of vines. Too slow. Aether burns within her. The naturally passive energy turns predatory as it begins devouring her own Aether attuned body. Cracked scales, excess body mass, and unused muscles. Even down to the marrow in her bones. Anything not needed to continue her charge is burned and consumed, lightening her body and infusing her with more Aether.


    She accelerates. Dancing through the web of slashing and swiping vines, rending apart any obstacles with her remaining claws. The crunch of bones from her improperly placed foot is ignored. Left. Right. Over. Under. Not stopping until...


    Cyan


    Holy shit we actually made it through?! Finally having reached the far side of the wall, the cavern now appears almost bare. The glimmer of blue moss no longer accentuated by the pale shine of the vines. Save for the few remaining tendrils of white poking out from the ground, too short to reach the pair. A thundering Thwoom is heard behind them, yet neither spares the time to look back, instead charging to the nearest hole down, no longer covered by the vines.


    They drop, tumbling and crashing down the hole uncontrolled. Thud! Plonk! They land. Lyla splays across the ground, a throbbing pain pressing against her skull. Uuuuugh... Who took an axe to my beautiful brain. Right... Me... Because of this idiot! Dammit I''m too far down to be doing that... Pulling herself from the ground, Lyla looks to her companion. Looks like I''m the better off of the two of us. But seriously? Who eats in a situation like this?


    Violet


    Pain courses through ever fibre of Aleph''s being. Torn muscles, fractured bones, and patches of blood soaked skin, bare of scales. The only part of her not in agony is her leg, now completely bereft of touch, though it lies in much worse shape than the rest of her, the foot and ankle bent at awkward angles from improperly slamming into the ground.


    Must... eat... need... the Aether... Fighting through the pain she takes slow, agonising bites into the chunk of Aether rich vine she managed to pry from the amalgam. Bite, after slow bite. She manages to down half the chunk, before succumbing to her fatigue. Darkness claims her mind as she collapses.


    <hr>


    Many ancient records speak of the Great Labyrinth and the fantastical environments it once held. Below the first layer, believed to be a dark network of caves much like the layers we see today, was said to be a tremendous cavern of sprawling lights and mysterious invisible creatures who could sense the gaze of others. Below this, a sprawling forest of vibrant green trees with a tremendous variety of wildlife. Many such records even claim the presence of an eternal blizzard able to freeze Mana itself, an ocean of magma which never cools, and one particularly adventurous record of a floor of death and corruption, barring passage to the deepest layers below.


    These records make the claim that in the year 722 PR, the ruler of the labyrinth used his immense powers to pull the Great Labyrinth deep below the surface, replacing it with the hard metamorphic rock seen above ground today. Now while many records support this theory and the geological surveys indicate this as a feasible explanation, I think differently. If the ruler were so powerful, what reason would the have to run and hide? What enemy could possibly challenge a being capable of terraforming a continent? No, I believe these stories of great blizzards and mysterious lands of death to be just that. Stories. The true explanation is clearly that the labyrinth was always as deep as it is. Instead of being pulled down, I see it as more likely that there was once a great mountain spanning the Continent, which was upheaved and destroyed during the first great battle of the gods in 812 PR.


    Today I shall show you proof of my theory, and by the end of my talk, you too will be believers of the Great mountain theory!


    - Excerpt from a transcript of renowned scholar Caeron''s lecture on the great mountain theory, circa 3676 PR

 Chapter 9: The plan

    Aleph stirs from slumber, groggy and sore. Ugh I feel like I just ran a marathon... Oh right, I did. Prying open her weary eyes she makes to stand, but finds her legs unwilling, or rather unable to move. Huh? She moves again, straining against the force binding her to no avail. What is... Peering back at her unmoving legs she finds herself bundled and bound, wrapped neatly in a tight cocoon of white threads. I see...


    Her gaze turns forward, peering at the tiny perpetrator fuming before her. You know what? Now that I think about it I really can''t blame her. I did just recklessly drag her around an entire poison algae and death shroom ridden floor, charged headfirst at a giant death plant, and leapt headfirst down a completely unknown and potentially dangerous tunnel. Twice. I''d be mad too.


    The look of understanding planted on her face does nothing to placate the ceaseless squealing and angry chitters emanating from her fluffy companion. Pedipalps slap furiously against the dragon''s snout as tiny legs wave up and down, all the while yelling what must have been a very colourful display of curses and complaints in her spidery tongue... palpi? Whatever, language. You get the idea.


    I don''t speak spider... or maybe I do actually? But clearly not this one. Either way this looks like it''s going to take a while. Perhaps exactly as long as it would take for me to re-evaluate my current state of affairs and actually come up with a much needed plan?


    Aleph begins to incorporate the ultimate technique, mastered by children and delinquents the multiverse over. Zoning out her eyes, looking vaguely in the direction of the rage fuelled fuzzball, and nodding her head occasionally in pretend understanding. The only piece of the puzzle missing being the occasional "mhm", solely by virtue of her inability to make the sound.


    Okay then. First things first is to return to the first questions I asked in this world. Starting with ''Who am I?'' Aleph Null is the name I chose for myself, because it''s perfect like me, but it''s not my true name. What is my true name? Can''t remember. In fact, one thing I do remember, is that I absolutely must not remember my name! Why? Can''t remember. So that''s frustrating...


    So what can I remember? I''ve been down this road before. Many times. How many? At least a dozen... probably more. If that dream is anything to go by, I expect none of them ended with me getting much closer to my goal. Which is what exactly? Get stronger? Not quite... it''s something more specific, I just can''t put my finger on what. But getting stronger definitely helps. At the very least I know it necessitates more Aether.


    There''s also that shadowy guy. Not sure what, but there''s something important about him. Someone who interacts directly with souls is strange enough, but more than that there was something pulling me towards him back when I was still a soul. I don''t think anything like that has happened in my previous lives, so this one must be important somehow. I wonder...


    Through the eyes of an apoplectic arachnid


    "Gah! You fool! Moron! Dumb-ass! I swear, if this labyrinth doesn''t kill you first I will!" Chitters and squeals echo the cave walls as Lyla paces side to side, lecturing the bundled up dragon with furious zeal. "I was willing to let your recklessness slide at first with the walking boulder. After all, maybe dragons need a Mana rich diet to survive or something. I don''t know! I''m not a dragon!"


    "But then you stick your foot in that weird plant? Mycelium? Whatever, and you just freak the hell out! I get it fucked up your leg, but come on! How does that equate to ''I should run around like crazy and jump down the first moss pit I lay my eyes on''?! Did it not even cross your mind I might have healing magic? I don''t, but still!" The dragon nods placatingly at her words. "And why do you keep doing that?! You clearly don''t understand a word I''m saying! Gah!"


    Through the eyes of a remarkably chill dragon


    So what''s Anime? I feel like that''s also important. Hmm... no dice. Oh well, it''s about time I start considering my plan. I need to get to the bottom of this place, in both meanings of the term, but if the size so far is anything to go by that''s probably quite the distance. Seriously! That mossy cavern alone was bigger than the horizon of the one past life I actually remember in any detail!


    But anyway... plan. I can''t be so reckless anymore. This place clearly doesn''t follow some hierarchy of ''weak at top, strong at bottom'', as evidenced by that angry snake and those pretty death vines. Unless I''m just stupendously weak... Either way, I need to build strength without constantly challenging crazy strong monsters. Ambient Aether is a no go. I''d sooner die of old age with how little there is. And I don''t think dragons even can die of old age!


    I''m not at a stage where I can pull Aether out of things without heavily saturating it in my will first. So that leaves old and strong-willed beasts. Which I can''t fight. What about allies? One of my mistakes in that dream-memory was always fighting alone despite having so many companions. Can''t imagine I''d find many though, but I did find Bloop. Said spider continues her manic tirade of hisses and squeaks. She would be frothing at the mouth right now, if she had a mouth, and the ability to froth.


    In that case I should consider communication. I think I know a few languages. Or maybe a decent amount? Okay I apparently know a lot of languages. None of which happen to be dragon. I think. Pretty sure I can only growl with these vocal chords. So I''ll have to use Aether to speak a language I do know then. Vibrating the air is a no, since that''ll just instil Aether into the air, wasting it, and it''s too precise for me to do right now anyway. I could try using it to manually vibrate my vocal chords to produce specific sounds. I''ve never done it before, but I''m confident I can learn.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Okay, so then back to allies. Assuming I find none what do I do? I could summon a demon? Sounds like a good idea actually. Could also solve the language issue. But then there''s the issue of payment. Even summoning a decently strong demon is expensive, and then I''d have to pay them more to stick around... Guess I''ll have to come back to that idea later.


    What else? Take my time. But not too much. Hope I stumble upon allies. Find something of value. Perform a Demonic summoning ritual. Maybe remember what Anime is? Reach the bottom of the labyrinth. Ask shadow guy why he stuck me in a dragon of all things. Well, its an improvement-Nay, a perfect plan. Not like I can think of something more specific anyway. I just don''t have the info. Aleph brings her attention back to the real world, where she finds Bloop splayed on the floor, dazed and panting.


    Shifting her weight, Aleph strains against the fabric binding her in an attempt to break free. Huh... This stuff is tough. Really tough. Probably Mana infused or something. I could be really petty and just walk on my tail like a pogo stick... But nah, I need the rest anyway. Finding no success in her search for freedom, Aleph chooses instead to relax and wait out her punishment. So how long will I be stuck like this?


    <hr>


    Three days pass before Aleph is allowed free of her bindings. Three long, tedious, albeit much needed days in which she could rest, recover her battered body, and purge the lingering toxin from her system. Hm, that wasn''t too long. A few hours maybe? Guess she isn''t as mad as I thought. She muses as the spider reluctantly slices through the threads with her fangs. A look of defeat etches across the tiny arachnid at the completely unperturbed dragon before her.


    Aleph stands, stretching her stiff wings and freshly recovered muscles. She makes her way to the remaining half of the vine chunk, a tiny experimental nibble taken out since she last saw it. Scarfing down the chunk, and ignoring the look of disgust coming from behind, she begins to flex her Aether, taking stock of the recent increase.


    With this much, plus what I''m digesting, I could probably take a few hearty blows from that big rock lizard. Maybe even survive indefinitely against the attacks from the funky vine room. Wouldn''t stop it from just suffocating me though, and I don''t even want to think about that wall of death attack, so I''m not even going to try. Aleph stretches her wing into a platform for Bloop to skitter up and onto her perch, then sets off.


    The tunnels of this floor weave and wind, wax and wane, much like those of the floor she hatched on. Only this time the walls are accented by sporadic patches of glowing moss. Their pace is slow as they steadily map out their new environment, identifying sources of food and water. Silence permeates the cave, save for the rumbling vibrations and hums from Aleph''s voice practice, much to the tiny spider''s annoyance. Trap plants appear much more frequently, though as the pair soon learned, they only seem to appear on the glowing moss patches, making them fairly easy to avoid.


    Occasional hunts netting the odd rock lizard prove enough to sate the spider, with Aleph making up for the lack of meat by eating the toxic trap plants. Like a freak. Granted, her stomach being a matter burning furnace optimised to extract Aether means any toxins simply get disintegrated before reaching her bloodstream, but this does nothing to stop the horrified glares of her little spidery companion. Nor does it make them taste any less... gooey.


    Eventually though, days pass by and the pair find themselves at another tunnel reaching down to the next layer. Ready to move on to new lands, hopefully with better food.


    <hr>


    Silver Death-Vine


    Appearance:


    Littered across these glowing caverns are several plant-like creatures which meld into the ground below. They possess the remarkable abil--y to transform their colour to perfectly match their surroundings, even going as far as to imitate the signature glow of the moss they reside on. When un-camouflaged they appear as pale white vines which wrap around any prey foolish enough to step into them. The vines appear to run deep into the ground, spreading wide like mycelium. Where they lead I can only imagine.


    On the floor below I have discovered what I believe to be the source of these vines. Rather than several separate organisms, I believe these all t- be a sprawling network of interconnected vines and plants. A single organism, collecting together in a centre point below, where lies a coagulated mass of pulsing vines. I observed its presence receding, luring me in to the cavern containing its core and closing the way behind me. Of course, regardless of the fact I could probably slay such a creature with ease, I am not foolish enough to simply waltz head-first into the belly of a ---st like this. I will have to find another way down.


    Behaviour:


    Normally these plants lay dormant, resting camouflaged against the floor. However when something makes contact with the petal-like vines on their surface, they swiftly wrap around the invading presence, snaking tentacle-like vines in from below to strangle their prey. Tiny bristles on the petals inject a potent toxin into their victims, rendering them impotent within minutes.


    Their primary prey source appears to be smaller creatures like young Earth Drakes who, when alone, are unable to resist the vice grip of the vines. Larger creatures can simply pull free, though they may still succumb to the potent toxin in time, rendering them nu-b and unmovin-.


    I have also noticed, that when narrowing my gaze away from these organisms and watch them at the very edge of my periphery, they appear to pulsate as if communicating. Yet as soon as I return my gaze they return to stillness. Perhaps they can sense my gaze? They seem to rely more on touch when it comes to catching prey, though such -n adaptation would still make sense, considering the reliance their prey have on sight. This could be a way of saving on resources which would otherwise be wasted on maintaining their camouflage, or perhaps it serves some other purpose?


    Other Notes:


    These plants are clearly too toxic to eat, enough to even break through my robust constitution and give m- mild food poisoning. They don''t even taste good. The vine- -rom the cavern below taste no better. Worse even.


    -Excerpt from sectio- -1 chapter 3 of the Lost Hero''s Journal

 Chapter 10: The Hero?

    Interlude from the surface. Through the eyes of a transmigrator.


    A boy sits atop a stone ring, watching the gathering crowd of soldiers and adventurers below. His form remains transparent, unseen as light from the twin suns above pass straight through him. Invisibility was among the first spells the boy learned upon coming to this ruthless world of might and magic, far more perilous than the world he once called home.


    People scramble in the plaza below, most preparing for the great speech, though some frantically searching for the missing boy. After all, he is the Hero. Star of today''s show. Ever since coming to this world, the boy has been a remarkable talent, once in a century. Perhaps even once in a millennium. He had reached fifth circle within a year of his awakening, blowing away all previous records as if they were but a joke in comparison.


    The boy reminisces at the sight below him. I was once like them wasn''t I? Hurrying around from place to place, attending hunts and expeditions in search of glory and fame. And yet, now after having explored the continent, saved countless lives, and defeated the demon lord I find myself hollow, empty. Still searching for that thrill. A wide grin sprawls across the boy''s face. Perhaps I haven''t changed at all.


    He closes his eyes, revelling in the wave of nostalgia at the memories flowing into him. His mind wanders, back to the first day he arrived in this world. The day he died, and was born anew.


    <hr>


    "W-what? Where am I? What is this place? Where did my collection of cute Anime girl stickers go?" A boy stumbles, scrambling to stand up as he finds himself somewhere new, unfamiliar. He brushes away the strands of black hair stuck awkwardly to the folds of his eyelids, scanning his surroundings with his narrow, grey eyes. A world of white fills his sight, devoid of all features. An emptiness permeates the boy''s heart at the vast void before him. How can such a place exist? Filled with so much... nothing. Yet all the same, something familiar strikes at the boy. A feeling that he''s seen such a scene before. I swear if I''m about to meet God right now...


    "Greetings child." A figure addresses him from behind, the sharp, synthetic voice crawling into his ears, filling this empty world with substance. He turns to face the voice. A tall, uncanny figure stands before him. Long locks of blonde hair float statically in the air. Flowing yet unmoving, as if waxed in place. Her skin covered in a smooth sheen, metallic even, yet her motions are fluid, organic, almost lifelike. Her chest rises and falls, more akin to inflating a balloon than the use of actual lungs, yet no air escapes her porcelain lips.


    Any rational individual would be experiencing a primal terror, the urge of every fight-or-flight instinct begging them to flee, to hide, to do anything to get away from this creature playing human. Yet the boy remains transfixed. His grey eyes lock onto the vacant orbs peering back at him as a gentle hand robotically cups his cheek. He opens his mouth, perhaps to scream, perhaps to yell out for help, yet no sound escapes his lips. The gaze consumes him, eating away at his rationality. And she is beautiful.


    "Fear not child. Though you have perished, your soul lies safely here, with me. Though my true name would be difficult for you to hear, many call me Sphilaria, goddess of rebirth." The boy steps back, pulling his eyes from their deadlocked gaze. "I... died? How?" The hellishly divine figure pauses for a moment, as if calculating the correct answer. Her lively eyes shimmer lifelessly. "You were struck by a vehicle. A truck, I believe." "I''ve been fucking Isekai''d haven''t I?" "What?" "Nothing."


    "Rest easy child. For while your life has reached its conclusion, I offer you the chance to begin it anew." The boy blushes, enamoured by the alluring abomination before him. "W-Why me?" Is all he can manage. Years of preparations, watching countless cringe Ani-sophisticated speculative documentaries, crumble away under the weight of Man''s remarkable ability to think with the incorrect organ.


    "And why not you, child?" Sphilaria twists, her long, flowing dress stretching and reshaping to conform to her unnatural, elegant posture. "In my eyes, you are the optimal choice for an Acrylon." The boy manages to arrest some of his mind back from his stupor, though his eyes still remain entranced by her form. "Acrylon? Me? What does that even mean? What... what would you have me do?" His eyes narrow, managing a sliver of suspicion under her vivid, empty gaze.


    "To be my Acrylon is to be my arms and legs." Her arms splay in a life-like, false gesture. "To explore the world on my behalf, to do the things I cannot. To gain strength and someday reach the realm of the gods. Perhaps one day, even becoming my equal. How you go about this is of course, up to you, child. To assist you on your journey, I will even offer you a boon. Be it a power, or an artefact, any blessing within my power is yours to claim." Her words grate harshly like a smooth flowing river, soothing the boy''s very essence. "You still haven''t answered one question though." He states, taking in a deep breath to stay his nerves. "Why me? What is it that made you choose me out of the surely countless more worthy people. I''m just some random schmuck, with not a single redeeming quality to my name... I don''t even have a proper job!"


    Stolen story; please report.


    Sphilaria''s uncanny head rotates adorably. "Why you? I simply think you''re cute." She announces matter-of-factly. The boy''s mind turns pink. All rational thought abandons him as he simply gazes forward, enraptured by her form. His heart flutters at her words. If a tentacle just popped out of her tear duct to lick her eye? He wouldn''t mind. And if said tentacle had a dozen eyes of its own? He wouldn''t tell anyone. "I''ll do it!" He announces. "And I know what I want for my boon!"


    <hr>


    "That''s quite the thoughtful expression you have there Auvic. Feeling nostalgic are we?" Lifting his head he meets the hollow eyes of a pale creature, a shallow imitation of a fairy resting adorably on his shoulder. "Haha, nonsense! I''m simply eager for this announcement to finally get under way. They still haven''t told me what I''ve signed up for you know, but if even the royal family have shown up, it''s gotta be good!"


    "Of course, I know child. I''ve been with you the entire time." A shrill chuckle accompanies her soft voice. Auvic grins, letting out a chuckle of his own as he admires her beautiful, hideous form. "I''m still surprised, you know. When I asked for my boon to be you, I didn''t expect you to actually follow through." The tiny Sphilaria lets out a shrill giggle, a beautiful harmony of dissonant sounds amalgamating together. "I too did not expect such a bold request. Truly, where does one even get the idea to ask a goddess to be their boon?" "I saw it in an Anime once." "You still haven''t told me what ''Anime'' actually is." "I-I''ll get to it eventually."


    The crowd below stirs, silence beginning to spread across the people as a tall, rugged figure claps his hands, drawing their attention. "Perhaps you should join them now? Your companions are showing quite the panic." "Nah! Hero''s gotta make an entrance you know?" Auvic chuckles, giving his panicked group of comrades an unseen grin. "Looks like it''s beginning."


    "Attention warriors! Adventurers and explorers!" The rugged man''s voice booms, resounding across the plaza, pulling all attention to him. "We invite each of you here today to attend a most important event! You have all been specially selected for your strengths! Your feats and your renown! You are the culmination of this country''s greatest strengths! And today, your power is much in need! We bring all of you here today, powerful soldiers and renowned hunters, great mages and beloved royals! Today, we even bring you the great hero himself..."


    Oh? This guy knows how to please. Almost makes me forgive him for speaking in exclamation mark. Auvic leaps off the ring, letting himself slam his feet to the ground, surrounding himself in a cloak of dust as he releases his invisibility. "Takatooooou!" The boy flicks his hair back, in that hair-style model way heroes always seem to do. Excited murmurs fill the crowd, words of endearment, of respect, and one particularly eager fangirl squealing his name at the top of her lungs until she faints. The only gazes not conforming are those of his four companions, who show a mix of knowing chuckles and frustrated pouts.


    Auvic gives the grinning announcer a pat on the shoulder. "Good show friend. Now don''t keep us waiting, we''re all eager to hear of this great mission you''ve brought us here for!" He states with heroic flair as he skips over to his companions, annoyed and endeared by their chronically over the top leader. The white haired elf princess pinches his cheek, the well built goliath gives him a hearty slap on the back, the cloaked halfling leans against his leg, and the armoured spearman scoffs, hiding his grin.


    "Well said hero! Indeed, no use beating around the bush anymore!" The announcer''s face turns serious, raising his hand to gesture to the ring. "Behind me is a device capable of transporting people to another world!" The crowd shifts, whispers of curiosity and doubt filling the plaza. Feels like a bit of a genre shift, no? I''m pretty sure I''ve seen this movie too. "And the people of this other world have contacted us! They have initiated with us talks of trade, of cultural exchange, and have invited us to what they call their ''Reverence Festival!''"


    "According to them, this festival is a old ritual dating back several millennia, involving the exploration of one of their greatest landmarks! An enormous labyrinth filled with dangerous beasts and old secrets! A reward is said to be offered to those who reach the deepest point, an offer of riches, of bounty from this strange new world!" The announcer slams his foot, straightening his spine and hammering his fist to his chest in salute.


    "You, gathered here today, are our strength! Our power! Today, we shall make our way to these strange lands, attend their Reverence Festival, and claim this bounty for ourselves! Show these other worlders our might! Are you with me?!" The announcer''s voice emanates in shock-waves, reflecting back with the invigorated roars of the crowd.


    "Open the portal!" At his order, an archmage warps atop the ring, chanting in strange tongues as Mana bursts forth from him, absorbed greedily by the stone formation. Lights begin to pulse from twelve regularly spaced notches in sequence as the ring is lifted from the ground. The lights slowly blur together as the ring spins, green energy spilling out and spiralling to the centre. The energy coagulates, then bursts outward, forming an undulating sphere of green energy above the crowd. "Step forth brave adventurers! Enter the stable vortex and discover what treasures this new world holds for us!" I''m sure they even made a series out of this...


    "Well child? Shall we head forth? I too am curious as to what new experiences this other plane has to offer." "Uaaah! Go away you fake goddess! I''m the one going by his side, not you!" "Shahaha, you three are so adorable together!" "Hmph, let''s not linger. The crowd awaits." "Mmm? I guess we''re going now..."


    "Funfunfun, indeed! Let us go forth, to a new adventure!"

 Chapter 11: Singing forest

    Trees consume the horizon. Pillars of moss-covered bark extend from the ground, meeting the ceiling and plunging their roots into the stone both above and below. A thick canopy of leaves fill the middle layer of the cavern, rustling with life as they drink up the light emitting from within their embrace. Dense foliage peppers the ground and ceiling, picking up the leftover rays of light spilling through from the canopy.


    Bustling sounds of ruffling foliage, tiny scritches, and the distant flap of small wings encompass the forest. A stark contrast to the near silence of the floor above. The sounds of life are accentuated by the soft tones of a singing voice. At least, that''s one way of describing the unholy abomination of police sirens and screeches of static emanating from the practicing dragon.


    What a nice place. And my voice practice is going really well too! Not held back by the limits of mortal vocal chords, Aleph tugs directly at her voice box, vibrating it in varying frequencies as she learns the excruciatingly difficult task of making a specific sound by waggling a flap of meat really fast. Granted, her volume is kept fairly low, but the unnatural synthesised tones and screeches are sufficient to scatter any unsuspecting wildlife unfortunate enough to lay an ear to the unholy abomination of audial torture.


    Bloop finds herself in the immensely awkward spot of sitting atop the direct source of the heathenistic sounds and also having no way to block the sound by virtue of spiders detecting sound through direct vibrations, rather than blockable ears. Truly a most unfortunate fate for the seething arachnid. Even binding the dragon''s snout shut only slightly muffled the sound, due to her being a freak of nature who can form any sound without moving her mouth.


    A squeal of euphoric relief is heard as the dragon finally ceases her daily tortu-practice session. Spotting some nice looking fruit on a tree above, she scrambles up the trunk, sinking her claws into the mossy bark as she hoists herself to the canopy. Climbing up to a thick branch, she walks along its length, pausing above a bundle of pink, coconut-shaped fruit.


    After awkwardly prying off the tightly woven muzzle, with no help offered by the irritated spider, Aleph uses her long tail to spear a fruit from above, pulling it up as milky-pink juices trickle off her tail. Slicing the fruit in half, she lets Bloop hop off to lay claim to her portion of the meal. Leaning down, Aleph gives her half a sniff. Smells nice... This might be my first decent meal in... my whole life? Yep, it counts, I can say that. She leans in, opens her mouth and... chomp!


    Sweet juices drench over her palette, soaking into her mouth as a flavourful ecstasy of soft, fibrous bliss absorbs into her taste-buds. Days of gooey toxic plants and literal rocks wash away as if but a dream, leaving only the tender bliss of fruity goodness in its wake.


    Through the eyes of a seething spider


    What is this dragon? Why is this dragon? Those are not the sounds a normal creature makes! Lyla stews, nibbling on her fruit as she tends to her throbbing headache. Clearly bad at math too... How am I supposed to eat this entire thing?! It''s bigger than me! I suppose its perspective might be skewed by the freaky dragon ability to just endlessly consume ten times their body weight, but still! Just cut off amounts proportional t-is it crying?


    Wait, is the fruit really that go-ooh, holy shit! I''ve been feeding this child on a diet of nothing but poison and rocks! No wonder it reacts so viscerally to a half decent tasting fruit! No wonder it''s such a freak! I''m a bad parent! Am I a parent? Whatever I am, I''m bad at it! I still haven''t even given it a name! Lyla skitters around in a mild panic as the dragon stands dazed, not even swallowing as it simply basks in the flavour dancing between its jaws, small tears of joy poking out the corners of its violet eyes.


    Okay, okay, think... I''ve been to this floor before, there''s some good stuff here. Birds are tasty right? Right! Let''s baptise this dragon with the glorious flavourful experience of a random bird! Lyla sets to work, bouncing between branches as she weaves a net of webs. The dragon is pulled from its stupor by the movement, reluctantly swallowing as it watches Lyla dart across the trees. Fuahaha! Observe my glorious web crafting skills! Truly I embody the very essence of what it means to be a spider with such talents. Now we need only wait an-oh that was quick! "Huu!" Huu?


    The web strains as a brown furred creature careens into it, flailing wildly with all four of its heavily built limbs and a thick prehensile tail. As it struggles and bites against the tough, sticky threads it becomes ever more entangled, howling in the panicked throes of a terrified beast. Strange bird... Didn''t know there were any monkeys here. Are they tasty?


    Lyla''s step is halted by an obsidian tail. Looking up she gazes quizzically at the dragon, who''s violet eyes peer analytically at the tangled primate, before meeting Lyla''s with a shake. No? Why? You happily munch on literal dirt, but monkeys are a no go? Well, whatever. Not like I know how to prepare monkey steak anyway. And it does look kinda pitiful, the way it''s looking all sulky and pouty... Okay it''s kinda cute. I just can''t eat that sad face. Let''s set it free...


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Skittering along the web, her heart pangs at the tremendously pitiful ''Don''t eat me!'' look the monkey gives her. I''m freeing you okay! Don''t make me feel guilty about this! It''s your fault for swinging into my trap in the first place! Lyla cuts at the binding threads, trying her best not to look at the tear filled eyes begging her for freedom. There, you''re free. Now go monkey some-place else. "Hoo''oo Ha!" "Yes yes, hoo to you too." Lyla chitters in response as the monkey swings itself away.


    Great... now I have to fix this web...


    Through the eyes of a satiated dragon


    That furry thing did look kinda tasty... but I draw the line at anything with an awakened soul. Also it was kinda cute. Aleph waves the furry creature goodbye with her tail as she watches Bloop rebuild her web with remarkable speed. She''s pretty good at this. Makes sense for a larger than average, Mana-attuned spider. Unless... am I actually a smaller than average dragon? I am like, one or two days old, and these trees are pretty big... huh.


    The pair wait on a nearby branch for prey to catch in the (probably) jumbo sized web. Aleph finishes off the remainder of the fruit, after Bloop nibbles her fill, savouring the blissful sensation of eating something better than rocks for lunch. Unlike their first catch, it takes a while for anything else to find its way into the webs. Eventually though, a large dark-grey bird with long strands of plumage, a sharp black beak, and thick, predatory talons plunges into the web in a failed attempt to slip through the unexpectedly sticky fibres.


    Shrill shrieks and squawks fill the forest, distant creatures scattering at the sudden sound, until Aleph silences the bird with a swift swipe of her bladed tail. This one looks tasty! The amount of Aether is decent too. Not as much as the rock lizard, but still pretty good! Bloop seems almost disappointed, not being allowed to show off her amazing skills in prey elimination as the bird quickly drains of life.


    Taking the lead, Bloop cuts the freshly acquired poultry free, letting it hang upside down to drain the blood. Hey wait, there''s good Aether in that blood... Aleph''s attempts to intervene are blocked by the chittering arachnid, seemingly insisting on handling it herself. Taking the hint, Aleph saunters away, finding a different part of the branch to watch the uncooperative spider from.


    No, come on! Don''t remove those... At least keep the head, that''s where the most Aether-oh it''s down there now... Ah! Not the skin too! Are you removing its organs? There''s going to be nothing left! You''re heading down now? Wait for me! Aleph slides down the tree after Bloop abseils the branch with their catch. Of course, she totally didn''t just take the opportunity to amble over and scarf down the discarded giblets and bits while nobody was looking.


    As Aleph reaches the forest floor she finds the tiny spider standing by a pile of sticks, using a makeshift bow drill on a dry log to start a fire. Okay, I knew she was smart but this feels like something else entirely. Is she actually from some hyper-advanced society of spiders or something? Ooh, maybe she''s some kind-of lost princess of the secret underground spider kingdom!


    Through the eyes of a possibly hyper-advanced spider princess


    Fuahahaa! Behold! Fire! Oh shit, should''ve cleared the brush first! Don''t wanna start a forest fire, especially underground. Wait, is it even safe to start a fire here at all? Well, there''s trees and I remember hearing something about good ventilation in this place once, so I''m sure it''s fine. Lyla skitters around her small fireplace, clearing away the loose shrubs and plants before constructing a large spit over the flames.


    Fuehehe, indeed, yes marvel at my amazing technological prowess! This is the power of having a bunch of friends who teach you random-ass, normally useless things out of nowhere! Why are you staring at me instead of the fire though? Oh well, I''m sure you''re just enamoured by my greatness. Lyla proudly puffs her tiny abdomen as she slowly spit roasts the prepped poultry over the course of two hours.


    While I''m making this I should see about giving this dragon a name! How about Garchomp? Because it chomps at anything remotely edible! Or Goku? After all, it does seem to like monkeys for some reason... decisions decisions...


    Through the eyes of a hungry dragon


    Smells soo niiiice... Aleph watches impatiently as Bloop attentively roasts the divine smelling bird. She manages to occupy herself with rolling around, scritching at the trees, and catching and eating any nosey intruders attracted by the smell. As the flames die down, Bloop removes the roast from the spit, carrying it over to a pre-prepared bed of leaves and beckoning Aleph over.


    Wait... You made this whole thing for me? Seeing the eager nods in response to Aleph''s ''Who me?'' gesture nearly brings a tear to the dragon''s eye. Dammit, you are the best spider ever! And I''ll hear nothing to the contrary! Aleph gives the chittering arachnid an affectionate boop of the snoot, before tearing off her first bite of the roast.


    <hr>


    "King! King!" "What is it, young forager?" "I''ve encountered the most remarkable thing! Strange beasts with bizarre powers!" "Calm yourself forager. Explain from the beginning." "Yes. Yes! I was caught in the forest. Trapped in a cluster of white vines. Yet the vines were sticky and lifeless, unlike those of the upper domains! A creature of white light, master of these vines, made me as its prey. But it was halted, its hunger stayed by a beast of black! They spared me! I believe them to be emissaries of the great shadow and the almighty light!" "A fascinating tale young one. Where be they now?" "They remain in the upper woods. Hunting greatwings and chaseclaws." "See to it they are observed. Perhaps these new beasts will prove worthy."

 Chapter 12: Chase

    This place is great! Perfect for my own little training arc. Aleph chews happily on a freshly roasted boar-cow thing, with Bloop already eagerly prepping their next catch. Food is abundant, and the Aether isn''t too shabby either. On average these things tend to have just less than the big rock lizard, and for some reason Bloop is having the time of her life cooking these. Loses a bunch of Aether in the process, but she''s happy, the food''s tasty, I''m happy.


    The pair have settled into a fine rhythm of catching, cooking, and eating anything that looks edible enough. A few more days of this would be enough to double her stock of Aether, assuming they don''t just clean the forest of wildlife before then. It really can''t be understated just how much Aether that vine blob had. Easily twenty times the rock lizard just in that one chunk. I''d go back for more if I had half a chance of not dying a death there. And I suppose killing off colossal mega-flora isn''t very good for the local ecosystem either...


    A small, fluffy blue bird gets itself caught in the webs. Bloop swiftly chomps at the neck to let it bleed out as Aleph helps string it up to bleed dry, totally not drinking the falling blood as she does.


    Through the eyes of a master spit-roaster


    Damn! This dragon eats a lot! No matter. Chef Lyla eagerly accepts this culinary challenge! I''ll feed this dragon my fine dining until it bursts! Look, it''s already getting a bit bigger! That''s not normal... is it? Lyla practices her culinary arts of spit roasting random forest creatures, experimenting with different local planty seasonings, fruity garnishings, and even decorative layouts. While waiting for food to roast, the pair even fashioned a rudimentary wooden plate from a dead branch to lay their meals on.


    The scent of cooked meat drifts through the forest, wafting through the trees and attracting critters and small predators to their camp. Most excessively curious critters are either scared off or eaten by the hungry dragon. Even a few more overly eager monkeys manage to tangle themselves in Lyla''s webs, much to her chagrin as she has to repair them every time she cuts one free.


    Eventually though, the scents begin attracting larger predators, tempted by the smell of cooking meat. For the most part they stay clear, wary of the unfamiliar obsidian beast guarding the camp, after all predators hunt prey, not other predators. Yet in spite of this, it is in a moment of inattentiveness where a large, spotted cat manages to sneak in, snatching their next meal from the spit and fleeting with haste.


    "Gah! Thief! Fiend! Poultry poacher! Give that back! Hey wait, don''t chase after it! Wait for me!"


    Through the eyes of a predatory dragon


    Fast! And so much Aether too! This thing must be pretty old, and thereby good at surviving and hard to catch. I can keep up for now, but this isn''t going to be an easy chase. Puffs of dust burst forth from behind her, twigs and branches shattering under the force of each heavy footfall. Bubbles of violet, Aether infused air dance around her scales as she tails the tantalising beast.


    Zig left, zag right, scramble up the tree, across the branches, and back down again. Aleph chases after her prey relentlessly, her eyes never leaving their mark as it tries desperately to shake her off. Trees blur by as her claws sink into the bark, leaving small bursts of splinters and moss in her wake as she leaps off towards her nimble prey.


    The creature slides beneath the belly of another animal, a large four-legged, fuzzy beast with floppy ears, flabby cheeks, and enough bulk to make a world class body builder cry in awe. Barely any Aether... Aleph thinks to herself as she soars over the uninteresting beast, leaving behind a confused "Arf?" in her wake. She almost snags her prey''s tail as she lands, startling it and sending it sprinting away at top speed.


    Shit! It''s getting away! But it can''t keep this up forever. Unlike me it must be consuming its Mana to stay at speed. I just need to outlast it! Aleph darts after it, putting everything into the task of staying in range. The final stretch begins to approach as laboured gasps escape the beast, its pace steadily slowing as Aleph catches up.


    Almost there, just a little- It leaps to the side, vanishing into the brush. Aleph halts, straining her ears for any sounds. Her breathing calms and her pulse slows as she puts her focus into detecting the elusive creature. I would hear if it ran away, and I doubt it would hide so close to me. So is it poising to attack me? I''ve backed it into a corner by wearing it out, so that would make sense if it''s desperate enough.


    A rustle in a nearby bush draws her attention, only for the clank of sharp claws against hard scales to resound behind her. She turns to swipe a claw at the attacker, but only meets air, her prey already returned to hiding in the brush. Damn! There''s too much ambient noise to react by sound, and it''s too fast to react by touch.


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    Another rustle, and another clank. Her tail swipes back, but the whip-like crack strikes nothing. If I take too long it''ll just recover and I''ll have to chase it again. I wonder... I don''t have much, but it could be enough if I just...


    Aleph flares her Aether, spreading it thin into a twenty metre bubble around her. The Aether wraps around the nearby surfaces, shaping and conforming around the natural Aether clinging to the terrain, warping to match their shape. Huh... This feels natural. Like I should''ve been doing this from the start. Have I done this in every one of my past lives? She feels the rustling of the nearby bushes, the gentle fall of leaves in the wind, and the faint shuffling of a nearby bird in its nest.


    Especially noticeable, is the heavy thrumming and laboured breaths of the lean beast hidden in the brush. The Aether resonates with its strong will, rippling through the bubble as it aims its next attack. Aleph remains still. Waiting. Listening. Feeling. Not letting the creature in on her ability to see it pounce. Rustle. Snap! Crack! Thud!


    Blood spurts from an open wound as its body slumps down, bereft of its head. Finally. That was a tricky one. Aleph leans down to claim her prize, chomping down every bone and strand of flesh, leaving nothing but a puddle of dry blood as she begins to digest her newly acquired Aether. Fuuuu, I could do with a well earned rest after that one. Should just about double my reserves. Now about getting back... Which way was camp?


    Through the eyes of a panicking spider


    Where''d you go?! How am I supposed to find you in this place?! It''s all trees in every direction! Lyla''s thoughts are cut off by the loud, distant screech of static and sirens. Why was I even worried... My dragon is a freak of nature. How could I not find it?


    Lyla follows the unnatural sounds, skittering across branches and hopping between trees as she zeroes in on the very non-normal-forest-creaturish sounds, eventually managing to reunite with her lost dragon. Her eyes are drawn to the blood stain on the floor, the only remains of the former thief. How am I supposed to cook for you if you just eat the thing before I get here? Gah you idiot. At least I don''t have to worry about losing you, with that unholy abomination of a voice you have. Lyla skitters up to her perch, giving the fool a slap on the eyebrows for running away. "No running! Fool!" She chitters.


    Lyla guides the dragon back from whence they came, leading them through the trees in a near straight line. On their way they pass by a large grey dog, built like a freight train, just sitting leisurely by a tree. "Bow." Did that thing just say ''bow''? Like actually say the word? "Bowow. Arf." The fuck? The dragon doesn''t even spare the ''talking'' dog a glance as they simply walk by it. We''re not hunting this one? You not hungry? Lyla peers at the dog, meeting its vacant, unthinking gaze. "Woof." Yea never-mind, I don''t blame you.


    Choosing to follow the dragon''s lead in not thinking about it, she points the way back from atop its head head, leading the pair back to camp where they find a scattered fireplace, a missing plate, and three separate animals in her web. Evidently a parrot-like bird got caught in the net, attracting a mossy-green wolf which also got stuck hunting it. And of course, another monkey trying desperately to shuffle away from the agitated wolf.


    Seriously? What''s with these monkeys? One idiot is enough for me thank-you very much! Lyla sets to cutting the foolish primate free, before chomping at the carotid of her other two victims and letting them bleed dry. Right, now we clean up and start cooking aga-hey! Don''t just sleep! You need to help me prepare this! Her plea falls on no ears, virtue of her not actually saying it aloud. Oh whatever. I''m kinda tired too. Let''s just call it a day. I can feed you to oblivion tomorrow.


    Lyla takes down her web to avoid any more idiot monkeys from getting trapped within, then scampers over to the dragon. Nestling comfortably on her perch she sighs, letting all the stresses of the day leave as her mind wanders into the realm of dreams.


    <hr>


    Light-footed Forest Lynx


    Appearance:


    In the f--e---- for-st-d caverns of the fifty-fourth layer of this labyrinth I have encountered a fas-inating cat-like creature. Its elusive behaviour and r--arkable agility has made it difficult for me to ascertain its appearance, though I have gleaned the presence of grey and brown fur, and a lean silhouette. It has the same yellow eyes as the rest of the creatures in this area, though their glow is notably dimmer than the others. I would love to stay a-- ---ture an- cap-ur- one of these elusive creatures, but - cannot linger here forever.


    Behaviour:


    These cats behave much like -he Cr-m--- Crimson Bellied Lynxes of Silva Magna Terroris. They are extremely elu-ive yet curious, only ever poking out from a distance to gauge my reaction. Given their figure, I doubt they''re all that strong, so they likely rely on their agility to scavenge and evade larger ---dators.


    Addendum:


    S--e -- -y n--es -----r -o b- ---rad-ng as - d---e--. -- earlier n--e- ---m to -- f-ne, so --ate-er is ------- --is on-y s--m- t- ----ct the Ma-- in m- -nk, pr---nti-- it -ro- sett-i-g ----erly. Gi--n -ow the cre---res -n th--e ----er -loo-s -e-- l-ss o- --na, --d more -n -aw st-en-t-- - ---iev- -his -o -- caus-d -y the ----ump---e p--pert-es of -em--i- --e-gy. I -ill --rrec- wh-t I --n, but g--e- the ---w--g d-gr--ation -o m- --- - d--bt it -i-- -elp --ch. I''-- ha-e -o u-e m- --turn ---en t- w--- t---e -o th- -urf-c- so - -an ---ve-t --rt-er dam--e. I -ill -e re---tin- t-is m---ag- -n m--tip-e p--es, i- ---es of -om- -tay--g i- tact.


    - Excerpt from sect--- -- --apter 16 of the Lost Hero''s Journal

 Chapter 13: First words

    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I try to open my eyes. I cannot. I don''t have any. <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">Yet I can still see. All around me is a seemingly endless river. This has happened before... How many times has it been? It doesn''t matter. I look around myself. Souls fill my view, reaching beyond every horizon. Some stream into tunnels, each leading to a different world. A few have their own colours. But as they bump and rub against the others they fade, becoming the same pale blue they all eventually match.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">Will that happen to me? I am already the same colour, but I have forgotten much. Will I forget more? I should hurry. Find a vessel, something, anything, I-


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I open my eyes. The world is dark. Blurry. I see shapes move. But I cannot tell what they are. Perhaps sight is the wrong sense to use? I listen. I have no ears. I smell. I have no nose. I feel. I feel everything. But it doesn''t parse. Too much information. And no instincts to manage it. I could attune. Sense with a pure energy.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I''m no demon, nor an angel. Should I use Mana? No... icky... Then Aether. There is too little in the air. But the ground below me is abundant. Is it alive? No matter. I can use this. I attune. It takes time, but I succeed. Aether sense is difficult, especially with so little. But I must try.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I can see. It feels so... natural. I''ve done this before. It is... easier than I thought. It is blurry, but I can see. Barely. I am, strange... Amorphous? No... I am like a liquid, yet I am not. My body has countless tiny legs. I cannot see them, but I feel them. I am... slow. So slow. I move. I try t-


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">It hurts. I''ve been attacked. I can''t see from where. I''m dying. I-


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I try to open my eyes. I cannot. I don''t have any. Yet I can still see. All around me is a seemingly endless river. I''m here again. I feel like it was too quick this time. But I cannot remember. What was I before?


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I search for a new vessel. A new life. Perhaps I was hasty before. Here I will take my time. I know not which direction I am heading. But I know it''s the right way. I find a world. So many promising vessels here. They feel... strong. Full of vitality. I enter one.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I open my eyes. It is dark. But I can see. I look at myself. At my four legs. My three tails. My pink skin. Those around me have long, grey fur. Will mine grow in? I stand. Yet I am captured. Am I... being licked? Is this normal? I am carried, fed, raised. My fur grows in. My family teaches me to hunt. I learn quickly. And I begin to teach them in return.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I attune. Mana is... icky. So I attune to Aether. It feels better that way. More right. But there is so little... Almost none in the air, even in the creatures. I must hunt more. Gather more Aether. As much as I can. I hunt. I grow. My family help me. They find me strange. My fast growth, my unusual behavior. Yet they love me still, and I love them back. I grow stronger. Acquire more Aether.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I remember. The life I lived before. I was... too patient. I took too long. I failed. I mustn''t let myself fail again.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I lead our hunts. Teach my family my methods. We''re more efficient this way. We can hunt bigger game. Older, stronger, with more Aether to harvest. We fight. We grow. I become strong. But I must grow stronger. Much, much stronger. Even if I hunt all the prey in these land it won''t be enough. I leave for more bountiful lands. My family follows. I wish them to remain where it''s safe, yet equally I need the help. I travel. I search. There are no...


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">So big... Powerful. So much Aether. A beast of scales and fangs, clad in flames. I stand no chance, yet... Even a scale, a single strand of flesh would be so much. I go towards it. If I''m careful. If I sneak in and leave before it-


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">It hurts... so much. Am I dying? Again? It didn''t even see me... I was hit... by a stray rock. My legs? Why are they over there. Ah, no. Don''t cry for me... Don''t mourn... I''ll live... I''ll come back... I''ll save-


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I try to open my eyes. I cannot. Yet I can still see. All around me is a seemingly endless river. I am... frustrated. Why? It doesn''t matter. Perhaps last time I was unlucky. This time I will pick some-place safe.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I open my eyes. I-


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I try to open my eyes. I cannot. Yet I... I''m back already? What happened? Did I die? No... It doesn''t matter. I will find a new body.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I open my eyes. I grow. I die.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I try to open my eyes. I find a new body.


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    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">I wake up. <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">New body... I<em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"> die.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"> <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">New life. <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">Grow strong. Hunt. Die. Reborn. Wake up. Eaten. Die.


    <em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", open-sans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">Born. Die. Stabbed. Killed. Die. Live. Die. Eat. Eaten. Die. Die. Again. Die. My mission... Die! Live! Die! Strong! Die! I must! Die! Die! Die! Go on! Grow! Die! Eaten! Stabbed! Crushed! Starved! Die die die! I MUST GO ON!


    <hr>


    I open my eyes.


    Aleph jolts awake. Tears trace rivers down from her eyes, refracting the violet light of the Aether infused air dancing around her. Ragged breaths escape her trembling form as her gaze darts around, desperately trying to distinguish between dream and reality. A soft glow catches her eyes. The worried gaze of a caring spider steadily soothing her rapidly beating heart.


    She lays down, letting her companion approach. Her breathing slows and her tears lessen. The tiny spider gently rubs circles on the dragon''s snout, letting her soft, furry pedipalps soak up the tears streaming down her cheek. Aether calms its turbulent flow as she leans forward, nuzzling her tiny companion. Soft whispers in an unfamiliar language soothe her racing mind.


    Through the eyes of a worried companion


    "That''s it. Breathe... Just breathe." What else does one say in these situations? "There there?" Lyla calmly comforts the obsidian dragon, pacifying its heavy breathing into a soft, rhythmic flow of air. Whispering every word of consolidation she can think of in the most calm sounding language she knows.


    Guess dragons have nightmares too, huh... They rest there for a short while, the lively bustling of the surrounding forest taking a back seat as they simply focus on each other''s presence.


    The dragon''s violet eyes open, nuzzling its snout into Lyla as it stands. Hey, hey! That tickles-eww, did you just lick me? Is that normal? Agh, fine, fine I''ll get on my perch, just stop nudging me! Lyla nestles between the dragon''s horns, continuing to provide soft rubs and pats. I swear this dragon is getting bigger... Just yesterday I could fit perfectly between these horns and now I have legroom. Growth spurt? At seventeen days old?


    Through the eyes of a placated dragon


    Best. Spider. Ever. I really need to find a way to say thank-you. In fact... I''m pretty sure I could talk now if I wanted. I doubt I know any languages from this world, but I could always just imitate the words she''s used. What is that thing she always calls me? Let me just...


    "Chit, chi-chit."


    Through the eyes of a confused spider


    Did this dragon just call me a ''fucking idiot''? "Fucking idiot." There! It just did it again! And in my voice too! Is it imitating me? Hoooly shit I just taught a child a swear as their first word didn''t I? "Fu-" Gaah no! Stop! Don''t say that anymore! You''ll increase the age rating! Lyla waves her front legs frantically from atop the dragon''s head. Okay, okay. I need to teach this dragon something less offensive to say. How about my name?


    Lyla hops off her perch and begins weaving strands of thread into several parallel lines between her pedipalps, forming a tightly-knit handheld harp. Whose idea was it to give me a name I can''t even pronounce by the way? She blows into the harp, instilling Mana into the threads to form different sounds as she warms up her voice. Man... I''m more out of practice than I thought.


    The sounds take shape, becoming vocal tones similar to her natural squeaks, yet distinctly more malleable. "Leeeeerah!" Nope, not quite. "Riiiiiylar!" Not that either. "Lyra!" Almost! Hate when people call me that though... "Lyla! Lyla!" Hah! Perfect! Knew I had it in me. Lyla points to herself with her front leg. "Lyla!" Fuahaha! Behold the time old ''point at self and say name'' technique! Only a fool would misunderstand!


    "Lyla?" The dragon repeats. Huh, wow, quick learner aren''t you? And in my voice again... Lyla nods gleefully. "Aleph Null." Huh? The dragon points to itself with its tail, for a moment surprising the tiny spider. "Aleph." You have a name already?! I was going to give you one! Guess I took too long...


    "Lyly?" Huh? Not quite. "No, Lyla." "Lyla. Lyly." The dragon points at Lyla while listing off both names. Wait... is that? All eight of Lyla''s eyes glimmer gleefully like a child with a new best friend. A nickname?! Does this mean we''re friends? I think it does! Ooh! I need a cute nickname for this drago-Aleph... Null? Hm, wonder what it means. Unless it''s just a nonsense word, or the meaning is lost to etymology.


    Either way. Nickname. Could go for Ali? Keep it simple. But I''d rather something more... unique. Fancy. Grand. Something to truly represent this new bond. The dragon lifts Lyla back onto her perch, and sets off into the forest. I guess we''re looking for a way down now? Sure. We''ve been here a fair while as is and there''s nothing dangerous blocking us. And besides... I don''t feel like complaining after all that. Speaking of which... I now have a theory!


    Lyla rubs her pedipalps together like a mad scientist as she contemplates her genius idea. It all makes sense now! The strange behaviour? The unusual habits? The weird fixation on getting stronger, and the abnormal level of intelligence for a literal infant? The fact it already has a name? And most of all, the traumatised nightmares! There''s only one thing this could be! Yes! Indeed! My dragon... is a time traveller! Fuehehehe!


    The forest grows more dense, lime moss beginning to cover every patch of bark, filling the world in with green. Yes, it all makes so much sense! Clearly this dragon comes from far in the future, where some form of calamitous event has occurred, necessitating a regression to fix past mistakes and set the world on the right path. Perhaps another war of the gods? I missed the last one by a couple hundred years, so that would be exciting! Ooh, or even a second calamity? Oh the possibilities are just so tantalising! Lyla gushes over her theory like an overeager fangirl, swaying eagerly atop her perch.


    Were we friends in the previous timeline? Or maybe I was its mother figure? No, wait, that just feels weird. Especially given my nature... Ah, but then why would it make out to eat me in our first encounter? Memory issues? Maybe it takes time to remember everything from the future? Or maybe we were actually mortal enemies in our past lives! Enemies turned friends, how exciting! I''m liking this story already!


    The solid ground ahead gives way to a large, vertical tunnel leading deep below them. The dragon glances up at the giggling arachnid poised on its head, shooting a confused look before sliding down the hole.


    So it must''ve been a seriously strong dragon to do something as crazy as reversing time. Unless it got sponsored by some super wacko time god? Ooh, that would explain the weird lack of Mana! It''s not that it actually lacks Mana, but rather the time god has given it super Mana masking abilities so it doesn''t attract attention from the evil future villains who would eliminate their potential nemesis! Could also be sponsored by an eldritch freak... I really hope it''s not that...


    Lyla''s thoughts drift into an endless stream of ideas and conspiracies as the mossy tunnel gives way to jungle. Dark green vines and speckles of vibrantly coloured plant-life pepper their view, marking their entry to the next layer.

 Chapter 14: Crouching dragon, hidden tiger

    "Tree!" "Tree!" "Bird!" "Bird!" "Moss!" "Moss!" The pair saunter their way through the dense foliage of a thick jungle. Aleph''s scaly paws brush through the thick grass and tall ferns, with Lyly whistling into her threads as the dragon repeats, steadily learning a new language. The trees, though thinner than those above, are far more numerous with red bark accentuated by thick green vines and coated in layers of lime moss. The canopy bustles with life, small birds shoot between branches, and nimble critters bounce across trees. Sounds of singing birds and skittering rodents fill the air, accentuated by the occasional "Monkey!" "Monkey!" "Huu!" "Huu!" "Don''t repeat the monkey!"


    The sight of the monkeys appears more common on this layer, though whether that is because they live nearby or because they are blatantly observing the pair from a pitiful attempt at distance is unclear. Scales brush against leaves, claws dig into soil, and dragon mimics spider as the pair push their way through the jungle. Where a human would need to cut their way through the unruly terrain, Aleph simply powers through, using her weight to just shove away any obstructing plants. The occasional tough customer is still dealt with via a quick swipe of her bladed tail.


    Sounds of life surround them as they traverse the thick terrain, crossing small rivers, spotting large animals in the distance, and passing by the occasional particularly large tree.


    As they cut through a particularly rough patch of weird fungus-like bushes, the jungle trembles, cutting their gait short. The distant flap of countless wings resounds across the trees, warning cries and screeches of prey animals signalling the presence of an approaching predator. The pair pause their language lesson, Aleph flares her Aether, and... nothing.


    The jungle becomes lifeless. Their observers gone, the birds silent, and the ambient scritches and skitters absent. They listen, watch, feel. Nothing. No movement, no sounds, still nothing. We''re being hunted. Aleph warps her Aether bubble, expanding it from a thirty metre sphere to a sixty metre cone and sweeping it around herself. Where? It''s nearby. I can feel the will of something pressing against my Aether, but... Where is it? Aleph lays low, waiting for any signs of movement.


    Lyly glances around frantically from her perch, able to at least tell something is very wrong. Maybe it''s not hunting us? Aleph takes a cautious, hopeful step forward, yet it is in this moment of inattentiveness, of slight distraction, where the silence is shattered with a crunch!


    Pain soaks through her neck, blood dripping from her cracked scales as teeth bore into her and claws sink into her back from above, barely unable to make it through her hide and to her spine. Aleph leaps to the side, spinning herself to slam her assailant into the ground below. A deep, guttural roar is heard as teeth and claws are torn away from their grip, leaving behind harsh gashes and painting the ground below in crimson. Aleph takes her restored freedom and hops back, claiming distance from their attacker.


    Before them stands a beast. An apex predator optimised by evolution for the sole purpose of hunting prey. Tremendous muscles ripple through the thick leathery hide of its limbs, condensing into pillars of force, adorned with sharpened quartz blades. Ragged stripes of scarlet and grey tatter across the scar ridden body of the beast, each old wound highlighting a battle hard fought, and won. A thick tail dances behind, poising and coiling like a snake eying its next meal.


    Hungry fangs bare behind the silk wrapped maw, straining against the threads. "Chit-chi cheet!" The tiny spider chitters proudly atop the dragon''s head. I think I''m starting to figure out what that one ''chit'' means... A single claw is raised to its bound jaws, pulling at the offending threads. Failing to sever the threads it simply tears them off, skin and fur with it, now baring its unbound fangs, dripping with ravenous hunger and eliciting a shocked squeak from above. Ochre eyes glare with predatory focus. No anger. No hate. A gaze capable of perceiving only one thing. Prey.


    Two apex predators stand off, Aura cascading forth in a hostile dance of strength. Lyly waggles her front legs, confident her next special attack will do the trick. Aleph pushes Aether to her wounds, pulling them shut to stem the bleeding. The beast growls, a deep, undulating sound, causing even the surrounding leaves to tremble in tune. Aleph responds in kind with her own... squawk? Hiss? What even... Lyly gives the freak a couple slaps, a clear signal to just shut up.


    The pair don''t let their antics distract them, as violet and cyan glares continue to match their ochre adversary. Bang! Whoosh! Clank! The beast pounces and Aleph flares her wings. Claws clash as the two predators lock together, wrestling against one-another''s strength. Lyly hops to the beast''s back, spinning a coil of thread, only to be slapped aside by the thick tail with a squeak. She''ll be fine...


    Through the eyes of a tumbling spider


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Gah! My ingenious plan thwarted! Guess I wasn''t as beneath its notice as I thought. Or perhaps... it even views me as the greater threat? Fuehehe, clever beast. Lyla''s tumble comes to an end, allowing her to skitter back into the fray. Bubbles of violet dance around the dragon''s limbs as they press against the water coated paws of the tiger. Hah! Water vs water! Show ''em what your made of my dragon! Those purple things are just weird Mana water right?


    Fangs dig into scales and fur, claws grind against claws. A bladed tail swipes at the tiger''s side and whips of water cut into the dragon. The moment one blade obscures the tiger''s eyes, Lyla jumps in, planting a thread on its skull and binding it to the ground. The dragon, seeing this, falls back letting the tiger slam head first into the ground as it tries to leap after. Not letting go of this chance, Lyla swiftly wraps its feet together. "Hah! Try tearing out of that one bastard!" Chomp!


    The tiger tears its face free and bites down on the spider before it, almost swallowing her whole. "Uaaaah! Lemme go! Lemme go! It''s gross, and sticky, and dark!" Teeth grind against chitin, finding no purchase in the Impossibly hard armour. The cracks of whips, splashes of water, and clanks of claws resound around her as she impotently flails her limbs hanging out the sticky prison. "What''s going on?! Are we winning?"


    Thunk! Lyla is spat out, bouncing across the soft floor as she regains her sense of balance. Glancing at the fight she sees the unbound leg, torn free from her threads, though left bleeding and trembling with small chunks pulled out. Blades of water shoot out at the pair as the tiger retreats into the brush. "Ah! No, it''s getting away! Or is that a good thing? I don''t really wanna fight it..." Lyla hops atop her perch as the dragon tracks the hidden beast.


    Where did it go? Rustle. The dragon turns. Shuffle. The dragon shifts. Nothing. The dragon turns again. The tiger stands from the brush, exactly where the dragon had been watching, clearly deciding that attempting to hide was now failing it. "You can track it? Go bubble magic I guess?" The dragon makes to pounce, but instead leaps to the side, dodging the incoming spear of water. More droplets coalesce above the tiger, melding and forming an array of spears which shoot out, boring through scales as they graze the dragon.


    "Ranged attacks! Use bubblebeam! You can do that right?" The dragon refuses. Or rather just doesn''t understand a word she chittered, but all the same really. Does this dragon have no ranged attacks at all? You''re clearly some kind-of bubble dragon, so use your bubble breath or whatever! Every dragon needs a breath attack!


    The dragon crouches, breathes in deep... and tosses Lyla into the air. "Huh?" With a slap of its tail, Lyla is sent careening straight to the tiger''s face. "HUH?!" With some quick, mid-air thinking, she pulls out a spindle of thread and smacks it on the stunned beast''s face bouncing across its back and wrapping the other end around its tail. The tiger''s head is pulled back by its own flailing, and a few resounding stomps later... Swish!


    The beast keeps going, managing to sink its teeth into the dragon''s leg, even as blood pours out from its neck. One more slam is all it takes to finish the job, rendering the predator unconscious and bleeding out.


    "We won!" Lyla celebrates. "We won!" The dragon repeats. "Now never do that again!" Lyla slaps her pedipalps on the dragon''s eyes, somehow managing to pout without cheeks. "Never... again? Ow..." "Yes! No throwing the spider!"


    Through the eyes of a sorry dragon


    Ow! What happened to just hitting my snout when you''re mad? Why do you have to keep going straight for the eyes? Aleph winces at the occipital assault as she spreads Aether to close her wounds. I thought it was a really good idea too! Not like it would''ve hurt you...


    Approaching their spoils, Aleph leans in for a bite. Not actually worth the Aether it has. More than the rock lizard at least, but this was way harder to- Ow! Another slap halts her approach as she glares up at Lyly, holding another voice harp. What is it this time? "No-whistle-cook-whistle click" Aleph rolls her eyes, pointing up at the dense forest around them. "Fire, forest" Lyly tilts, letting out a few confused chits. "Fire... forest? Forest-fire?" Lyly''s eyes widen (somehow), realising the issue with starting a fire within such a dense jungle.


    With a disappointed sigh Lyly hops off, claiming a paw for herself as Aleph begins wolfing down the rest. Why does she always go for the feet when it''s raw? She eats the good parts when cooked, though I suppose raw meat doesn''t exactly have any good parts... Maybe that''s the point?


    Finishing their meal, Aleph sits down, with Lyly claiming her spot between her horns. I should have enough Aether to start making some basic modifications to my body by now. First on the list should be healing and defence. If I alter my body structure a bit I should be able to better distribute Aether throughout and hold better control over it. Can''t do anything fancy like manipulate DNA... yet. But it''s a start. Shouldn''t spook Lyly either this time since she can''t sense Aether. I think...


    Plan settled Aleph finds a comfortable nook beneath a large tree and lays down. Lyly nestles into her perch, falling asleep as Aleph begins to meditate.


    <hr>


    "King! King!" "What is it, young scout?" "The hidden beast has done battle with the emissary and the bright one!" "Hoh? That elusive beast made a challenge? And here I thought it a coward by now. Who won this exchange? How did it transpire?" "The emissary matched the beast blow for blow, their strength equal! Even the beast''s great fangs of water could not stay the emissary''s purple claws! Their even exchange was tipped however, by the bright one''s tricky use of those sticky vines! The beast was slain by the fell swipe of a clawed tail while its neck was held open!" "How remarkable! Do they approach?" "No, they remain resting within the middle domain." "A shame. Even so, I shall eagerly await our inevitable encounter. "

 Chapter 15: Slim pickings

    Through the eyes of a baffled spider


    Okay this isn''t normal... You don''t just near double in size overnight! Lyla watches dumbfounded as the dragon struggles to squeeze out from the nook they slept in. Can I even help? I don''t think I could even drag it anymore if I needed to... Bark splinters and cracks as the dragon pushes through. With a hard stomp the wood gives way, shattering as the dragon stumbles forward. Where an ordinary tree would fall, bereft of solid footing, this one stands strong. The missing foundations made up for by its upper roots, it only leaves a slight creaking sound. It won''t fall. Probably.


    Shaking off the dust and splinters, the dragon steps forward, meeting Lyla''s eyes. "Fight!" Huh? "Fight?" "Yes, fight!" "No! I''m not food! Um... Lyla no food!" The dragon shakes its head. "No food. Fight!" "You mean spar?" "Spar? Yes, spar!" Is this my dragon''s training arc or something? Why me though? ''Cause I''m such an amazing language teacher? Wait... Doesn''t that make me the cool sentei... tensei? What was that word again? Either way it means I''m cool right? Taking her giggling as a confirmation, the dragon hops back, taking a stance.


    "Wait! No, not yet. Later. Food first." The dragon slumps to the ground with a frustrated thud of its tail. Oh don''t pout with me. I don''t have crazy weird dragon stamina like you, so I need to actually eat at regular intervals. Lyla hops atop her pouting perch. "Onward! To food!" Amazing how fast it learns. Only started teaching yesterday and already we''re holding rudimentary conversations! Must be my amazing teaching skills! By the end of this eightday I expect it''ll be able to sing! Wait... is it rude to say ''it''? Does it... Do they even have a concept of gendered pronouns in their native language? Hm...


    Through the eyes of a pouting dragon


    We could at least have a little spar... I really wanted to practice some techniques... And here I thought I was the overeater. And did Lyly get smaller? Must be seeing things. Language is easy enough though. It''s actually quite similar to a few I know. Maybe I''ve been to this world before? Hard to say. I don''t recognise this cave at least. Forgot this was a cave actually, with all the trees around us. Hm, I wonder if there''s anything good above the canopy. Aleph latches to a large tree, the bark straining against her weight as she claws her way up.


    My upgrades have gone really well for what I have available. Can''t change my DNA, so everything is still very hands on, and falling unconscious could actually prevent me from healing properly. But I''m sure that Occam''s gun... no, Checkov''s razor? I feel like I''m really disappointing someone right now... Oh well, with three layers of scales, extra-condensed muscles, and an actual Aether channelling system I''m sure that''ll never happen anyway.


    Tiny bubbles of Aether dance around her limbs, her claws glowing violet as she sinks them into the bark and weaves through the canopy. Layers and layers of greenery pass by as she scrambles upward. Halfway through she pauses, her attention caught by the golden glow of a small orb floating within a gap between the trees. These must be where those lights come from. I can feel Aether in it, but... It barely responds to my will. It must already be infused. Someone made these and put them all here... My money''s on shadow guy. If I had money...


    Aleph crawls her way across the branches, approaching the orb. The trees being thinner than those of the forest above, and Aleph being bigger, makes the task increasingly difficult as she clings to the drooping twigs. Making her way to hang from the branches above the orb, she pokes an exploratory tail towards it. Sizzle. "Ow!" She winces, now bereft an inch of tail and glaring daggers at the rude burn ball.


    Lyly, being the perfectly sensible and reasonable spider she is, decides to hop from her perch and directly onto the sizzling death sphere, where she snuggles into its warm embrace. Show-off... Being such a kind and sympathetic arachnid, Lyly waves the dragon down with an evil, spidery grin, offering to join her where the temperature is ''just right''. Being a several lifetime old, mature adult, Aleph promptly flicks the devilish fuzzball from her comfy sauna, losing another inch from the totally not petty response. "Wehehehe."


    With a couple chittery obscenities added to Aleph''s vocabulary, the pair once again resume their upward scramble. Reaching the top of the canopy, they meet the gaze of a dozen of their wide-eyed, furry observers clinging to the trunks and upper roots, who immediately begin panicking upon being spotted. Aleph and Lyly watch dumbfounded as they bicker and yell, probably blaming each other for being spotted.


    "Huu!" "Hu''haa?" "Heheehee!" "Wuhu!" They howl.


    "Hoo?" Aleph replies.


    """Hoh!""" They all yell in unison, momentarily stunned by the unexpected interlude, before darting off into the canopy below.


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    Those things are kinda fun. And feel a little nostalgic. Wonder why... Looking around, the pair take in the sight of the now inverted forest. Trees burrow their roots into the ceiling above, surrounded by hanging vines and foliage-like plants. Clumps of moss dangle from the stone between the plants, soaking the ceiling in green. Ivory clings to the trunks, spiralling down and joining the thick canopy.


    Aleph hops between the densely packed trunks, searching for anything edible. Claws scrape against bark and dig into hollows. She flares her Aether, focuses her hearing, and even tries sniffing for scents to no avail. Finding nothing in the upper canopy, they return to the jungle below where they can walk. What''s going on? We were finding so much stuff until today! Reaching the ground, they chase after critters and stalk after larger prey.


    Yet all large animals flee the moment they step within hearing, and all small critters prove too agile and wary to catch. Eventually just settling with a bundle of fruit, the pair decide to take a break. Lyly sets up another web, hoping their luck will change after a short wait. For several hours the pair occupy themselves with language lessons and playing small games. Aleph uses her tail, already having healed, to chase the tiny spider around as Lyly tries to trick the dragon into flicking herself with said tail. Occasionally successfully.


    Nothing catches in the net, even the monkeys, despite one falling from the trees above and planting its face in the ground directly next to the web, then immediately scurrying away in what must have been a mix of shock and embarrassment. "No food..." Aleph astutely points out after hours of waiting.


    Through the eyes of a hungry spider


    You know... I might be getting an idea about why we''re catching no food. Not to point out the three metre tall dragon in the room... But it might be the three metre tall dragon in the room! "You''re too big!" "I''m perfect." Well they do say confidence is key. But not this time! Okay, think. What can we do here?


    Lyla lays down to ponder, ignoring the playful scritches of the dragon''s tail on her head. We could split up? Everything here seems to be afraid of the dragon, who still needs a nickname... It''s as if they''ve taken the place of that tiger from yesterday, and for some reason they tend to think I''m prey. They''re wrong, but it works for me since the food just comes straight to me. What else? I could set up more webs in a larger area? More maintenance, but I don''t really need a ton of food so I can take them down pretty quickly after. I could also just hide the dragon... Worth a try.


    Lyla''s mind wanders, searching for any potential solution to her conundrum. I could just do all three and hope one works. Actually yea! Let''s do that! I''ll make more webs, hide the dragon, then leave them to deal with any food we catch while I go hunt! I''m such a genius! Lyla puffs her abdomen, standing up and preparing a thread. Thwang! Squawk! Oh fuck off. Actually, don''t! I''m starving!


    Lyla skitters over to her catch, another of the grey eagles they first caught, squawking and flailing just as much as the last. Swiftly killing and unbinding it, she carves out a chunk and sets to feverously nibbling away. Finally! Meat! I know it hasn''t been that long since the tiger, but still. I was getting worried there! After my last attempt at a vegan diet... Yea, let''s just not go there.


    Finishing her meal, Lyla looks up to meet the eyes of an eager dragon, having already finished their portion, tail wagging behind like an excited puppy. "No sparring yet. I just ate!" "Boooo! Fuck! Nugget?" The dragon pouts, lightly slamming their tail behind them. Who taught you those words?! Oh right... me. Well, time to do the responsible thing and not bother correcting anything. This surely won''t turn out poorly.


    Why the fixation on a spar anyway? Do you really need to get stronger that badly? I mean... it''s already been established that neither of us can actually hurt each other... So we wouldn''t need to hold back at all... Hm, this could actually be kinda fun! Now I''m getting excited!


    <hr>


    Long ago, in the time before the gods waged war, there was a tribe of beasts who ruled the great plateaus of Aoleu''lothas. The golden fur of their greatest warriors was said to outshine that of the suns, and their tremendous skill in combat fuelled their renown. Even the ancients themselves are known to revere the strength they once possessed. However with their great strength, bore the ire of their contemporaries.


    Empires ruled by greedy kings sought the source of their strength for themselves, believing it to be sourced as a boon from the land itself. Yet no single empire had the strength to best them. No army could match their might. No soldier could match their warriors. Consumed by avarice, the surrounding empires united, yet even their combined strength faltered against the beast tribe''s might. Decades wore on to centuries as kingdom after kingdom waged battle against the tribe.


    Weary of this constant war, the king of the beasts stood tall and declared to his gods, "Hear me! My people suffer under the tyranny of our neighbours! Grant them a safe asylum and I shall repay with everything I have!" What he had to offer the gods is still unknown to this day. But his words, they did acknowledge. The plateaus were pulled into the earth, leaving them half the height they once stood with their signature cratered surface.


    The beast kingdom was never heard from again. Were they saved? Were they destroyed? We cannot know. But it is said, that if one were to reach the deepest depths of the Great Labyrinth, they would encounter a great village of beasts who would teach worthy explorers the secret to their strength.


    - Adaptation of an old children''s tale translated into modern Englin from ancient Aoan.

 Chapter 16: Training arc

    "Ready?" "Ready!" "Set?" "Set!" "Fight!"


    The match begins with a bang and a stomp as the dragon shoots towards her glowing friend. Scales brush against foliage and claws sink into roots as she rapidly approaches the spider. Opening her jaws wide, Aleph seeks to clamp down on the unmoving spider, rendering her immobile and thus sealing the victory in their sparring match. However, Lyly has other plans, jumping just moments before they intersect and hooking threads around her horns.


    Aleph bucks her head, wildly flailing in an attempt to throw the spider off. Yet each motion only serves to provide her extra momentum as Lyly spins around, muzzling her snout. Aleph leaps, nearly reaching the canopy. As the spider reaches the apex of her ascent, Aleph latches her tail onto a tree and flings herself downward, digging her claws into the trunk as the spider crashes into the ground. "Fuehehehe!" The spider snickers, having successfully wrapped a full muzzle around Aleph''s snout, horns, and neck rendering it all but impossible to remove without slicing and thus cutting off one avenue for victory.


    Leaping down, Aleph spins, building up momentum to slam her tail into the ground. Dirt and debris scatter into the air, yet the spider is nowhere to be seen. Flaring her Aether, Aleph spots the sneaky critter sneaking behind a tree, climbing up to attack from above. Feigning ignorance, Aleph continues looking around to ''search'' for the missing critter.


    Poised to attack, Lyly hops down, spinning a thread to begin wrapping around the dragon''s body. As soon as she''s in range, flick! Squeak! Plonk! Swiping her into a tree with her tail, Aleph moves in for the capture, only for the spider to yank herself up by a thread she stuck at the top. Time for me to start using some actual techniques.


    Aether soaks into her limbs, violet bubbles forming a vortex around her as she condenses all her force into one leap. The air cracks, the sound startling all wildlife within range, causing a cacophony of distant squawks and squeals. Aleph launches into the air after Lyly, leaving behind an explosion of dust and splinters. Reaching the canopy, she swipes at the branch holding Lyly''s thread, a strong force pulling the shattering bark into her claws as she tears through, leaving the branch to fall atop the spider.


    Lyly skitters around the falling branch with deft agility, hopping into the brush with a flaunting wink and the closest thing a spider can do to a peace sign, then proceeding to sprint around the area haphazardly. Cheeky little... Deciding to take this personally, because it kind-of is, Aleph flares her Aura to its limit, coating the jungle in violet as she lands. Lyly responds in kind, splitting the world between violet and cyan as their Auras bare against each other.


    Aether soaks across the ground, into the trees, and throughout the air. A tempest of violet swirls around Aleph as she grasps hold of her surroundings, pulling them in. She leaps, poised to land atop Lyly, yet before the critter can hop out of the way, the world is yanked. Plants uproot, tree-trunks warp, and a tiny white spider is pulled into the air, all falling towards the black and violet dragon who in turn is pulled down at tremendous speed. Thooom!


    The ground shakes, crevasses forming around the crater surrounding the dragon. Hah! Picked that one up from our old pal the rock lizard! Lyly is barely able to escape being completely submerged in dragon by tugging on a few emergency threads she''d scattered around, leaving her half poking out from beneath the belly. Prying herself free, she skitters back to the brush, continuing her manic sprinting.


    It''s about time to end this. Though lacking the words to express this, the look in her eyes speaks a thousand words as Lyly... completely fails to understand why the dragon is giving her a weird squint. Aleph stomps, readying for a charge as Lyly meets her gaze, now standing her ground. Seems she completely understood my intent. Let''s see what tricks she''s been cooking up. Best hope it can make it through my next technique.


    Aleph bounds forth, Lyly hopping back with a single thread in her grasp. Both wear a wide, victorious grin, or at least whatever passes for a grin within the repertoire of facial expressions held by dragons and spiders. Aether swirls through limbs and Mana surges through thread. A wide net surfaces from the foliage around the crater, winding tight and pulling around Aleph. Her body tightly bound, she tumbles and slides towards the confident spider. I win! Aether bursts forth, hammering against the Mana within the threads muzzling her and pushing it away, rendering them mundane. Lyly stays put as Aleph slides towards her, already certain in her victory.


    Rip! Chomp! Squee! Spit! Thonk!


    Aleph stands victoriously over the spit-soaked spider, draped in torn threads and her tail wagging a storm. "I win! I win!" She celebrates.


    Through the eyes of a sore loser


    "Gah! I would''ve won if I had access to my true power!" Lyla complains. "True power?" The dragon tilts their head quizzically. "File that one away under the list of words you don''t have the words to explain with." "..." "I''ll tell you later." "Okay!" Dammit! Why are you being so adorable?! How am I supposed to complain when you respond to me so eagerly? Let me be salty!


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    Lyla slumps down, defeated in both body and spirit as the dragon nudges her with their tail. "Water. I''m thirsty." the nudging continues, Lyla eventually relenting and hopping up. "Fine, fine. I could do with a drink... And a bath." She begrudgingly responds, shaking the drool from her fur. You know, I feel like this is happening a lot lately...


    With a final shake, Lyla hops onto her perch, and the pair set off in search of the nearest source of water. A brief exploration reveals a small stream, weaving gently between and through the surrounding roots, a soft trickle filling the air.


    Lyla skitters into the stream, letting the turbulent flow wash away all the accumulated dirt, and drool, from her pale fuzz. She basks in the soothing rush of water, only for it to abruptly cut off as the dragon sticks their snout upstream, guzzling the entirety of its flow. You know, I''d normally be concerned about the hygiene around drinking what''s clearly kinda murky and a little mossy water, but... This dragon has clearly eaten way worse and somehow come out even stronger for it. I wouldn''t even be surprised if they suddenly gained moss powers or something.


    The flow once again resumes, and Lyla is almost knocked off her feet by the sudden torrent upon her small body. Still, the tiny claws on the tips of her legs hold strong to the streambed as she settles into the soothing massage of running water.


    Satisfied that she isn''t getting any cleaner from the murky water shower, Lyla hops out and shakes herself dry, little droplets of water splashing onto the dragon''s obsidian scales and swiftly running off the hydrophobic surface and into the ground.


    "So what should we do about food? I don''t feel like waiting so long every time we need to eat." The spider muses to herself. "Food? Maybe down?" Lyla pauses, not expecting the reply. "Right... I''m not used to you being able to actually respond now. And what is it with you and going down? We got here just yesterday!" "Down. Wanna go. More food?"


    Lyla sighs, rubbing her pedipalps below her eyes. "Fine! We can go down. But still, I know it''s part of our initial instincts, but your fixation on going down is ridiculous! Have you never heard of pacing yourself?" "Pacing... Don''t understand. Too many words, don''t know. We can go down?" "Right... Wrong question for the wrong person... Sure, we can go down. Just need to find where down is first."


    Clambering up to her perch, Lyla directs the dragon in a well thought out, highly calculated, completely random direction and they set off. Dense jungle becomes thicker, becomes thinner, opens out into wide rivers, and closes up against enormous stone pillars. Last time I was here I practically skipped this floor, having found a city-sized hole leading below. If we can find that it''d be great, since I could then navigate the rest of the way from memory, but I don''t even know what direction that is... Smack! "Huu!" What?


    The pair stare at the monkey before them, having face-planted into the ground from the canopy. Okay, seriously I have questions! Why are they following us?! Why do they keep falling out of the trees? How did I not see any last time I was here? "Hoh!" The monkey shoots up and scrambles away through the trees as an idea strikes the spider. "Follow!" "Hm?" "Monkey! Follow!" Lyla points towards the scampering primate.


    With a nod, the dragon bolts forward, easily able to keep pace without even needing her signature violet glow. Red bark and green moss blur past as they keep up the chase. "Hah!" Turning back to see a charging mass of obsidian predator hurling after it, the monkey startles, changing direction to sprint around a large lake.


    Across the lake, an enormous tree comes into view, devouring half the horizon as the ceiling pushes upward as if displaced by the arboreal megalith. The jungle fades out around the under-story of the colossal tree, unable to compete for light and leaving a large, shaded gap above and below the shimmering canopy.


    Through the eyes of a charging dragon


    Aleph chases the creature around the lake, keeping a consistent distance as they approach the colossal tree. The closer the pair get, the more it dawns upon them just how massive it is. Pillars of house-sized bark plunge into the jungle floor, warping the terrain into uneven, soil-covered waves. The creature expertly navigates the hills and bumps, before disappearing into a small nook between the roots.


    Halting in front of the man-sized hole, the not-man-sized dragon peers down. Safe to assume this leads down a layer. Would be nice if I could fit more than my neck down though... Her gaze shifts up, falling upon the perceptually flat wall of tree before her. If only trees had a will... The amount of Aether something this old could cling to would be...


    The pair take a moment, both staring in awe at the sheer scale of this tiny fragment of the world. With a shake of her head, Aleph pries her eyes and thoughts back to the problem at hand. Flaring her Aether, she maps out the winding tunnel, finding a diverging path below. There may be other ways down. Hopefully one that''s me sized.


    Aleph takes off, pushing her Aether below in search of a sizable enough way down. The pair circle the trunk of the giant tree, occasionally sending Lyly down to scout a promising looking hole, and eventually finding a tunnel the dragon can fit through. Barely. Onyx horns scrape against the solid roots around them, leaving tiny marks on the surface as Aleph squeezes herself through. The tunnel waxes and wanes between being plenty large enough to stand, and just large enough to not crush her wings.


    The final stretch proves the most troublesome, the twisting roots condensing to a narrow spiral, leading to a small, dimly lit opening. Aleph presses through, needing to use a bit of Aether to force her way out from the grip of the tremendously hard tunnel walls. Plop! Thunk! Rustle! "Made it!" "Made it! Now sleep." "What?!"


    <hr>


    "King! King!" "What is it young watcher?" "The emissary has done battle with the bright one! A tremendous match of might and wit!" "Hoh? A disagreement perhaps? I imagine the emissary won?" "Yes! But the match was close! The bright one nearly had the emissary completely entrapped within the vines! Victory was but assured, yet the emissary broke through with its mighty strength! Now they traverse the tunnels reaching to our domain." "Broke through you say? I hear those vines are yet to be broken by even my son. Have they perhaps grown stronger in such a short time? Good. I anticipate our encounter evermore. Send word for the scouts to return, and call the veterans to take their place! Inform me the moment they approach!" "Yes, my king!"

 Chapter 17: Race

    Through the eyes of a proud teacher


    "You learn so fast! Too fast... Must be my excellent teaching!" "Must be!" "Fuehehehe." Lyla puffs her abdomen, her eight eyes glimmering with a prideful glee. After much convincing, she managed to coax the dragon into sleeping in a better spot than the random twigs they landed on. Now they stand well rested and in the midst of a language lesson while snacking upon a random bee-ish bird that made the critical error of exploring too close to a deadly tail-blade.


    "Still though, how can you learn so quick? You''re only nineteen days old!" "Nineteen? I thought it was three... And the language is similar to a few I already know. Easy to pick up and figure out the details." "I knew it! Time travel!" "I don''t know that word." "Don''t worry, your secret is safe with me." Lyla shoots a knowing look, alongside her signature eyelid-less wink. "Okay!" The dragon replies in total confusion.


    "So what now? Food? Water? Adventure?" "Food!" The dragon stands, stretching and flaring its wings to fill the brambly nook they rest within. "Of course... What should we look for? Any preference?" "Something with a lot of Aether!" "The fuck is an ayy''thur?" "It''s complicated." "Fine. Just give me some idea. I''m fine with anything meaty so it''s up to you." "Something old!" "..." Lyla stares the dragon down, seriously questioning the bizarre tastes of this prodigal yet deranged infant.


    Guess we''re looking for something ''old'' then. Lyla hops atop her perch and they set off... slowly. I swear there wasn''t this much thicket when I was last on this floor... The jungle surrounds them in all directions, including above and below. Giant roots plunge down from above, covered in a claustrophobic web of branches and vines. The ceiling and floor of this layer both escape from view, hidden behind a mass of endless canopy.


    Progress is slow as the dragon squeezes and cuts their way through the never-ending array of moss-covered branches. The lack of footing leads to constant stumbling, and the homogeneity of the environment betrays any sense of direction. It takes hours of slow, clumsy ambling to even reach the ground where they can find solid-ish footing on the soft, muddy floor. With decent ground to stand on, their pace picks up. Granted, going from slow to kinda-slow isn''t much of an improvement, but it damn well feels like one.


    "I haven''t seen any monkeys in a while..." Lyla muses, skittering out the way of a branch as it brushes against the dragon''s head. "The fluffy brown things? They''re here." "You can see them? Where?" The dragon perks up, looking directly at their observers through the dense thicket. "In front and behind. Can''t really see them through the trees." Lyla skitters under the dragon''s neck to avoid the twigs and branches as the dragon turns. "Then how can you see them? Mana sense?" "I call it ae''othas. I think the closest translation would be Aether perception zone. Maybe Aether sense?" My teaching must be really amazing! They''ve learned words I haven''t even taught! And what is ahrthurr?!


    "So this anyutheer-" "Aether." "... Yes. So where exactly does it come from? What does it do?" Lyla skitters back to her perch and helps untangle some of the loose vines clinging to the dragon''s horns. "It''s everywhere, and does whatever is asked." "So is it just a weird type of Mana?" "No, it''s Aether. Mana is... What is your word for something hard to control?" "Uncontrollable? Unruly? Chaotic?" "All of those. Does what it wants. Aether just does what you tell it. Very rigid." The thicket becomes more sparse as they slide into a ditch, following the natural groove beneath the branches.


    "Huh. Sounds kinda cool. So you can make it shoot lasers and summon mega swords." "Kinda? Aether is more manual. You can shoot lasers if you tell it to manipulate light into a specific energy, direction, and... is the word colour? Close enough. Mana just finds a way to cheat and do it anyway." Lyla scratches her head, perplexed. "Wait, it just sounds like Mana is the easier to use version of Aether... Why even bother?" The dragon looks up at her, directing an offended squint toward the insensitive arachnid. "Aether is just as good as Mana." They huff.


    "Sure..." The thicket slowly grows less dense as the wall of roots and branches turns to a wall of twigs, then a spattering of brush. "So does this mean you can''t do any ranged attacks?" "I can. But I would lose Aether if I send it too far from myself. Better to just fight close." "So you don''t lose Aether from physical enhancement? Or healing? Or those bubbles?" "Bubbles? Oh, the ae''osa? That''s just Aether clinging to air. Still under my control. Aether always sticks to things. Mana just does its own thing after being used."


    The thicket clears, leaving a gap between the foliage covered ground, and the canopy. Roots poke down through the leaves, but stop short of reaching the ground, creating the appearance of an inverted forest. The pair shake off the accumulated twigs and leaves as they step into the open air.


    "Wait... So if you had enough eetherr to defend against someone''s strongest attack, you could just wall them for eternity?" The dragon sets off in a random, open looking direction, already having forgotten what they''ve even set out for as they simply enjoy their first proper conversation. "Easy. I could stay in death vine room forever now. Could still be suffocated though..." "That''s actually kinda insane! And this stuff is just in the air?" "Yes, but barely any. Mostly sticks to old things with strong will, but there''s just so little... Have to fight really strong stuff to make progress."


    "Is it strong or not?! Make up your mind!" "It''s Aether." Lyla waves her pedipalps in defeat, concluding that Aether is just weird. "Fine. But one more question before I forget. Why are you still using my voice?! It''s creeping me out!" "It''s cute."


    Through the eyes of a weird, Aether-fuelled dragon


    Aleph ignores the sparkle-eyed spider atop her and takes in her surroundings. Since breaching the thicket, the environment has become small hills of foliage accented by inverted hills of canopy. Occasionally, the foliage meets the hills, blocking off the horizon in each direction, though not as thoroughly as the floors above. Tiny beams of light escape the dense canopy, highlighting the shape of the surrounding and filling the ceiling with star-like speckles, but provide little assistance in navigating, forcing Aleph to rely on her Aether to see.


    The canopy rustles with life, their observers keeping a careful distance above the pair. A distant ruffle of leaves approaches them, another of the creatures meeting above them to whisper to one of their observers and then leave from where it came. What are they up to? These... What did she call them again? I keep forgetting, was it gorilla? Monkey? Human? There''s so many names for what basically look like the same thing... Thud.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    One of the creatures land before them, resting its weight on thick forearms and bent legs as it stares down the pair. Small rays of light highlight the patches of yellow fur scattered across its brown hide as its tail spirals and flexes behind. Ooh! I love staring contests! Aleph meets its eyes, her own gaze eating away at her opponent. The creature manages but a few moments before averting its gaze, turning around to amble towards a hill. Wehehe, still got it.


    The creature halts on a nearby hill, turning back to watch the pair again. Another staring contest? But this time from a distance! "I think it wants us to follow..." "Ah! I see." Ignoring the slight disappointment in not having another staring contest, Aleph trots her way towards the creature. As she approaches, it disappears over the hill, showing up on the next hill as they crest this one. A race! Even more fun!


    Aleph picks up the pace, summiting the next hill as the creature reaches the one after. Hill after hill she speeds up, and so does the creature, eventually resorting to swinging across the branches above to keep ahead. Run turns to sprint as they dart across the terrain, cresting hills, leaping across rivers, and diving through thickets. Hands, feet, and tail grasp at branches, flinging acrobatically through the canopy while claws, wings, and scales glide across the terrain.


    "Where are we going?!" "Don''t know! But it''s fun!" "Seriously?" Aleph continues her race. Seriously. Granted, she''s not actually trying to overtake the fluffy creature, so it''s not really a race. But it''s the thought that counts, and clearly her opponent agrees as it swings to the peak of its capabilities to keep up.


    Just as Aleph begins to think about the lack of life in this place, she steps on a large, flat reptile plated in moss-green scales and covered in a layer of foliage. As the lizard rears its head to snap its enormous jaws at its assailant, Aleph swipes her bladed tail, severing its spine before it can even voice a complaint. For a moment, she finds herself stuck between the vital task of winning her race and the necessity of not wasting food, but eventually settles on the objectively correct answer. Both.


    With a forward spin, she wraps her tail around the lizard, holding it to her back, and slams her feet into the ground to continue her sprint all in one fluid motion. Aether flows into her limbs, making up for the added weight and reduced balance. "Found food!" "What?! When? How? Is that why we stumbled just now?" Lyly stares behind, confused by the sudden appearance of a giant dead moss lizard on the dragon''s back. "Does it have a lot of Aether?" "Nope!" "You sound almost happy about that..." "Having fun!" "So I see." The creature ahead looks back with an inscrutable expression at the violet and black dragon now running with its tail wrapped around a dead lizard, and almost smacks its head into a root as stares dumbfounded.


    The terrain shifts, rising up to nearly meet the canopy, before abruptly cutting off. Aleph skids to a stop, peering into the crater before her. Walls of packed mud surround a flat ring of hardened stone, overshadowed by the canopy, which has been trimmed away into a dome. In contrast to the dim forest before, this region is bathed in light by four orbs held in place by black rope. An arena? Her race partner descends a rope in the arena''s centre, eying the pair as if waiting for them to approach.


    So wait... Did I win the race? Imma say I did. Aleph slides down the steep decline, settling at the base and walking to the middle of the arena.


    <hr>


    Ter-is Alli-at-r


    Appear-n-e:


    A truly ---arkab-e specim-n with a flat body and long s----. sno-t Grey scale- a-orn the creature''s body, tho-gh ----a--y normally covered in layers o- moss giv--g them a green a--earan--. a--e-rance On -heir backs lay a thick la-er of plants a-- moss actually -rowing into them, prov--ing a near-perfect --mouflage as they --e in wait within the foli---- foli-ge.


    Be-avi----


    --- --- ---- ----- This o-e was jus- - juice st-in. I can''t ---ember e-actly what i- said. they remain dormant and hidden wit-in the brush of the lower forest layers. W--n a-y larg- --ough Wh-- any la-ge eno-gh cre-ture approaches too close, they will sn-p, lunging at their prey and c--mping down with tre-endous jaw strength.


    Most fascinating about this creature, is the sound they occasionally create. At certain regular intervals, they appear to sing in unison with o--ers of their kind in the distance, creating a fascinating harmony acr-ss the entire forest, before shifting positions to a new hiding spot. This appears to be some method of co---nica----, comnumita connun comn Fuck it. I apartly can''- spell today. -erhaps to determine the best places to hide? Though time is difficult to tell down here, I believe --ese intervals to be roughly three -ays apart, though whether this varies over time I do not know.


    -th-- ---es:


    --ey t-ste a lot like the many eagles commonly found two floors above. Even their scales are surprisingly sweet! I su-pect -h-y may be densely packed with -a-a, Mana though this is where my lack of ability to detect it once again ails me. Regardless, they taste fine indeed. I find they''re best prepared in a stew, along with the si-ver --shrooms and heavy peaches found on these floors. Thou-h wi-hout a constituti-- like mine, one would unfo----atel- -nfor-una--ly be likely struggle with the poi-on in the mushrooms.


    Adden-um:


    ---- -- -y note- -ppear to -- ---ra--ng a- I -esc-nd. -- e--lie- ---es -e-m to -- --ne, -o wha-e--r -- ------- ---s on-y seems -o -ff-c- --e Man- in my i-k, ----ent--g -t --om --tt--n- pr-perly. Given h-- --e crea-ur-s i- th-s- deep-- -loor- --ly l--- -- ---a, --d mor- o- r-w stre--th, - beli-v- t-is -- b- c--sed -y t-e ---sum----- ----er-ie- of D-m---- ----gy. I wi-- c---ect -h-t - ---- --- ----- --- ----i-- ---ra--t--- t- -y in- I d-u-- i- wil- help m---. I--l ---e t- u-e m- ---urn tok-n -o w--p t--s- -- -he s-rf-c- -o - c-- p--vent f-rth-- --ma-e. - wil- -- re---ting th-s m-ss-ge -n multi--- pa-es, -n hope- -f some ----ing -- -----


    -Excerpt from secti-n 5- ---pter 16 of the Lost Hero''s Journal

 Chapter 18: Goons

    Through the eyes of a battle-ready spider


    Three monkeys descend the centre rope, speckles of gold fur adorning their yellow coats, reflecting the light above into a bright glimmer. The first lands, a short creature with gold patterned across its face, standing with its weight on its hind legs, and looking forward with an intense gaze. The second lands, standing bipedally on its long yet toned legs, gold spattered across its limbs and completely coating its hands and feet. The third lands with a thoom. Kicking up dust as it rises to its full height, matching the dragon even on all fours, with gold patched across its entire body.


    Finally, from behind the trio, Thwoom! A fourth monkey lands, kicking up a mountain of dust, having leapt from the canopy itself. As the dust settles a silhouette is revealed, showing a slender yet toned figure... lying prone with its head resting on its hand and donning an aloof grin. Its coat shimmers, more gold than not as the ground around it is patterned in a light-show of bright-yellow light. Amber eyes watch the pair, regarding them with an unwavering confidence. The three in front grow restless, the small one thrumming its chest, the lanky one flexing its arms, and the large one lightly thumping the ground.


    "Hey... I''m gonna feel bad for those guys if you just keep doing that... Look, they''re even posing and everything!" Lyla''s concerns fall on deaf ears as the dragon gathers sticks into a sizeable pile by the moss-croc. "Hungry. I just ran a lot." Lyla peers at the dead reptile, her own stomach growling in turn. Well, what''s my excuse? I just sat on their head the whole time... "Fine... Lemme help." Lyla begins weaving then spinning her bow drill, eliciting confused gazes from the monkey trio. The canopy grows restless, the sound of confused and frustrated hoots and howls filling the arena.


    "Hoohahahaa!" The three turn in unison, watching the fourth monkey laugh at the display before standing and clapping its hands together. Sticking a pinky in its mouth, the monkey whistles loud, silencing the jeers above. "Wheeee! Hoo, hoo, hoot!" On cue, a series of smaller monkeys clamber down the ropes, carrying a variety of tools and pots. Only three of the seven face-plant, which frankly feels like an impressive turnout. Gathering around the moss-croc they begin to help prep the meal.


    "Hey, wait, what?" Lyla looks up at the dragon, who just goes with the flow and holds the reptile high to bleed dry, catching the blood in a bowl while the monkeys expand the fire and set up various cooking implements. "Oh whatever..." Lyla joins in with a sigh, binding their make-shift constructs with her thread. It''s not like i know any cooking techniques beside spit-roasting. And I only know that because of my one over-eager friend who''s way too into camping and spit-roasting birds, and thinks it''s a good idea to teach this to a spider. The Croc is sliced and diced, filleted and ground. Different cuts are split across the stone pots and pans as more ingredients are brought in and added.


    Stews are cooked, legs are roasted, and steaks are fried. All being laid out in a small buffet before them as the scents of cooked meat seep across the jungle above. Everyone sits in a circle around the food, eagerly digging in. "I guess we just eat now?" Lyla looks again to the dragon, only to see them choking down a whole roasted leg, much to the amusement of the younger monkeys. "Forget I asked..." Lyla snags a steak of her own and begins nibbling, ignoring the curious pokes and prods of the younglings around her.


    As the feast comes to a close, the golden monkey stands, firing off another whistle signalling for the smaller monkeys to reluctantly pry themselves from their poking and prodding of the two curious looking guests and clean up. The golden monkey, the large monkey, and the short monkey take a distance, leaving behind the lanky monkey, who begins stretching and eyeing up the pair, taking their measure.


    The dragon lies down, watching the younger monkeys clamber up the rope with dirty pots and pans in hand. Are we really doing this? I don''t really wanna fight, but I feel like it would be rude to say no at this point. Lyla peers back at the dragon, who yawns in total disinterest. Fine... I guess we''re doing this one on one. And I am starting to feel kinda like a chump, being carted everywhere for free all the time. Not like I''m gonna stop, but still. I''ll go first.


    Lyla squares up against the lanky monkey, who in turn looks disappointed, clearly anticipating a bout with the larger beast. "What? Am I not good enough for you? I''ll have you know, I''m the Divine Beast Lyla, master of threads, and grandmaster in the centuries old art of spider-fu! Come at me scrub!" Waving her pedipalps like fists, she taunts the monkey who, despite not understanding a single chitter, decides to take it personally. Winding back its long leg, it throws a whip of a kick, punting the spider.


    "Fuahaha! You fool! You''re five hundred years too young to face me!" Always wanted to say that. Lyla clings to its foot, skittering up its thigh to plunge her fangs into its fur. "Take that! My mild paralytic venom will have you wobbling for hours!" And wobble it does, unable to hold any weight on its leg as she skitters away victorious. "Who''s next?"


    The large and small monkeys regard her with renewed interest as they watch their companion wobble around like a drunkard, the small one pointing and laughing at the poor fool. The golden monkey simply grins, maintaining its aloof attitude as it nudges the small one with a hoot. Large picks up lanky, settling back besides gold as small shuffles over. With a thrum of its chest, the small one begins spouting off what must be a truly obscene array of taunts and trash talk. One can even spot a few hands poking out the canopy above to block the ears of the eager youths dangling for a better view.


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    So is it actually a gorilla? What was the difference anyway? The tail? Lyla might react if she understood even a single word, but alas, of the languages she''s learned, monkey is not one of them. Taking her deadpan stare as an admission of defeat to its trash talk, the small monkey sprouts a smug grin, crosses its arms, and waggles its finger provocatively. "Okay." Lyla sprints over to the monkey, pulling out a thread as she leaps for its head.


    As she shoots towards the monkey, its hand appears before her, blocking its face. Lyla pivots to instead attach her sticky thread to its palm and hop away to bind it to the floor, only for it to grab hold of the thread and spin her around, slamming her into the ground. She lets go of the thread and bounces back, watching as the monkey plunges its hand into the stone below to pull out a rock and attach it to the other end of the thread in its hand. Grasping the thread midway, the monkey spins it like a lasso, grinning wildly as it charges Lyla.


    Lyla stands her ground, awaiting its approach. Making it in striking range, the monkey releases its grip, letting the rock fly and, smack. Right in... the monkeys face. Having seemingly forgotten the fact that the thread will stick to both hands, instead of releasing the built up momentum of the swing, it simply kept going and circled back with enough force to knock itself out cold. Lyla stares dumbfounded at the moron before her, before raising her legs in victory.


    The wobbly-legged, lanky monkey howls in laughter mocking the smaller fool back for its earlier taunts. Even the gold one fails to hold back a snort at the display as the large one walks over and unceremoniously tosses the unconscious primate back to the others, eliciting even louder howls of laughter.


    Lyla squares off again as the large monkey towers over her, blocking the light above and staring down with glowing yellow eyes. The first strike lands, shattering the ground as Lyla skitters up its arm. Maybe I should''ve saved my venom for this guy... Seems like it can just break the ground if I tie it down. Then again... Lyla easily dodges the slaps and whacks as the monkey desperately flails around, trying to remove the giant arachnid crawling all over it. So slow! Why am I even worried?


    Climbing around it with deft agility, Lyla simply wraps the giant in a bundle of tough threads, systematically immobilising it. With a victorious waggle of her front legs, Lyla hops off her defeated foe. "Fuahaha! Three-zero to Lyla! Which chump is next?" The gold monkey stands with a calm grin, walks over to Lyla and claps its hands. The earth around her shifts, rising up to encase her in a dome. "Well shit. I think I''ve just fallen prey to at least three tropes here."


    Through the eyes of a well rested dragon


    Aleph yawns, standing up with a stretch as she calmly walks over to the dome, eyes locked on the gold one before her. With a whip she shatters the top of the dome with her tail, letting Lyly skitter out. "What''s going on? Did I win?" "My turn." Lyly peers between the dragon and the gold one, a disappointed sigh escaping her as. "Aww... Avenge me!" She skitters off as Aleph tries to figure out what the word ''avenge'' means.


    This could be kinda fun. I''ll have to hold back though. Unlike Lyly I doubt this thing can just tank a full force blow without flinching. The gold one meets her a mere breath apart. Standing tall as it looks down tauntingly. Responding in kind, Aleph rises from her crouched position, shifting onto her back legs and spreading her wings for balance. Easily standing over twice its height without even fully stretching she looks down, meeting its hesitant, amber gaze with her own calm, violet eyes.


    Thump! Thump! Thump! The gold one slams its chest, beating a loud rhythm into the air as excited rustles and howls fill the canopy. "No fair... Dragons get all the love. Where are my spider fans when I need them?" Aleph ignores the jealous chitters behind her as she lowers down, ready to fight.


    Crack! The ground splinters as golden fists plunge into rock. Aleph leaps to the side, dodging the spike of earth breaching the ground she stood on. The gold one lifts its hand, fists clenched as it winds back and shoots them forwards, releasing a cluster of rocks at the dragon. Aleph jumps, closing the distance as she glides over the spread. She swipes her paw at her foe, who in turn backs away, kicking up more rocks which bounce harmlessly off obsidian scales.


    The canopy bustles with the excited howls and laughter of their audience. A few over-eager observers almost fall from their resting place, only to be caught by larger hands and pulled back up. Aleph swipes again, this time though the gold one slips through, grasping her leg and twisting with an almighty effort, cracking the ground below as she is hoisted into the air. Flaring her wings to increase drag, she slams herself down, ploughing her feet into the ground as she throws her opponent into the air in retaliation.


    Aleph swipes her tail at the falling creature, only to miss as a gust of air brushes her foe into a safe landing. "The Avatar!" The what? She shakes her head, ignoring the sardonic chitters behind her. As the gold one raises its fists, once again aiming to slam them into the ground, Aleph charges, tackling it to the ground. As she winds up for the final blow it inhales deeply, then shoots out a stream of fire from its lungs. Hey, aren''t I supposed to be the dragon here? "Hey, aren''t you supposed to be the dragon here?" My thoughts exactly!


    Rearing back to protect her eyes she lets it escape her grasp. As the flames clear she turns back to see it plunge its hands into the ground and lift. A plate of earth is lifted, casting a wide shadow over the dragon as it falls, threatening to crush her. With a flip, she slams her bladed tail into the plate, rending it in half and landing face-to-face with her worn out opponent.


    Flop! Her opponent falls on its back, breathing heavily as it taps the ground with the backs of its hands. Did I just win? Go me! "I win!" Roars of excitement erupt from the canopy, cheers and jeers filling the jungle above.


    Thoom!


    The canopy shifts, a wave spreading through the leaves as silence takes over.


    Thoom!


    Another ripple across the trees, accented by quiet whispers and excited rustles.


    Thoom!


    Small hoots escape the leaves, building up and growing into a loud rhythmic chant. """Huu! Huu! Huu! Huu!"""


    Bang!


    Dust covers the arena, the chants growing into an uproar as a golden glow shimmers through the dust, amber eyes peering at their new opponent.

 Chapter 19: The king

    Though the eyes of a certain king


    Golden fur shimmers under the restless canopy, a figure standing tall and proud with the unwavering confidence of a king. Amber eyes glow bright, piercing through the cloud of dust stirred by his landing to meet the violet gaze of his adversary. "The supposed emissary of the great shadow, in the flesh. Truly a remarkable beast to have bested my son with such ease." He muses, his voice a deep rumble within the cloak of dust.


    Thud! He slams a fist into the ground, firing a pulse of essence into the cratered earth around him, beckoning it to raise and flatten to its normal standing. On level terrain, he stands eye to eye with the emissary, matching its gaze with his own. Violet eyes gaze back, an unwavering void laying tranquil within them.


    Tremendous! Never before have I witnessed such a depth in the eyes of a beast. Even I cannot meet this gaze for long. Truly, what manner of being do you make of yourself. The air thrums in rhythm with his heartbeat, the ground trembling in anticipation. And this lack of essence... Is it hidden, or is there something more? He shifts his gaze to his son, who observes the encounter with an enraptured gaze.


    "You fought well son. Though outmatched, you held strong and faced the enemy with vigour." A weary chuckle escapes the boy. "No father. My meagre strength was not even enough to phase it. Not a single violet glow escaped the beast. It held back." "Do not judge your strength from that of the abnormal. Any other beast in these lands would have fallen to your strength. Had I given up at defeat of the warrior of green I would have never achieved the strength I wield now."


    "That story is legendary! You believe this beast to be of the same ilk?" The king grins, raising his posture to his full height. "We shall see. Now scatter boy, I shall accept no interference." The boy obeys, carrying his companions to the canopy above as the arena is cleared. The king''s gaze shifts to the bright one, who remains at a distance. I had hoped to face both. But alas, it would be naught but an offence to ask. Let us hope this one alone is enough to invigorate me.


    The golden fur coating his entire body shuffles, the muscles within his thick, tree-trunk arms rippling forth as he raises his fists to his chest. Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Each beat sends shock-waves across the jungle, each thrum shaking the ground, each strike a calculated showcase of his might. "Come beast! Show me your might!" The king leaps forth, and the emissary meets his charge head on.


    As they near one another, the king thrusts his arm forth, grasping the beast by the neck and tossing it high into the air. Shocked by the speed of his attack, the emissary flares its wings catching itself in the air, before letting itself fall with a spin. A sheathed tail whips forth, soaring towards the king who grasps the swiping tail with a crack in the air. Directing the beast''s momentum, he pivots and launches it to the ground, shattering the hard earth as it crashes down.


    "Do you think me weak!" He roars. Thoom! He slams his chest, the arena grounds trembling under his might as his eyes glow a bright amber. "Offend me no longer beast! Show me your strength!" The emissary stands, shaking off the dust. Violet eyes peer at the king, compressing into narrow slits as they bore into him. A deep breath escapes its maw as it crouches low, violet orbs weaving into a maelstrom around its limbs. And the earth shatters.


    The king strikes, his fist landing hard on the thick hide of the soaring beast, scattering a few scales as its claws scrape into his fur. With a grunt, he grapples his foe, legs sinking into the rock below as he battles against the tremendous force being exerted upon him. With a crack, the ground below him disappears, teeth sinking into his shoulder as he is pulled up by the leaping beast and tossed high.


    Glorious! He thinks to himself as he reaches the canopy, giving a youngling a soft pat on the head before plunging back down. The king grasps the wind, pulling it and forcing himself to spin, building momentum as he soars below. Crack! A crevice forms across the diameter of the arena, a burst of air and a wave of earth pushing the emissary off its feet.


    The emissary plants its feet into the earth, carving grooves into the stone before charging forward, coated in a vortex of violet. Fist meets claw head on. And the fist wins. The beast''s paw is thrown back, cracks heard as a few claws remain stuck in the tense flesh. Unfettered by the failed exchange, the emissary continues its assault, slashing his side with its other paw and lunging its jaws at his shoulder.


    The king grasps its neck, halting its assault as he inhales. With a fwoom, the emissary is coated in hot flames, singing its obsidian scales and burning into its eyes, blinding the creature. With a long sigh, the king steps back, raising his hand to call a healer. With this, victory is- The beast meets his gaze. What?


    Eyes glazed black, the emissary stares directly at him. If anything, the gaze has become stronger, as if a thousand hands were directly grasping at his form, mapping out every groove, analysing every twitch of a muscle. The king circles around the beast, pulling at the air to silence his steps and pressing his will into the earth to halt any vibrations. Yet the beast follows, never letting its burned eyes leave his form. Truly. What are you?


    A tremor courses through his spine, the gaze boring into his very being from every direction. For but a moment, he feels a hint of fear, reverence, as if staring at a being beyond his comprehension. He breaks his gaze, a moment of surprise at his show of weakness, immediately followed by a wide grin.


    "Huhuhu." He chuckles. "Haahahaa!" He laughs. Thoom! The air trembles as he slams his chest, fire coating his golden fur as the air boils and the ground wavers. "Earth!" He roars. "Bend before me!" He commands as his fists plunge into the stone below. And the earth bends.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The arena warps beneath his fists, his essence soaking through the ground causing it to shatter and deform. The emissary leaps from the unstable ground it stood upon, charging towards the king as it darts across the gravity-defying terrain, uninhibited by the waves of stones and rocks buffeting its scales.


    I am winning this exchange. My strikes land true and I''m barely injured, yet... The gaze permeates around him, as if threatening to consume his very being. He looks into the charred eyes of the beast, sensing no fragment of surrender in its unwavering charge. I cannot imagine myself claiming victory. Fist coated in flames, the king meets its charge with a strike, only for it to weave around his arm with uncanny agility, coiling around him and slamming the wind from his lungs with a violet coated tail. An unseen force pulls his body towards the strike, as if gravity had declared the beast its origin, forcing him to take the full brunt before being flung to the arena wall.


    Before he can regain his wits, a paw slams into his chest, shattering the wall behind him once again. The stones dancing around the arena crash as his control over the earth falters. Unable to breathe, unable to move, he peers into the charred eyes of his opponent, the fire in his own eyes still burning bright. And he concedes. Were this a real fight, I would be dead.


    "Huhuhu." He chuckles, resting his head behind himself and tapping the wall. Confused whispers and murmurs echo across the canopy as the emissary releases its hold on the king. Raising his arms he looks up to his stunned subjects and announces with a wide grin, "I have lost! Show the victor your praise!" At his declaration, the jungle erupts into cheers and roars, the leaves above dancing in celebration of the battle they were granted audience to. A few younglings manage to fall from the trees in their excitement, planting their faces into the stone below before hopping up and darting around like the manic little gremlins they are.


    "A feast! Show these great warriors our hospitality!" He commands, prompting the trees above to warp with movement as dozens of his subjects swim across the branches, preparing for guests and hoisting more black ropes below. With the last of his essence, the king pours his will into the earth, levelling the arena floor and straightening the walls.


    Hoisting himself up the rope with practiced ease he beckons for the emissary and the bright one to follow. As he reaches the canopy a crack resounds from below and the beast grasps hold of the branches with a glowing critter perched atop its head, having leapt the distance to the canopy. Speckles of violet peek through a charred eye as the beast regards the king. "Huhuhu, it seems the healer won''t be necessary for this one. I doubt I even scratched the surface of your capabilities, great beast." He muses, clambering up the rope as his guests follow, squeezing through the thicket and snapping branches as they ascend.


    Densely packed branches give way to the bustling centre a wooden metropolis, the horizon littered with webs of ropes, nets, and wood platforms. Curious heads poke from small nooks carved into tree trunks and hanging roots while busy workers clamber across the ropes, carrying various tools and baskets.


    "Come! Come!" The king ushers his guests, climbing his way across a rope to a larger platform. The emissary glides across the gap, landing by the enormous circular banquet table, packed with an assortment of meats and fruits being dished out by eager workers as younglings try to sneak away with some early snacks only to be caught by their attentive guardians. Mostly.


    Above the table hangs a platform adorned with upside-down stools and horizontal ladders between them. The king hoists onto himself one by the edge, followed by dozens of his subjects, clambering into seats above the table while the youngest hug the edges, too small to reach down for food from the stools. The emissary lays down at the edge near the king, sniffing at a roast while the bright one hops off its perch, snags some meat, and skitters onto the emissary''s back to nibble. They are joined by the King''s son and his entourage, as well as a dozen young ones peppering everyone with questions and clambering all over the guests.


    "King! King! Is this thing really emissary to the great shadow? Why is it shiny?" "The bright one really glows! Does that mean it''s super strong like the king?" "Do emissaries poop?" "What''s it like having so many eyes? I can''t even count that high!" "Where did all the pink things go?" "I could beat the emissary!" "Can I eat the bright one?"


    The king''s son pipes up, waving the younglings away. "Begone young ones, you disturb our guests. And you mustn''t eat the bright one. It''s poisonous!" He playfully snarls, shooing the younglings as they scatter with screams and giggles. "Though, Father." He grins. "Now that you''re bereft of essence, do you think I could best you?" The king scrapes clean the leg he''d been chewing and flicks the bone at the fool''s forehead. "Try it boy. Watch how I fold you." The table erupts in laughter, the boy''s companions jostling him and thumping his back.


    "King?" The emissary chimes in, eliciting startled looks from those around. "It speaks!" One of his companions announces. "Fool! Have you not heard the reports? They speak amongst each other in their own tongue. It likely imitates us, to learn ours." The king responds. "Why would they speak another tongue? Why not just use ours?" "I know not. Though it was the same with the warrior of green. He spoke unfamiliar words too, so perhaps it is simply a trait of outsiders." The king''s words leave the table silent, an unanswered question lingering on the tips of every tongue. Until it is voiced, "So who''s stronger? The emissary, or the warrior of green?"


    The king pauses, taking a moment to ponder the query. "Remember, I was young then so I never witnessed his true strength. But without a doubt, the warrior of green was stronger. Much stronger. Though whether the emissary could outlast his strength, I do not know." Excited murmurs fill the table, eagerly comparing three of the strongest beings they know. Murmurs turn to shouts, turn to laughs. Even after the table is emptied of food the bustling conversations continue. The younglings even return to clamber atop the emissary, who lifts them high with its wings and tail playing with them till they''re ragged.


    As time drags on the table slowly empties, workers heading off to continue their responsibilities, and guardians taking their children away to rest. Eventually, all that''s left are the king, the guests, his son, and his three companions. "You three, take our guests to a rest nook. I wish to speak with my son." """Yes king!""" They obediently respond, disappearing across a rope with their guests.


    The boy relaxes, sitting by the king. "What is it father?" The king takes a deep breath, regarding the boy with a serious expression. "You are the king now." The boy is stunned, for a moment not registering the words his father just spoke. "What? But you''re-" "Leaving. I will follow the emissary and the bright one to the realms below." "But... why?" "You know why boy. I am too strong for this place. I weaken you all. In my younger days there were dozens of your capabilities, yet now there is only you. The people rely on my strength too much, and I only grow weaker. There are no foes for me here. I have been training you for this boy. Don''t pretend you don''t want this."


    The boy... no, the king rises, offering his father a respectful bow. Grasping the fool, the king, now nought but a warrior, pulls him in for a hug. "When I return, I expect you to surpass my current strength. Any less and I''ll be forced to train you from scratch." The king chuckles, hugging his father back. "Of course father. I won''t let you down."

 Chapter 20: The solo player?

    Interlude from the surface. Through the eyes of a programmer.


    A woman stands by a ring, running her olive fingers across the smooth, stone surface, drinking in its detail with azure eyes. A dark-blue cloak drapes across her plump form, patterned in a myriad of symbols and runes. Her other hand rests atop her sheathed rapier, hidden beneath her cloak.


    The crunch of snow sounds behind her as someone approaches. "Ah! Ghost, there you are!" A thin man appears behind her, dressed in red silk, adorned with gold trims and silver trinkets. An unholy abomination of an Afro cascades from his skull, its obtuse weight resting upon his shoulders and completely redefining his silhouette. Peering at the slim man, her eyes flicker, an unspoken command summoning a bright blue terminal for only her to see.


    <blockquote>


    Level 15


    Danger: Docile | Negligible


    Name: Cymfonee Othi Schepredas


    Race: Hybrid (Elf 50%, Human 25%, Dwarf 25%) <Domain 7>


    Class: [Merchant | Specialisation: Cross-world trade negotiations]


    Titles: [Snow Merchant], [Afro King]


    Stats:


    Vitality - 13 | MP - 2 | Stamina - 6 | Strength - 8


    Basic Skills:


    [Handiwork LV 3], [Salesman LV 9]


    Magic Skills:


    [Haste LV 2], [Inspect LV 10]


    Unique Skills:


    null


    <Additional Data>


    Age: 26 yr, 150 d


    </blockquote>


    Oh, this guy. I mean he''s nice and all, but... "Hey Cyn! It''s been a while!" The man chuckles, wrapping his slender arms around Ghost in a polite hug, which she awkwardly reciprocates. Ack! Physical contact, my nemesis! "I take it you''re here for the Reverence Festival again this year?" "Of course! It would be a shame for me to miss even one. Our world just doesn''t do ramen the same you know." "Ah yes, ramen. I''m sure that''s the reason for your perfect punctuality for this event." He says facetiously. "Though they are indeed tremendously tight-lipped on their recipes. It''s been the bane of my existence trying to pry even a sandwich recipe from the stingy fools. Say, do you think the Abstract will show up this year too?" Why does everyone always ask me? Do they know? "I guess? Not like I know them personally or anything."


    Cyn''s eyes glimmer for a moment, losing focus as if reading something in front of his eyes. "I see your rune-smithing has improved a level. Must be all those training manuals I''m sure you''ve purchased from my store." "Oh come now, you know better than to pry into a lady''s private information." I know it''s hypocritical of me to say that... But still! At least I''m subtle about reading someone''s life history to recall their name!


    "Hohohoho, you got me!" Cyn takes a step back, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I''m heading over to the Fallen Stump Inn with a group of nobles and merchants. You''re welcome to join us. I''m sure they''d appreciate the company of a master rune-smith like yourself. Your old pal Inyu''min will be there too!" "Haha, no thanks. I''ll be heading through early this time. Maybe some other time." "Ah, too bad. Rain check it is then. See you at the festival!" Ah, finally. He''s leaving. Sweet solitude once again. Ghost waves the man goodbye, turning her gaze back to the ring.


    Let''s see if this works. Ghost runs a finger across the surface, leaving behind a glowing trail of nonsense symbols and rune-ish scribbles. That should be convincing enough. System, execute script portalact.


    <blockquote>


    $ ./scripts/portalact


    [INFO] Initialising...


    [INFO] Analysing portal frame...


    [INFO] Parsing portal frame data...


    [WARN] Portal is on cooldown. Repeated use may cause overheating.


    [INFO] Interfacing with portal frame...


    [INFO] Interfacing with portal frame again because once is apparently not enough for these fucking things...


    [INFO] Inputting coordinates to destination Magnus_Mundus...


    [INFO] Activating (remember to not stand in the frame this time dumbass)...


    Process exited with code 0


    </blockquote>


    I don''t remember adding so much sass to my logs... The frame vibrates, blue light spreading across the runes littering its surface. The notches light up in sequence, each causing the ring to tremble even more. I''m sure the shaking is fine. And the red hot stone around it surely won''t be an issue. The thousand year old mystery portal won''t break. I think. The frame wobbles, the final notch lighting up before all of them sink mechanically into the device with a clunk and begin firing beams of light into the centre, which coagulate and form a flat, blue disk, gently undulating in place with a soft spiral-like pattern. Hey, it worked! First try too, must be my lucky day! That, or something''s terribly wrong with my code... Always ends up being one of the two.


    At the sight of an open portal, a small crowd gathers. "Hey, it''s opened early!" "Did that girl open it? How?" "Don''t you know? That''s Ghost! She''s like a master rune-smith or something." Why do people know me? So much for a low profile... From behind, a dark figure shoots past, its form devoid of consistent shape as if watching the 3D embodiment of television static. "It''s the Abstract!" "I need an autograph!" "Omigodimyourbiggestfan!" The figure places a hand on the portal, disappearing into a puff of light as dozens of overeager fans dash by to follow. Freaks. The lot of them. At least I don''t have to deal with them directly.


    Stepping up to the portal, Ghost gives herself one final inspection before taking the final step.


    <blockquote>


    <Main account | conditionally hidden>


    Level 11


    Name: Ghost ~ <Domain 7>


    Race: Human


    Class: [Rune-smith], [Fencer]


    Titles: [Master Rune-smith]


    Stats:


    Vitality - 7 | MP - 87 | Stamina - 18 | Strength - 8


    Basic Skills:


    [Calligraphy LV 10], [Cartography LV 7], [Fencing (basic) LV 10], [Fencing (intermediate) LV 8], [Handiwork LV 8]


    Magic Skills:


    [Enchanting (basic) LV 10], [Enchanting (intermediate) LV 10], [Enchanting (expert) LV 2], [Haste LV 6], [Inspect LV 5], [Rune Arts (basic) LV 10], [Rune Arts (intermediate) LV 10], [Rune Arts (expert) LV 10], [Rune Arts (master) LV 5]


    Unique Skills:


    null


    <hr>


    <Secondary account | conditionally hidden>


    Level [REDACTED]


    Name: null


    Race: null


    Class: [REDACTED]


    Titles: [The Abstract]


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Stats:


    [REDACTED]


    Basic Skills:


    256 entries redacted...


    Magic Skills:


    128 entries redacted...


    Unique Skills:


    [Abstract LV X], 6 entries redacted...


    <hr>


    <Admin account | hidden>


    Level -1


    Name: GHOST DATA


    Race: Human (God Seed 52%) <External>


    Class: Administrator <get hacked nerds XP>


    Titles: null


    Stats:


    null


    Basic Skills:


    null


    Magic Skills:


    null


    Unique Skills:


    [Admin Rights LV X], [Backdoor LV X]


    </blockquote>


    Looks like everything is in order. She grins. Still don''t know how I fucked up the name on all three accounts though... With a calm breath, Ghost plants her palm on the portal. The world shifts and bends, tugging her in a thousand directions at once before spitting her out the other end. Don''t throw up! Don''t throw up! Don''t throw up! With a few deep breaths she manages to calm her nerves and abate the attempted escape of her dinner. "Fuuuu, gets me every time."


    With a stretch, she dusts herself off and takes in her new scenery. She stand in a large domed building, the ceiling adorned with murals depicting the many worlds contacted through the ancient portals. Each depiction showcases the most notable qualities of the worlds, and all are accented by the same twin suns and triplet moons. The mural for Ghost''s world showcases a brightly lit and snow-coated metropolis filled with towering skyscrapers and depictions of the five explorers who pioneered relations with this world.


    Behind her lies the portal inset into a large pillar adorning the centre of the building, a perfectly flat mirror reflecting the world back to her before it fades into nothing. Two guards stand by the portal, draped in silver armour and bearing spears. White fur coats their skin, sticking out between the plates of metal adorning them as they observe Ghost with their pitch black eyes and regard her with a polite nod. The razor thin whiskers on the tip of their pointed snouts twitch as they return their focus to guarding the portals.


    Off to the side she spots the group from earlier, still searching for her now missing alter-ego. Honestly... What did I ever do to garner anyone''s attention? In any of my identities? Her eyes are drawn to another portal from which a large group emerge, gazing in awe at the scenery, at least after they finish reeling from the intense vertigo and motion sickness from portal usage. I don''t recognise the mural by that portal. A new world? She narrows her eyes, inspecting the newbies. Of the dozens of warriors, mages, and scouts as well as a few noble looking individuals, one group of five stands out.


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Level 320+


    Danger: Docile | Moderate


    Name: Sol Ade Vint


    Race: Hybrid (Elf 92%, Human 7%, Trace 1%) <Domain 5>


    Titles: [Archmage], [Hero], [No. 1 Ranking in the Cinder Kingdom Female Popularity Poll], [Princess]


    Stats:


    Vitality - ~52 | MP - 501+ | Stamina - ~232 | Strength - ~77


    <Additional Data>


    Age: 21 years


    </blockquote>


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Level 427+


    Danger: Irritable | Moderate


    Name: Inspi Ya Prowler


    Race: Human <Domain 5>


    Titles: [Hero], [No. 2 Ranking in the Cinder Kingdom Male Popularity Poll], [Spear-master]


    Stats:


    Vitality - 720+ | MP - ~210 | Stamina - ~662 | Strength - 878+


    <Additional Data>


    Age: 22 years


    </blockquote>


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Level 513+


    Danger: Docile | Moderate


    Name: Telta Woruld


    Race: Hybrid (Goliath 95%, Human 2%, Demon [Non-External] 3%) <Domain 5>


    Titles: [Hero], [Mountain Crusher]


    Stats:


    Vitality - 1500+ | MP - ~120 | Stamina - 808+ | Strength - 579+


    <Additional Data>


    Age: 48 years


    </blockquote>


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Level 157+


    Danger: Docile | Moderate


    Name: Atoni Blome


    Race: Halfling <Domain 5>


    Titles: [Hero], [Gourmet Champion], [Invisible]


    Stats:


    Vitality - ~19 | MP - ~232 | Stamina - ~120 | Strength - ~23


    <Additional Data>


    Age: 26 years


    </blockquote>


    These guys are pretty tough. If we were allowed to team up with our own, they would definitely be top contenders in the dive. But then there''s this guy...


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Level 1000+


    Danger: Docile | Moderate


    Name: Auvic


    Race: Human (God Seed 69%) <External>


    Titles: [Demon slayer], [Hero], [No. 1 Ranking in the Cinder Kingdom Male Popularity Poll], [Saviour of the Cinder Kingdom]


    Stats:


    Vitality - 1000 | MP - 1000 | Stamina - 1000 | Strength - 1000


    <Additional Data>


    Age: indeterminate


    Probable Origin: Earth


    Warning: Acrylon to Sphilaria, enmity is strongly ill advised.


    </blockquote>


    I know spoofed stats when I see them. And these ones are kinda obvious... Must be seriously strong to get this kind of cross-system interference. And there''s the fact he has the same ''God Seed'' label I got when I hacked the system. I haven''t seen another God Seed since Ari! I can''t not talk to this guy!


    With a confident step she makes her way over to the boy, who turns at her approach, meeting her face to face with a welcoming smile. Okay! I didn''t think this far ahead... How do I interact with people again? We don''t even speak the same language, do we? Hm... Maybe I should check. System, query known languages for Auvic!


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Name: Auvic


    Languages:


    [Japanese (fluent)], [English (adept)], [Cindrin (fluent)]


    </blockquote>


    Huh, guess this guy really is from Earth too. Lucky we both speak English though. "Hey, nice to meet you! My name''s Ghost. I take it you''re new here?" The boy''s eyes widen at the familiar tongue. "You speak English? Are you from Earth? Ah right, sorry. I''m Auvic. Nice to meet you too." Ghost chuckles, ignoring the confused glances from his companions as their leader speaks an unfamiliar tongue. "Yes, I''m from Earth. Canada specifically. I take it you''re from Japan?" "Yes! How''d you know?" "My magic helps me know what language people speak. The rest was just inference."


    One of his companions pipes up, drawing his attention. Her eyes are drawn to a strange figure, resting atop Auvic''s shoulder. Did that creepy doll just look at me? Ghost peers at the doll, almost jumping when it turns to meet her gaze. Okay, that''s freaky. System!


    <blockquote>


    <O''isHe who knows all names XhotilThe controller DeixThe thief>


    O''isHe who knows all names KlaravakhisEntity of action SceondisShe who collects cute things :)


    </blockquote>


    ... Fuck it. I''m not dealing with this shit today. Wisely opting to not deal with this shit today, Ghost returns her focus back to Auvic who in turn finishes addressing his companions. "Sorry about that, they were just asking if you knew what we should do from here. It didn''t occur to us until we stepped through, but we were kinda given woefully inadequate instructions. I know there''s some kind-of competition, right?" "You mean the dive? That''s nine days from now. Until then we have a bunch of festivities and formalities to go through starting tomorrow. Follow me, I''ll take you to a great restaurant I know. They have the best ramen there. I''ll give you the rundown while we eat." "They have ramen in this world?"


    Before she can respond, their conversation is cut short by a nearby shout. A crowd forms on the other side of the portal pillar, gathering around a small commotion. Circling the pillar to see what''s going on, Ghost and Auvic peer upon the man in the centre of the commotion, surrounded by agitated guards. A tall yet unassuming man, dressed in white and blue robes with a greatsword sheathed vertically on his back. Long golden hair flows down his shoulders as he addresses the guards with a warm smile. Is he one of those weird cultivator guys? Why is there only one? System!


    <blockquote>


    <Unregistered user, applying heuristics>


    Level null


    Danger: Imminent | Extreme


    Name: Faux Tales


    Race: Human (God Seed 99%) <External>


    Titles: [Demon King], [Master of Ten-thousand Arts], [Monster of the Demonic Cult], [Sect Crusher], [The Strongest Cultivator]


    Stats:


    null


    <Additional Data>


    Age: indeterminate


    Probable Origin: Earth


    Warning: Individual is known to be extremely violent. Approach with caution.


    </blockquote>


    "Well, fuck..."

 Chapter 21: Making friends (actually this time)

    Thonk! "Ow!" Thud! Thud! "How are you stuck?! You fit perfectly fine yesterday!" Aleph tugs her head, trying to pry herself free from the hole she slept in. After the banquet, the pair were guided to a large root, littered with holes to rest within. Being at least three times the size of an average inhabitant of these nooks, she simply slept with only her head inside, to be polite of course, yet now her horns have begun to hook into the bark, having grown just enough overnight to be stuck.


    "Okay, okay. I know a few ways out of situations like this. Butter! We can use butter!" "What''s butter?" "Good point... Maybe the monkeys have some?" Creak! Crack! "Want me to go find out?" "Ah... No, never-mind. I see you''ve got things figured out." Leaving behind the now larger than average sleeping nook behind, the pair head off towards the city edge. "Seriously, you''re growing way too fast!" "Isn''t growing normal?" "Not this fast!" "That just means I''m being normal. But faster." "I sense a flaw in your logic. But at this point I''m just losing the ability to care."


    Gliding between platforms with an entourage of curious younglings behind her, Aleph lands on a large platform littered with crates and baskets. Pausing to look around, she assesses her bearings, looking for the best way out. "Ooh! Ooh!" Her gaze is snatched by the bouncing child in front of her, holding a piece of parchment and a bowl filled with black liquid and waving them at her with an eager grin.


    Is it asking for an autograph? Am I famous? Has my glory been recognised already? Bringing her tail in front, she dips it in the inky substance, only for it to run off immediately. Huh... I''ll have use a bit of finesse for this one. Instilling her tail with Aether, she pulls in the ink, holding it against her blade. With a swift swipe, she splotches ink over the entire parchment... and accidentally splits it in two. However this was clearly the correct response, as the child promptly goes feral, waving around its two signed parchments for all of its envious friends to see.


    Leaving before things get too heated, and ignoring the jealous chitters atop her head, Aleph glides to the next few platforms, eventually reaching the city edge. Turning around, she and Lyly wave the inhabitants goodbye before swooping to the ground below. "Where to next? Next layer?" "Uh, sure. Not much reason to stay here I guess." "Hope it''s not more jungle. Three floors of cramped terrain is tough." "No, it gets more rocky from here. The next floor shouldn''t have many big trees." "You''ve been here before?" "Oh, yea. I''ve been trying to reach the bottom for years, but keep getting stuck further down. The route I usually take is different though, so things are a bit different to what I remember." "Huh... How big is this place." "I have no idea... it''s huge."


    Through the eyes of a former king


    To leave without a word. Huhuhu, how amusing. Though I suppose they know not my tongue, nor I theirs so this was inevitable. Even still, I shall not be left behind so easily. Swinging through the trees above, the king turned wanderer follows the emissary and the bright one. His body is draped in belts and ropes, with tools and pouches hooked on and packed with a variety of utilities. He grasps the air, pulling it silent with his essence and hiding himself from the senses of the bright one. Yet even in silence and behind the cover of the canopy a gaze holds itself onto him, regarding him with interest and curiosity. No fooling this one.


    With a light chuckle he lets himself drop from the canopy, softening the earth as he lands to calm the impact. The pair turn around, the bright one taking a combat stance atop the head of the emissary who regards him with a calm interest. The bright one chitters, whistling into the vines wrapped around its forelimbs as the emissary responds in kind without motion. I must learn this tongue! To understand the words of such fascinating beasts would be a privilege.


    The warrior rises to two feet and thumps his chest lightly. "I wish to follow you, great beasts! Accept my fist as one of your own!" The emissary tilts its head as the bright one clings to a horn to avoid sliding off. Chitters and whistles fill the air, but no clear response is formed. Do they think me unworthy? Perhaps I must show them my capacity. I shall perform the ancient rite of skill, mastered by few but revered by all. His muscles flex, knees bending as he breathes out, and leaps.


    Through the eyes of a kinda actually impressed spider


    Holy shit! Did that monkey just do a quadruple somersault back-flip into a hand-stand cartwheel then triple spin and land on its tail? Why? "Can we keep it?" Lyla looks down at the dragon, who peers back up with glimmering eyes like a child with a new toy. "What?! No! Why?" "It''s cute!" "No! Well... okay. Buy still no! Keeping pets is a big responsibility. You''ve gotta clean them, train them, teach them to speak, it''s a whole thing!" "Yea, but this one has a yulishar, it''s smart enough to do all that on its own, and you love teaching new languages!" She''s right! And was that the Aoan word for awakened soul? I know Englin has some roots in Aoan, but that''s still a bit of an etymological jump!


    "Fine... We can keep it. But you take care of it!" Not that that means much since it can clearly take care of itself. And how''d they know it has an awakened soul anyway? Isn''t that really hard to find out? "Yay!" The dragon proceeds to trot over to the monkey and nuzzles their snout into its face in what must be a universal sign of acceptance for quadrupeds or something. "I''ll call him Goldy!" So fast! I still need a nickname for Aleph! And now this monkey too... The dragon turns around, allowing the confused monkey to follow behind.


    "Hey wait... How''d you know it''s a he?" "Female humans have a bulge on their chest and differently shaped hips." "That''s a monkey... not a human." "Oh. They''re all so similar, I must have gotten them confused. Same logic though." "How does that even?! What?? You can tell the gender but not the species?!" "Well they''re two completely different things you know." "I... What... Oh whatever." Hey wait! I can use this to smoothly segue into finding out their own gender! "So how does one tell with dragons?" "No clue!" This fukin... "I just assume I''m a she. It''s close enough at least." Huh. Well that works for me.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "So where are we going?" "Don''t know. I just thought the grass looked greener this way. Haven''t you been here before? Do you know the way down?" "I didn''t even know there were monkeys on this floor. Let alone an actual city of them. We''re just too far from my usual route. Actually..." Lyla peers behind, eyeing the golden fluff-monkey knuckle-walking behind. "Maybe we could ask the monkey? Worked well last time." "Good point! Do you speak monkey?" "No. You?" "Not this one." Why would you know any monkey language? Time travellers are weird... "Charades it is then."


    The dragon turns, cyan and violet meeting gold. "Okay, lemme get some rocks and I-" "How go down?" The dragon bluntly asks tilting her head quizzically and pointing down with a claw. There''s no way this works... The monkey scratches his chin, squinting at the dragon as it ponders the meaning of her actions. "Huu!" He announces, shaking his fist with a grin before scampering off to the side and waving the pair over. That worked?! Guess I underestimated this monkey''s intellect...


    Through the eyes of a charades expert


    Hell yea! Love that game! Aleph follows behind Goldy, weaving through foliage, gliding across rivers, and sliding down hills without rest. Their travels lead them below inverted forests, through upright ones, and around small lakes, until the plant-life begins to wane. Foliage gives way to moss covered rocks, which give way to bare stone, and then moss rocks again, only dark blue and practically flush with the stone this time. Ahead lays a seemingly endless wall, grasping at the horizon where it bends out of view. The surface appears heavily trodden, smoothed out as if melted into place. The only life remaining being the blue moss adapted to survive the wear and tear.


    Directly ahead lies a large crevasse in the wall, reaching the floor and ceiling and caked in obsidian glass. Goldy pauses at the entrance, pointing in, then down. "Huh. I might start liking this guy." Lyly chitters from above. "You don''t already? But he''s so cute!" "Eh. Monkey king is an overdone trope. Maybe if it was a monkey queen that would feel more unique." You know, now that I think about it...


    The trio climb their way up to the crevasse, clambering across the glassy surface as the make their way through. The walls open up to a large hole, reaching far above beyond sight and deep below. Several helix shaped grooves adorn the walls, spiralling up and down like paths. The occasional pair of yellow eyes dot the area, before closing to remain hidden... to anyone who can''t outright see the Aether clinging to them. Across the gap lies another crevasse, leading to an equally bright and full of live environment as the one they just left. High above lies a soft, blue glow and below a faint, white glimmer, both reflecting off the obsidian to create a patterned gradient of specular highlights.


    "You know... It would have been nice to know I could just skip every damn floor in this place the last several times I was here." Making their way down one of the spiral paths, the trio steadily descend. On their way they pass beneath a hidden rock lizard which dislodges, careening to the prey strolling below. Goldy reacts, poising to strike back only for Aleph to just slam it into the wall with a swipe of her tail, having already seen the attack coming. "Found food!" She announces, slicing off a leg and tail for the other two to claim as she bites down on her portion.


    Lyly immediately claims the leg, leaving Goldy with the tail. Picking up the skull he watches in awe as Aleph easily downs her own body weight in lizard, bones, organs, and all. Clearly inspired by this, he proceeds to do the same, pouring Mana into his teeth as he crunches through the bone, eating the whole thing. Lyly is the last to finish, virtue of having a tiny mouth, and as she does she speaks up. "We should probably rest here for now. This cave seems to go down a couple floors and they get pretty deep from here." "Okay!" Aleph responds, slumping down with enough force to knock the spider over with wind pressure and startle Goldy.


    <hr>


    Crimson Basilisk


    Appearance:


    These specimens vary in length, ranging from a mere quarter stride to that of a mountain. Their scales are a dark-brown, patterned with spots of crimson and their eyes glow a bright yellow, as with the other natives of these caverns.


    Behaviour:


    These Basilisks are incredibly territorial, and will show hostility to any creature who steps too close. More-so to any creature foolish enough to stumble into their nests. When severely agitated they appear to be capable of generating a tremendous amount of heat, the large ones even able to melt rock with their presence.


    Other Notes:


    I believe these creatures to be responsible for the large amount of obsidian on the above floors, as well as within many of the tunnels I have discovered. While I first encountered one of these creatures here on the 51st floor, they appear to have only been in transit. Observing their behaviour, I believe they are actually native to a deeper layer, and ascend to the 50th to lay their eggs.


    The large ones are very flavourful. When prepared properly, the liver is one of the best parts, practically dissolving within my mouth. It is a shame I cannot eat the whole thing, but I will at least be preserving some for my journey ahead.


    Add-ndum:


    Upon rea---ng the 58th floor, I encou-ter-d what must have been the largest creature I have even heard of, besi--s th- divine beast Avilar. A tremendous Ba-ilisk which towered up to the ceiling, ev-n --ile coiled. This must have been some form of -lpha, or queen. U-fortu--tely, the beast was immediately hostile to m-, and I was forced to slay it. No ma-ter how strong I may claim to be, I cannot ignore the threat p-sed by such a beast. It was me, or the ba-ilisk.


    Incidentally, t-- meat of this creature was tru-y divine. It must have been d-enched in Mana t- -each such a purity.


    -Section 51, Chapter 3 of the Lost Hero''s Journal

 Chapter 22: Flight

    Violet eyes pry open, black slits narrowing and dilating as they adjust to the dimly lit cavern. No new dreams today. There''s so much that I need to remember. That I want to remember. What is my mission? What have I forgotten? Who have I forgotten? But I''ll have to just be patient. Aleph turns her eyes to her still resting companions. Lyly rests atop her perch where she should be, indicating the universe is indeed still in a state of balance. Goldy lays snuggled atop Aleph with her tail wrapped around, as enforced by the dragon since trying to sleep alone atop a rock like some cool guy is simply not an adequate state of affairs.


    The movement of her head stirs Lyly, who rises with a shake, and Goldy stands with a stretch as if never having fallen asleep in the first place. Aleph follows suit, almost knocking Goldy over as she flares her wings, and nearly flinging Lyly off as she finishes with a shake. "Morning!" "It''s too early for this..." "Hun''haa!" "Great! Let''s set off then!" Ignoring the groggy squeals atop her head and irritated thuds in her side Aleph continues their descent, following the winding path down.


    As they descend, they find a series of holes bored into the walls like a hive. "Will these take us to the next layer?" Aleph asks, peering down one of the tunnels. "Eh, probably. Far as I remember, this layer should be kinda dim, with mostly just grass and a few trees. Nothing like the past few, but it''s twice as tall as the last, and the next one is even taller." "Huh. Worth visiting?" "Not really. May as well just see how far this hole takes us. It''s really far though. I don''t suppose you can just fly us down..." "Want me to try?"


    Aleph stands over the edge, peering into the abyss below. "What?! No! Baby steps! We''re not jumping down the death hole!" "But-" "No buts!" "B-" "No!" "... Fiiiiine." With a pout, Aleph steps away from the pit of doom, resuming her descent the boring way. "We would''ve been fine though..." "I said no. If I let a winged dragon die from fall damage I''ll be the laughing stock of... everyone!" "This is a pretty long walk though... Wanna play charades?" "Actually, I was thinking we could try teaching the monkey to speak." "Ooh! Even better!"


    Through the eyes of an impromptu student


    "Aleph!" "Hoh?" "Lyla!" "Huu..." The warrior watches his companions, pondering the meaning behind their words and strange pointing. Do they teach me their tongue? But what is an Ayy Leff? A Lie Lar? They point to themselves, is it a description? As I was once a king, they are a Lie Lar and an Ayy Leff? But what is the meaning behind these words? What role do they describe?


    Through the eyes of a frustrated teacher


    Does he not understand? He just keeps going ''hoo'' and ''haa'' at us! Has the tried and true ''point at self and say name'' technique failed us? Lyla peers down the endless abyss below. This is going to be a long walk...


    <hr>


    "It''s official. The monkey is a bad student." "Don''t say that. It''s a hard language. What was it called again?" "Englin? But you learned it so quick!" "I know dozens of languages already. This is probably just his second." Holy shit! I thought I was cool for just knowing five! Even Alulen only knows twelve! And he''s fucking ancient! "So what languages do you know then?" "Hmm, let''s see..."


    "Sluess," Sounds weird.


    "Yus" Short and sweet I guess.


    "Krikhvon," Sounds... like a language?


    "Eoxhtiknorif" What sound even is that?


    "Nneunnnninnonni," Who the fuck calls a language that?!


    "Ahvi''salThe first one," I fucking felt that one! Why does it feel like I''m being watched?


    "Okay yea, that''s enough. Even the monkey was spooked by that last one." The monkey in question walks a stride further from the dragon, evidently contemplating the nature of language itself. "Aww. But Ahvi''salThe first one is actually kinda cute. It''s made up of a bunch of names." "Stop saying that! Names of what exactly?" "I forgot!" This surely can''t be a good thing...


    The bottom of the abyss begins to give way to a bright white stone surface, shining juxtaposed to the obsidian walls leading to it. Perfect! A distraction! Let''s change the conversation topic with this! "Hey look, the ground! We''re getting close now." "Oh cool! Maybe I can try flying when we get there." Better than leaping into the abyss I suppose. "Sure. But we have to get there first." The dragon picks up the pace, almost sprinting down as the monkey ambles behind.


    Swiftly, the trio reach the end of the tunnel, cutting off abruptly to a small gap between the ceiling and the peak of a white mountain. All three are taken in by the enormity of this layer, with mountain sized pillars of grey and black stone, as well as a couple normal shaped mountains adorning the floor and ceiling like enormous stalagmites and stalactites. The mountain they stand upon sticks out from the rest with its jagged white surface, curved spikes, and the seemingly unnatural cutoff to grey stone at the base.


    "Are those clouds?" "Oh, yea. This place is massive. When I first arrived I fell for a solid two minutes." "I assume a minute is sixty of these?" The dragon taps the ground a few times, roughly a second apart. "Uh, no... It''s sixty-four. And an hour is sixty-four minutes." Do they use other measurements for time in the future or something? " How strange... Either way, that''s far." "Yep. Oh, I should mention. We don''t want to stay here long. There''s a ton of really strong stuff everywhere on this layer." "I can imagine. Even the floor has a bunch of Aether. Not enough to be worth eating, but still."


    This oothong stuff again... "I don''t care what you say. We''re not going on a hunting spree here." "Aww. But there''s gotta be so much-" "I said no! Try flying or something instead!" "Okay!" The dragon flares her wings, preparing to leap as Lyla hops off, standing by the monkey. "Hushi?" He asks, peering down at Lyla and pointing to his head. "No." She bluntly responds, turning to watch the dragon take her first leap.


    Crack! The dragon leaps high, legs coated in violet. Swoosh! The dragon glides, steadily arching downward. Flap! Smack! The dragon plummets, having gained no height from the motion, and having failed to re-flare her wings before introducing her face to the cold, hard floor. "Ow..." "Oh come on, I''ve seen you shrug off worse." "It''s not my face that hurts..." Fair...


    Crack! Swoosh! Flap! Smack! Another attempt, and another in-person meeting arranged with the floor. "You seem to be struggling a bit there..." "I''ve never flown before." Guess she wasn''t a dragon in her previous timeline? "We usually get instincts for this stuff, like how I always knew how to make threads. Are you not just over-thinking things?" "What instincts?" "..." "..." The pair stare at each other for a moment, the silence only broken by the confused scritching of the monkey. "You do have Instinct right?" "Nope. None." "How are you breathing right now?" "Manually. You?" "Well now that I''ve brought it up... Okay, bad example. How is your heart beating right now?" "Manually. Had to use Aura at first, and sleeping was a bit awkward because of it, but now with Aether it''s mostly just muscle memory." I almost forgot how much of a freak she is... Almost...


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Hu!" Lyla''s concerns are interrupted by the monkey, who proceeds to seemingly grab hold of thin air and hold himself aloft for a moment. What? "Oh! Good idea!" It is? Oh right! This whole thing was about flying, wasn''t it. Forgot about that, with the concern that my dragon is some kind of eldritch abomination and all.


    Through the eyes of a possible eldritch abomination


    Okay! I''ve got it this time! Violet bubbles swirl around Aleph, Aether surging into her muscles as she launches herself from the ground. at the apex of her ascent she flares her wings, catching herself in a stable glide. And now... Aether swirls around her wings, infusing with the air and coating herself in a cowl of violet. Flap! She soars. Smack! She soars too high. Smack! She stops soaring. "Owww..."


    "Not to discourage you... But it looks like this''ll take a while. Want to keep trying while we descend?" "Yea, sure. Makes sense." Aleph leaps, once again slamming into the ground as she steadily descends the mountain in what, for anyone else, must be the most painful manner possible. Lyly and Goldy follow shortly behind, the white fuzz-ball offering suggestions while the gold fuzz-bundle yells hoots of encouragement. Aleph flies. Too weak, too strong. Too high, too low. Managed to flap, forgot to glide. Each attempt accentuated by at least one smack, save for the one attempt where she managed to somersault back and land on both her companions.


    Before long, the trio reach the foot of the mountain, white stone giving way to grey rocks interwoven with paths of obsidian. Smack! "Hey! I made it further this time!" "Hoo!" "Nice! Definitely keep up the practice though. We''re going to need you to be able to fly, or at least glide really well when we get to one of the lower floors. Possibly with an extra passenger, if this guy sticks around." "Roger that!"


    A few more failed attempts later and the trio reach a series of rock ponds and small rivers webbing between them. "Oh! One of these!" Lyly announces, skittering over to one of the higher ponds with steam emitting from it. Plunging into the water, she paddles her way to a spot roughly in the centre, her body buoyant enough to simply float. "Just wait for it..." And wait they do. For moments. For minutes. "I swear it''s cool, just gimme a mi-" Fwoosh! A geyser erupts, rocketing the tiny spider into oblivion, high enough for her to go out of sight. "Fuehehe" Plonk! The giggling arachnid lands, bouncing a few times before coming to a stop.


    "Hoh!" "That looks fun!" "I know, right?" "Imma try!" Aleph wades her way to the pond centre before eagerly awaiting her turn on the rocket geyser. A few impatient minutes later, and fwish! Aleph is lifted... a millimeter. As it turns out, dragons are somewhat heavier than spiders. My disappointment is immeasurable... "Huhuhu." Goldy steps up to the pond, planting his hands into the water and grasping, lifting it above his head like a cloth. Hmm? With a snap, he whips the water down, sending a wave of force rippling through the pond towards Aleph.


    As the cascade of water reaches her, Aleph is ejected from the pond, soaring into the sky like a flying... well, dragon. As she reaches the peak of her ascent she turns her gaze to her surroundings, her eyes fixating on the pale mountain they just descended. Wow... I would not want to fight something like that... Lyly''s right. We shouldn''t stay long. From a distance, the once jagged and rocky mountain reveals itself to be the giant skeleton of an enormous snake, coiled into a tall cone with its skull laying shattered to the side.


    Thonk! "Ow!" Aleph splatters onto the floor, apparently having forgotten she in fact can glide. "Told you it was fun!" "Yea! Guess it''s Goldy''s turn now." As she eyes the fluffy creature he takes a stance, clearly not on board with being catapulted to the clouds. Choosing to go forward anyway out of revenge for the sudden launch, or rather because it''s funny, she steps forth and slips her tail behind. Goldy hops away, dodging her advance as she doubles down, chasing him while he dances around her. Not wanting to be left out of the action, Lyly sneaks in, wrapping a thread around his legs as Aleph comes in for the finishing blow. Catching him as he falls, she whips her tail, launching him with all the force her Aether infused appendage can muster.


    "Haaaaa..." He soars, reaching the highest of the trio as he nearly touches the clouds. "He''s been up there a while..." "Is he stuck? In the air?" As he comes back into view, the reason for his slow descent is answered by his grasping of the air, elegantly sliding down at a comfortable pace. "Boo! Fall like the rest of us!" The spider jeers as Goldy lands daintily, sporting a wide grin. "So what did you guys think of the giant skeleton behind us? Pretty cool huh?" "Hoo!" "The what?"


    <hr>


    The pure energies are our lifeblood, the very core of modern society. Yet in recent years, people have begun to forget what makes the pure energies so special. They are the source of our strength, the fuel to our technology. The knowledge gleaned from those who hail from other worlds has shown us that, while they are not necessary for the creation of advanced technologies we enjoy today, the efficiency and level of control they grant us is unparalleled to un-attuned technologies.


    There are three types of pure energy, those being Mana, Demonic Energy, and Angelic Energy. In harmony with these energies, is Aura. The very binding force which allows us to attune to a pure energy. When wielded by an expert, it can even be used to express will and intent without words. Granted, communication with Aura alone is seldom a feasible endeavour, considering you can only express simple concepts like hostility, serenity, and basic emotions. Those with heightened sensitivity to the Aura of others may be able to develop empathic abilities, though the utility of this varies by individual.


    At its extreme, Aura can be used to press your intent on the world itself, much like the pure energies. The monks of the southern savannas boast the ability to lift themselves with Aura alone. However, it should not be mistaken that for such usage Aura is but a blunt instrument. Even the monks acknowledge this, using their great control over their Auras simply to better manipulate Mana. Attempting to use Aura on ones own body, even just to lift it, should not be attempted by any but the most experienced masters, lest you crush your own body with its unfiltered strength.


    There are two major things we still don''t know about Aura. The first, is how Aura interfaces with the world. Unlike Mana, which prefers to manipulate the underlying forces shaping the world, Aura appears as if it changes the very will of the environment. Making things move on their own instead of pushing them, so to speak. The second, is its link with life. In extremely rare cases, people have been known to somehow lose their Aura. In every case, this has lead to the individuals dissociating, and eventually losing all brain function entirely. There is however, one known case of an individual regaining his Aura. In this case, he recovered from a near-death state without any side-effects, though his memories of the incident had become garbled and confused.


    In the next few chapters, we will discuss the individual case studies, as well as go further into detail about Aura and its utility.


    - Excerpt from chapter 1 of Eyva Poe''s ''Analysis of the Pure Energies''

 Chapter 23: Rematch

    Through the eyes of a studious monkey


    "Your name!" "Noom... No onersahn" "Me Lyla. You?" "Mee... iss mee." "Uugh!" The warrior attentively studies the strange tongue of the bright one, trying to grasp the strange words and concepts being expressed. He hovers his palms above the pyre of flames, the warmth washing away the chill etched further into the winds as they approach a large spire of stone in search of the path down. Perhaps it wasn''t just the wind however, as he recalls the strange pillar of white they had appeared on, warped and misshapen as if the carcass of an enormous beast. Yet surely, no beast could be so large.


    I must not discount the possibility. My eyes are small, and the world is vast. If such a beast exists, I must simply gain the strength to best it. He grips the meat roasting atop the pyre, breaking a piece for the bright one and leaving the majority for the emissary. The emissary has gained size these past two rests. Is it perhaps destined to match the grandeur of such titans? A match between such beings... A mere glimpse would be worth more than my lifetime of training. "Hey! You -- listening --?" "Hyessh." These sounds are difficult. So many clicks and hisses to learn and practice. No matter. To learn the tongue of these beings is worth the effort.


    The emissary wolfs down its portion, heartily tearing off chunks and letting them fall into its belly. The bright one eats slower, methodically peeling away at the fibres of muscle and steadily clipping of and chewing off tiny chunks with precise motions. The warrior simply grasps and bites, spending little effort on appearances as he chews at his own pace. After all, there is little need for formalities among those who know not your customs. Just look at the emissary, who... is already finished. I still chew my first bite... What is this beast''s appetite?


    Finishing second, the warrior awaits the bright one, who finishes last. Snuffing out the flames with a clap, he rises, following alongside the emissary as they set off. "Birds!" The bright one announces atop the emissary, pointing up to creatures which walk the sky. "Errs!" The warrior mimics, still not having figured out consonants. It seems when there''s many, a hiss is appended. What a fascinating concept. It seems far more efficient than simply repeating the word as we do, yet I wonder then how they denote for words already ending in a hiss? The terrain shifts as they approach the spire of grey stone, black crystals giving way to more and more grey stone and green moss.


    The warrior observes the landscape, enraptured by the unfamiliar sights. I have long since wondered what lies at the depths of the serpent''s tunnel. To think such a sprawling domain lay here... There appears to be less life here, fewer trees, more sparse creatures. For what reason do we fear this land? The titan is long dead, but are there more? Their gait halts. The emissary peers around with an attentive gaze, scanning the environment. Be there an enemy? The warrior grasps the air, gripping it like a handful of strings as he listens to the winds.


    To the left. A great serpent. It has yet to notice us. The emissary seems to still search. I suppose my range is greater? With a quiet tap, the warrior motions towards the serpent as it crests a hill. Their eyes lock, the serpent regarding the trio a with cautious yet hungry gaze. It raises its head, deciding whether to consider the strange creatures before it as a threat, or food, but shortly settles its decision. On food. The serpent plunges forth, winding and rippling its body as it hastily approaches the trio.


    Before the others can take action, the warrior jumps ahead. "Allow me!" He howls, charging onward to meet the beast head on. Thump! He plants his feet ahead of the beast. Thoom! Thoom! He slams his chest, startling debris into the air as he challenges the approaching serpent. Crash! Hands clasp to jaws, halting the charge and holding back the fangs which threaten to consume him whole. The serpent flicks its head up, tossing the warrior into the sky. Allowing the motion, he grasps the air, moving his trajectory and boosting his descent as he slams into the beast''s neck. The ground cracks and the beast strains, but no injury breaks through its tough scales.


    With a loud hiss, the serpent coats itself in essence, glowing red as it thrashes the warrior from its body. As he lands, he grasps the earth, and pulls. The terrain flips, rocks and debris spread everywhere as the serpent loses its... Does it count as footing if it has no feet? Sure, it loses its footing. Whipping its long body, the serpent leaps towards the warrior, charging through the falling debris as he fires more earth towards it. As he prepares to meet its charge once again, his grin falters and the world shifts.


    The serpent grows distant as he''s carried away by the emissary, who tosses him behind to land on its back. I don''t understand... The fight had only begun. He raises his head, peering back at the still charging serpent. Oh...


    Through the eyes of a fleeing dragon


    "Hey, isn''t this how we met?" "We met after you were chased! And there was only one that time!" "Oh yea! Fun times." "You almost died! And these ones are bigger! Why are you so calm?!" "Well I can actually see this time. Also I''m way faster than back the- Uaah! Fuck! It bit me! How''d it get so close so fast!" Aether surges through Aleph''s limbs as she bolts away at max speed. A dozen large serpents chase her, one particularly huge serpent eating into the terrain as it follows behind the pack. "Why are there so many?! I thought snakes were solitary hunters!" "Why would you think that! Basilisks have always been pack hunters!" "This world is stupid!" "Honestly, fair."


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    Coated in violet, she charges straight for the mountain ahead. Earth shatters beneath her feet, the loud cracks and thuds of each step muffled by the tremendous rumble of the approaching serpents. "Why are we charging towards the smoothest looking mountain? There''s nowhere to hide there! We should be going to that craggy pillar!" "I have a hunch! It''s a risk, but I can''t just ignore something like this either!" "Fine! Whatever! But if I get eaten, I''m blaming you!"


    The mountain grows closer, and the air becomes oppressive. This is Aura... Rock lizards reveal themselves from hiding, scampering away from the approaching horde of giant serpents and the dragon heading the charge. The ground trembles and cracks, claws digging into the rock as Aleph leaves behind a trail of shrapnel, and scales ploughing through and melting the earth as the serpents close the gap.


    The atmosphere quakes, and ripples shatter across the terrain as gravity warps, pushing all interlopers back. The mountain opens its eyes.


    Begone


    No words spoken. No sound but the tremendous shock-wave emanating from the titan before them as it begins to stand. Only pure intent, a hostile declaration aimed at those who strayed too far from their own territory. The serpents halt their advance. Every fibre of their being is consumed by primal fear, every instinct screaming at them to be anywhere but here. Even the largest, imposing as it is, pales before the enormity of the titan before it. They scatter, fleeing in random directions as they leave the trio behind.


    Aleph stands her ground, meeting the titan''s gaze head on. Aura presses on the trio, gravity beckoning them to fall back, and its eyes bear down, taking stock of the brave, or foolish, creature before them. Goldy trembles, a mixture of fear, awe, and excitement in his grin. Lyly... waves her pedipalps like fists, egging the mountain on. "Come at me bro! 1v1 me right, uh... I forgot the rest." One vee one? Sounds familiar, is it a dance? No, wait. Priorities. Aleph flares her own Aura, pushing back as she expresses her own intent.


    "Don''t show hostility. I want to talk to it." Lyly pauses her waggling, shooting Aleph an inscrutable look. "Talk? How? Do you speak rock?" "No, but I speak Aura." "That''s a language?" "Not really, but it works in a pinch. You got the big guy''s message just fine." "Point taken. Aura away then." Pushing will into her Aura she instils it with a thought.


    Curious


    Enemy


    No


    Ally


    No


    The titan pauses, contemplating the being who responds its intent. "How''s it going?" "I think it''s going great!" "Oh that''s good. Why are we talking to it again?" "It has an awakened soul, but something''s odd. It seems way too... young, for something so old." "Right... Young... That''s one of the words I would use for this. So what do you plan to ask it? You know, with your Aura?" "Ah... I didn''t think of that. The way down maybe?" "Sure. Maybe ask for a plate of food too while you''re at it." "I''ll try." "Please don''t..."


    Purpose


    Oh, well that simplifies things. Now how do I express descending to the next layer? Way down? Descend? Too complex... How about just...


    Down


    Aleph points down with her tail, her eyes never leaving the titan''s.


    Curious


    Limbs sprout outward from the body of the mountain, each leg pressing a small city''s worth of an imprint into the stone. The wind becomes a gale as the body of the titan is lifted from the ground, its peak pressing into the ceiling above. Soil and debris tumble from its sides, creating several waterfalls of earth across the rim of the beast. Its amber eyes peer down, below the cavity it formed.


    Proceed


    Did I just win the staring contest? Hell yea! The win streak continues! Gravity alters its pull, lessening their burden and beckoning them to the centre of the crater, where wind continues to gush forth. "Fucking time travellers and their plot bending bullshit..." "Did you say something?" "No, nothing."


    Aleph sets off, pushing against the ever-growing gale of wind as gravity weakens its pull, as if offset by the sheer mass of the titan. The sky turns dark as she steps beneath the belly of the titan, the ground loose and shifting, threatening to make her slip if not for the intense winds pushing her back.


    "Wait, how do we know it''s not going to just squish us while we''re down here?" "it won''t. I can tell." "I swear, if this is some kind of honour between warriors bull-" "No, I can literally tell it has no malicious intent. It''s been covering us in its Aura this whole time. Also it could probably kill us if it yelled loud enough, I doubt it would go to so much effort just to squish us." "... Okay, I see your point, but also... What if it like... slips or something. It''s gotta have just been sitting there for years. That''s gotta make your legs all wobbly and sleepy." "Ah, true. I did see a leg wobble a bit." "What?! Where?! Agh, we''re so going to be crushed here!"


    Aleph giggles as she''s ushered forward by the panicking spider, steadily approaching the hole in the centre, leading straight down. The tempest emanating from the hole reaches its peak, drowning out all sounds as air bursts forth with almost enough force to lift the dragon. For a moment, she hesitates. Standing at the edge of the sheer drop, gripping the earth to avoid being pushed back by the force of the wind.


    Her pause is driven to a halt as the dim light under the titan begins to fade, the ceiling swiftly closing in. No hesitation allowed I guess. She leaps, Lyly clinging to her horns, and Goldy grasping her neck as they descend to the next layer.

 Chapter 24: Tempest

    The tunnel closes behind the trio, leaving them in complete darkness as Aleph digs her claws into the walls, bringing herself to a stop. Without an escape route the winds die down, quieting the tunnel save for the low rumble resounding beneath them. Aura from the titan still permeates the air, though any without intent it only produces a vague sense of pressure, urging them on.


    "Hooh!" Goldy hoots reverently from her back, clasping his hands in some arbitrary gesture of respect. "Why does he seem impressed? I just talked to a big rock lizard and found a way down." "Seriously? You spoke a mystery Aura language to a literal mountain of a beast and negotiated not only to have it spare us, but also help us! Even I''m fucking impressed! Can we get an explanation?" "Hoo!" "Okay, can I get an explanation?" Aleph climbs along the tunnel wall, settling in an almost dragon-sized nook where Lyla proceeds to hop off and meet her gaze. Goldy slides off too, promptly beginning to perform some weird dancing ritual behind her, which everyone just ignores.


    "So how much do you know about souls?" "Well that''s one way to start... Not much. Nobody does. You can''t live without one I guess?" "Eh, mostly. Do you know what an awakened soul is?" "I swear I have to be the only divine beast who doesn''t at this point... Why does everyone else seem to know?" "Divine beast?" "Stay on topic." "Right. Well an awakened soul essentially means a being can be sentient and, um... I forgot the rest, there''s a few more things, some of which I feel are especially important to me. All I know is that it was an important factor in me choosing a vessel." "I''m going to ignore that questionable bombshell of having chosen your body in favour of sticking to the point."


    Behind her, Goldy has taken a parchment from his pouch and began carefully spreading ink across it with his fingers, depicting some form of image. "The big rock lizard-" "Call it the mountain lizard. It''ll confuse things if everything has the same name." "So... The mountain lizard had an awakened soul." "Why does that matter?" "Because no other rock lizard has an awakened soul. It''s something determined by species, by biology, you can''t just have a mid-life awakening. I had to see it for myself." "You were curious? That''s it? You realise we''ve eaten rock lizards before right? What if it held a grudge?" "Would you kill someone for killing your pet spider? That''s the difference between having an awakened soul and not." "... I hate how much sense that makes. I want a pet spider now..." "Ooh, can I name it?" "No way! My pet, my name! Hm?"


    Their conversation is briefly interrupted by Goldy approaching to form various shapes around Lyly with his hands, then proceeding to do the same to Aleph, comparing their sizes before going back to his scribbling. "Did he just call me short?" "You are short." "I''ll have you know that by human standards I am considered terrifyingly huge!" "Goldy doesn''t look terrified." "He''s a monkey, not a human!" "Oh, right. What''s the difference?" "The fur! The face! The feet! So many things!" "I''m sure I''ve seen humans that look just like that though." "The fuck kinda humans are you hanging out with? Wait... What were we talking about?" "I forgot." "You do that a lot..." "To be fair, some of it I think is intentional, and some of it is by virtue of having a shattered-ish soul. This one I just forgot normally though." "How do I always end up with more questions every time we speak?"


    Aleph peers down the tunnel, listening to the growling air beneath. At the apex of the tunnel a dim blue light pulsates, filling the cave with an eerie atmosphere. "So what''s on this floor?" "Wind. So much wind. And based on the sound, we''re right above a storm core." "Storm core?" "I call the orb things scattered around this place cores. Because it sounds cool. These ones generate full on storms." Aleph looks over to Goldy, who is currently holding up his parchment, switching his gaze back and forth between the page and the pair before folding it with a satisfied grin and storing it away in a pouch.


    "Guess we should go now." "Yea, there''s no food on this floor so we should be quick. Don''t know about you or the monkey but I can only go a couple days before I start getting weak." Aleph nudges Goldy with her tail, pushing him onto her back while Lyly hops atop her perch. Whelp, away we g- "If you jump I will bite you." With a pout, Aleph steps away from the edge she was totally not just about to leap from and proceeds to climb down steadily like a normal person. Her claws sink into the stone, gripping tightly as her wings flare and tail extends, granting her improved balance.


    The rumbling grows louder as they descend, some wind leaking into the tunnel and brushing against fur and scales. The rushing of wind turns from loud to deafening nearer to the mouth of the tunnel. "Lyly, wrap a harness for yourself and Goldy! It''s looking like a sheer drop!" Aleph yells over the growing sound. "I have a new nickname now... That''s so cool!" "What?" "Nothing!" With deft agility, Lyly wraps threads around the dragon''s body, adjusting the stickiness for Goldy to grasp without getting stuck. "Done!" Lyly settles into her spot, now wrapped in a cozy bundle of threads while Goldy hangs on tight to rings of thread wrapped loosely around Aleph, which would seem precarious if not for the one thin thread subtly stuck to his back, preventing him from falling too far.


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    They continue the descent, reaching the mouth of the tunnel where the storm below rages furiously. Dust and debris stream past like the rapids of a river, subtly lit by a blue glow emanating from below. Carefully, Aleph pokes her tail under the surface of the rushing winds, the force instantly yanking the tip and pulling it against the stone. This looks pretty rough... Maybe we should ask the mountain for another way down? Before she can pull herself up to consider her options, the wall cracks. The brittle stone fails to hold up the combined weight of the trio after having claws dug into it and continued buffeting from the winds below, shattering and crumbling beneath her feet. Ah... Well then. I suppose it''s as they sa- Ack!


    The storm consumes them, launching them haphazardly as they are buffeted by endless torrents of wind and all direction ceases to exist. The idea of flaring wings or redirecting a tail to gain control becomes but a dream as they are tossed and rolled by the cyclone like a child with a ball. Blue light strobes around, adding to the disorienting cacophony assaulting them while harsh winds slam into their ears, denying any chance at communication.


    Goldy desperately grasps the threads, shifting the best he can to grab them with his feet. With free hands he grips the air, twisting and pulling it to reject its flow. The winds die down around them, Aleph steadying her spin as she swiftly reacts and flares her wings. Quickly she realises that gravity is in fact to her left, causing her to plummet back into the tempest. Grasping the air anew, Goldy stills the air once more, and again, repeating as they steadily regain balance and manage to claim a steady glide within the storm.


    Waving his hands, Goldy pulls away layers of the storm ahead of them as they glide away from the source of blue light. Bright does mean centre right? The wavering of their bubble of stillness and the frustrated howl from her back indicates otherwise as the intensity around them picks up. Oops... Turning the opposite way, Aleph glides in a steady downward slope, the storm around them gradually calming as they approach the ground. Or a wall. Whichever comes first.


    Incidentally, it happens to be both as Aleph glides head-first into a stalagmite. With Goldy''s concentration disturbed by the crash, the winds return, pressing them against the stone. Aleph crawls down the stalagmite, reaching the ground where Goldy jumps off, plunging his hands into the ground and raising a dome around the trio. Aleph slumps to the ground, spent and sore while Goldy falls to his back with laboured breaths. "Lyly?" Aleph asks, poking the spider atop her head with her tail. "Iiiii¨¬iiii..." No response is heard from the unmoving arachnid aside from a continued high pitch squeak. Well she''s not dead. She''ll be fine...


    Aleph unwraps the threads bound to her, cutting off the thread Lyly had sneakily attached to Goldy''s back as an emergency harness. Hmm... I guess I can give Goldy a language lesson while we wait for Lyly to wake up.


    <hr>


    Desertum Silentii


    To the far south of Magnus Mundus lies a vast, continent spanning desert known by the name Matra''suul in Aoan. A literal translation of this name would be ''Matra''s Desert'', leaving much speculation among scholars as to what, or who Matra could be. Many theories exist, most of which crediting them with either being the source of the desert and reason for its inhospitality, or being the one who contains its spread. Some theories claim Matra to simply be an adjective in old Aoan which describes the desert, though none of these theories have been confirmed by an ancient.


    The desert encompasses nearly the entire southern continent, even hugging the walls of Avilar''s dome in some places. Some hypothesise this is where the serpent''s head lies, though records of conversation with the ancients indicate otherwise, with all implying Avilar''s head to be either to the east or the west.


    There are no records beyond the fourth great war which indicate the presence of any civilisation within the desert itself, though the coasts have always been home to bustling cities and trade hubs, which make masterful use of the Mana rich glass formed from the desert sands. Most well known is Invisa Civitas, the city of glass made almost entirely of stained glass buildings and roads.


    - Excerpt from Anya Chiff''s ''Shape of the World''

 Chapter 25: Just chillin

    Through the eyes of a dazed spider


    Ugh... This must be what it feels like to go through one of those washing machine things... Lyla pries herself from unconsciousness looking around with fuzzy sight to grasp her surroundings. The subtle rumbling of the storm above permeates the dimly cave she''s in, the vibration still felt despite her apparent depth. Stone walls surround her, lit only by the dim white glow she emits, and the violet and gold reflections of her light from her companions. How long was I out?


    Lyla rises from her perch, shaking away the lingering nausea. "What did I miss? And when did we find such a deep cave to hide in?" "Oh! You''re awake!" The dragon wags her tail, peering up at the groggy arachnid. "Didn''t you say you had no instincts?" "Yes?" "Then how do you explain the tail wagging?" "How else am I supposed to let people know I''m happy?" "Cute..." "Hm?" "Nothing. So what''s happening?"


    The dragon shifts her gaze to the monkey, who''s currently scraping away at the rocky floor, peeling away one layer at a time as if slicing through annoyingly tough butter. "Goldy dug us a tunnel down." "It won''t work." "Yea, we realised that. I think there''s Mana in the rocks here, and it gets harder as we go deeper. I tried pushing it out with Aether, but I''m running into the limits of my ability to do that." "Wait, is that how you''re able to break my threads?" "Yes." She cheated! Pride saved! I knew it couldn''t be brute strength!


    "Guess we should head back up then... Goldy! No work. Go up." "No? Huuu..." The monkey ponders for a moment before pointing up. "Uff?" "Yes, up!" "Huhuhu." Proud with his correct understanding, he grasps the walls and pulls them in, earth sliding below the trio and raising them up. "Wait... Have you been teaching him? Seriously, how long was I out?" "I just tought some of the basic stuff, you know like yes, no, directions, and such. It''s important to start with the stuff you''ll use a lot so you can reinforce it over time." Damn... I was still struggling to get him to say my name...


    "So how''d you know it wouldn''t work?" "I got desperate once and tried digging around the floor I''ve been stuck at. The stone between layers gets insanely tough." As they reach the top of the tunnel, capped by a stone dome, the sounds of the storm pick back up. The walls tremble as they''re battered by the ongoing tempest. "Does the storm never end? I don''t really want to go back out there..." The dragon complains. "Ugh, me neither. But I''ve never stuck around to find out. I usually just stick to small crevasses and hope I don''t get caught in the storm. We can find the next floor by following the wind though, so that should help at least."


    Lyla wraps a thread around the dragon''s neck, attaching the end to the monkey and clinging to it from her perch. "Ready when you are..." The monkey waves his hands down, the dome receding at his command. Heavy winds slam against the trio, threatening to lift them back into the throes as they cling to the ground, crawling their way through the tempest. Violet bubbles spiral close to the dragon, the occasional orb getting caught in the storm before fading away. Wisps of gold emit from the monkey, unfettered by the winds as he grasps the earth and pulls himself forward.


    Following the direction of the wind, the trio steadily spiral out around the blue core generating the cyclone. As another orb of blue light subtly comes into view the winds begin to coalesce, rivers of dust funnelling into a gap in the ground. The trio make a straight line towards the exit, leaping in the moment it comes into view. The tunnel curves and shifts, the wind helping push the trio through. It''s a tight squeeze for the dragon, but with some help from the monkey pushing the walls out of the way they manage to break free, viewing the next layer from a hole on a cliff face.


    Dust streams past them, blocking their view until the dragon flares her wings, redirecting the flow and revealing the scenery before them. A world of white lays before them, the horizon blending together in layers of white snow covering pale rocks, betraying any sense of scale or distance. The occasional specks of life dot the cavern, white birds hovering around the light blue cores in the sky, and small critters hopping in and out of the snow.


    "Finally here... We should stick around for a while. This place is safe, with barely any predators. The next few layers are going to be scarce of food, so we''ll need to stock up and I''d like for you to be able to fly before we go down. Having the monkey able to talk would be nice too." "Sounds great! I''ll start practising now!" "No wai-"


    Crack! Swoosh! Flap!


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Poof!


    Lyla peers down at the fool submerged in snow, sharing a dumbfounded look with the monkey. Skittering down the wall then sliding down a slope of snow Lyla comes to meet the dragon writhing beneath the snow, unable to surface. The monkey hops down with her, sliding down the air gracefully and landing atop the snow without sinking into it. "Can you pull her up?" Lyla asks, pointing to the writhing mass of scales and claws losing the battle against the snow. "Uff?" He asks before shaking his head. Grasping the snow, he pulls it away, letting it wash to the side and leave the trio in a crater. "Huh. That works too I guess. Good monkey." "Huhuhu." Did she teach him what good means?


    "Fuuu, I was about to panic there." You weren''t already?! "Maybe let me finish before leaping off a cliff next time." "Wehehe sorry." The monkey approaches the centre of the crater, opening a pouch on his waist and pulling out a palm-sized ball wrapped in cloth. Laying it down, he swipes it with his finger, leaving behind a lick of flame which grows to encompass the ball. Is this what they call a magic satchel? A mystery device which lets you pull out anything needed to the plot? How fancy! She muses to herself.


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    Through the eyes of a magic monkey


    I only have two more candle balls, and it looks like I''ll need more for this place. I''ll have to find suitable creatures to hunt with plenty of fat and thin hides. The warrior holds his hands over the small flame, basking in the spot of warmth as he rests from a long journey. The emissary wraps its long tail around the warrior and the flame, snuggling by the fire as the bright one nestles into its perch. They are indeed unusual beasts. I had never anticipated such a nature from them.


    He shifts his gaze to the emissary, the violet beast laying snugly around the flame. This one shows much affection. More than most of my kin even. I cannot discern whether it is young or old though... It handles itself like a child, showing a recklessness and playfulness ordinarily unbefitting of such a beast. And yet... there is an undeniable depth to it. It stood on equal grounds with the titan of stone, a beast I could do nothing but cower before. Though I neither heard nor felt a response from the emissary, it appeared to converse. What manner of creature, so young and so old, could it be?


    And then the bright one... The critter rests atop the emissary''s head, tiny squeaks accentuating its breaths as it lays asleep. I cannot gauge this one''s stance on me. It remains distant to me yet shows no open hostility. Even the ancient rite of skill only seemed to confuse instead of impress it. And those eyes... Even asleep I feel as if meeting the gaze of a thousand eyed beast. A white creature of many eyes... Perhaps the legends are true? Yet this one holds no enmity to me or my kin. If anything, it indeed appears to better resemble the almighty light, moreso from being companion to one who resembles the great shadow.


    The warrior yawns, leaning back to rest upon the emissary. No matter. Speculating about the gods will not serve me here. If I am curious, I should simply make myself worthy to descend and ask them myself.


    <hr>


    "My name..." "Yoor nnaiimm."


    Crack! Swoosh!


    "Is Lyla!" "Ish... Isjj... iszz Lyyyyah!"


    Flap! Flap!


    "Yes! Progress!" "Huhuhu, phrorresh."


    Flap! Poof!


    "I got further!" "Nice! Progress all around!" "Yesh! Mmusch phrorresh!"


    The trio celebrate their... phrorresh... The warrior having learned enough to understand basic conversation, and the emissary now able to walk further along the air. "Hey! Hey! How''s your language practice coming?" "Huhu, very well. I can nearly pronounce Lyyaah." "Sounds great!" Truly, the emissary is a terrifying creature. She has learned my tongue in a mere fistful of rests where I can barely pronounce their own. And to think they are both female! I knew not that these beasts could even have gender! I do hope my fine looks don''t give them ideas...


    Their training continues, the emissary learning to walk the sky while the bright one teaches the warrior their tongue. As they come across wildlife, small fur-coated critters, and large leathery brutes, they hunt them, leaving the bodies to the warrior to prepare and preserve. Over time they have built a stockpile of food, stored in satchels made from leather of the local beasts, and hung over the emissary''s robust form.


    Hanging around a tunnel to the next floor, the trio settle into a rhythm of hunting, practising, playing, and resting. After another fistful of rests, the emissary manages to walk a perfect arc through the sky with the warrior in tow. With this as their signal, they take their stock of supplies and begin their descent to the lower floors, aiming to reach beyond the icy layers below in one fell swoop.


    <hr>


    Blue Sweeper


    Appearance:


    An enormo-- -v-an creature s-aped like three crescent m-on- --id in sequence. A series of blue and --ite ribbon-like feathers adorn its underside, creating an almost whimsical look as it glides. It reminds me of some of the old toys I was given as a child. They are quite large for avians, their wings spanning t-n ---ides across, and reaching five strides from head to ta-l.


    Behaviour:


    This creature is v--y territorial, and will attack any creature that comes too close in ----ms. Their --imary method -f a-t--k is to ---p i--cl-- fr-m ---ve, sk---ring any intruders with enough force to cause a small ex------- -- ice.


    These creatures are pathway dwellers, nesting in a complex network of tunnels traversing at least b---een the 61st a-d 63rd layers focused around some supporting pillars.


    Other Notes:


    Their method of attack was of little threat to me, and so with a simple display of force I was able to scare them away. They seem to possess s--- -orm of -o-y m---p---tion m-gic, tho--h I was unable to d--cern its effects before they fled.


    They taste fine. Fairly unremarkable actually, considering their extraordinary appearance. Quite bland, and exactly how you would expect a bird to taste. The marrow tastes like berries though, which is nice.


    Addendum:


    S--- of my notes -ppear to be d--rading a- I desc--d. My earl--r -o-es seem to be fine, -- wha--ver is causi-g this only seems t- a-fe-- the Ma-a in my ink, preventing it from ----l--g properly. -iven how the crea--res in these --eper


    Fuc- it. I''ve re-writ--n t--- enou-h times alre---. I''m not wr--ing this on all 583 page-, ---l j-st send these up -- -s.


    -Excerpt from sect--n 62 chapt-r - of the Lost Hero''s Journal


    This is the last instance containing the Lost Hero''s final addendum. All future pages become increasingly illegible as he evidently travels deeper within the labyrinth. It is uncertain exactly why his notes began to degrade like this. Though he makes mention of a corrupting energy, this type of degradation is much too different from anything we are familiar with, especially if we are to consider the distance at which his notes imply it takes effect.


    Many believe these to be his last words, though equally many believe him to still be down there, decades later still exploring the depths.


    -Excerpt from a transcript from renowned scholar Caeron''s lecture on the Lost Hero, circa 3679 PR

 Chapter 26: Snow puns

    Through the eyes of a groaning spider


    "Icy what you did there." "Please stop..." "Snow way!" "Stop! They''re not even that good!" "..." "..." "Chilljoy..." I regret teaching her language... The trio find themselves traversing icy plains, coated in a thin layer of snow. The ceiling is littered with large icicles, many dangling precariously from their hold. The pillars and walls are frozen behind a thick shell of ice, leaving small gaps between caverns.


    "This doesn''t make sense... There should be more wind!" "Maybe it''s no longer the windy season?" "I spent a long time trying to get through this layer. The whole time it was peppered by heavy winds like the storm layer." "Zzah woorruldh isz llarrgh." "Hmm... I suppose you do have a point. I guess we could just be really far from the centre. Good thing we stocked extra food." A shrill shriek echoes across the icy walls, drawing their attention. "Locals?" "Not sure. There weren''t any when I was here. Let''s just ignore it." "Okay!" I''m sure it won''t be a problem.


    Continuing on they wind their way through a glacial tunnel, light from Lyla reflecting and refracting around them into a dazzling spectrum. The crevasse widens as they traverse, opening up into a wide cavern stretching as far as the eye can see. Gliding around a pillar in the centre are dozens of large birds, shaped like three stacked crescent moons. Shrill caws and shrieks fill the cavern, echoing off the walls in an almost disorienting dissonance. The birds circle each other, their paths overlapping in a chaotically patterned dance.


    "Maybe they''ll just ignore us?" "I don''t know... A lot of the stuff in these caves tend to be territorial. And look..." Littered across the base and tip of the pillar are a series of tunnels and holes burrowing deep into the ice. "I''ll bet that''s our way down. Not sure why, but a lot of creatures make their home by these tunnels between layers." "More territory? Migration? Escape from predators?" Okay, how did I not think of any of those? They seem so obvious now. "Maybe they just came here to attend a snow ball?" I really hope this is just a phase or something...


    With cautious steps they proceed towards the pillar, traversing the rugged terrain littered with shattered ice and snow. As they reach the halfway point, the birds shift their motions. Continuing to circle and spiral each other, they slowly make their way to the trio, maintaining their height just below the ceiling. "I guess it was too much to hope for them to ignore us..." "We are walking straight towards what is probably their nest. I''d be more surprised if they didn''t." "Maybe they''re friendly?" "We should really stop asking that..."


    Through the eyes of an unpleasantly surprised dragon


    "Run!" Crash! Shatter! Icicles fall from above, practically exploding as they smash into the ground. Birds continue to circle above, slicing through waves of icicles with their wings as they one-sidedly attack the intruders. Aleph and Goldy dodge and weave through the incoming projectiles, bee-lining for the centre where more await. Ice shatters, claws scrape, feet plunge into the ground, and shrieks reverberate through the cavern. Several birds line up ahead, flying straight towards the trio and unleashing a tidal wave of icicles, careening to the floor and forming a wall of exploding ice. Okay, focus... breathe... and- Hey!


    Aleph''s sprint is halted by the golden hand grasping her tail, pulling her to a stop. Muscles flex and palms plunge into the ice, pulling up a dome around the trio. Oh... That works too. The dome is shattered as the wave of icicles meet their target, leaving behind a harmless snowy powder and small fragments of ice to land on the trio. "Ha! Can''t get us now that you''re out of- oh I should really stop tempting fate like that..." You really should... The birds swoop down in swarms, charging directly towards the trio. "Careful! If they get close they''ll give you a frostbite!" "Wait, reall- Was that a pun?! Seriously? Right now?!"


    Goldy scoops his palm into the ground, hurling a ball of ice towards an oncoming bird, only for it to phase straight through. This must be one of those type match-up things! Ice doesn''t affect ice, so what''s super-effective? Fighting! Tail whip! Aleph jumps, performing a pretty decent forward flip and using the momentum to swipe at a bird. Swish! The bird phases through, undamaged and leaving her scales untouched, but slicing through her insides in the process. Ah, shit. That was normal type wasn''t it... Whichever life I learned this stuff in I clearly didn''t pay enough attention...


    More birds swoop in, slicing through Aleph''s defences, leaving her only able to avoid fatal injury as she leaps away from their attacks. Goldy manages to make good use of his superior agility to deftly dodge each attack, only receiving a few nicks as he coats his fist in flame, preparing a counterattack. One bird manages to swoop in vertically, aiming directly at Lyly on a path to bisect her. Instead of dodging, the critter simply tanks it, letting the bird careen away as it bounces of her. "Fool! You think you can make it past my defence? Fuahahaha!" Seriously... What is she made of? The birds circle around, swooping in for another volley.


    Aether surges through Aleph, pulling together the severed muscles and veins, and cloaking her in a cowl of violet. Aura flares as even the ground begins to turn violet, the flame building in Goldy''s hand petering out as Aether instils its dominance. Well as they say, when hitting it doesn''t work... Aleph raises her paw, draped in dancing orbs of violet, and slams down. Catching one of the large birds mid swoop, all Mana cloaking the avian is mercilessly torn away, leaving its head to be crushed under the weight of an Aether-enhanced dragon. Crack! The squelch of the bird''s former head goes unheard under the shock-wave emanating from the fractured ground.


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    The remaining birds abort their attack, swooping to the side before circling the trio. Did that scare them away? Aleph peers down at the mostly in-tact bird before her. Would be a waste to just... "Leave it. They''re not done with us yet." "But-" "Leave it!" Such a waste... Aleph leaps over the corpse, continuing where her charge left off as the swarm begins to swoop in from behind. "Goldy! Hop on!" "Yesh!" Picking up the pace as Goldy clings to her back she barrels towards the pillar, aiming for the largest looking tunnel she can see. "What''s your plan for slowing down?" "My what?" Crash!


    Her legs are nearly submerged in ice as she slams into the wall, immediately throwing herself down to dodge the incoming swipe. The bird phases through the wall, turning and coming out to the side, a bit wobbly for its troubles. As the remaining birds swoop into the tunnel to chase after them Goldy grasps the wall, ice shattering and re-hardening to close the route behind them. A few birds plunge into the wall eventually either turning around or slowing to a halt within the wall. The unfortunate birds unable to escape the walls leave behind a resounding crack as they re-materialise, merging with the ice in a very non-PG display.


    "I no longer want that ability..." "I mean... You can just use a safer version of it. Mana is pretty adaptable like that." "Huu, yesh. Whall whallkh ish ferry yuuzfuul." "We really need to work on your consonants..." "I think he''s doing great!" "Huhuhu." "So why''d we stop." "Dead end." "Ah..." The tunnel ends abruptly, nothing but a small room with ribbon-like feathers coating the ground. "Who decided the biggest tunnel wasn''t the right one? It''s always the right one!" "The birds probably." "Ugh I don''t wanna go back up there." "No need to. I''ll look for another way." Aether flares, pressing into the ice and mapping out the surrounding network of tunnels.


    "Goldy, can you dig this way?" Placing a palm on the aforementioned wall, Goldy sinks it in, pulling away at the ice layer by layer. As he pulls away the final layer it opens up into a smaller tunnel, leading straight down until it hits the rock, where it begins to curve away. "I feel like tunnel size is going to be a growing problem..." "I swear, if that was another pun..." "Oh yea! Didn''t even notice that one!" "Just jump down the hole already!" With a hop, Aleph... slides down the tunnel, barely small enough to even fit in. Lyly has to skitter under the dragon''s neck to avoid being crushed between her skull and the wall as they descend.


    Finally reaching the bottom, she claws her way out of the tight ice tunnel and into the not quite as tight stone tunnel. Goldy follows shortly behind and the trio set off, winding their way down the spiralling tunnel to the floor below. "You know... We got pretty lucky. It took me days to find an exit the last time I was here. Maybe we didn''t need to stock up food after all!" "We were definitely lucky. None of their attacks damaged the satchels, they just went straight through! The food probably got messed up though..." The tunnel continues to wind for hours, the trio steadily making their way through until it opens up into a sea of white.


    "This can''t be right..." Lyly hops down, clinging to the pillar leading from the tunnel to the snow-laced ground below. "Where''s all the wind? There should be another storm on this layer!" Aleph and Goldy hop down, gliding and sliding to the floor as Lyly skitters around the pillar. The horizon is taken over by the homogeneity of snow and regularly spaced pillars, seeming to curve out of view before reaching the end. A few minutes later she appears from the other side, jumping down to land by the pair. "This looks nothing like what I remember. Even the previous layer was weirdly open, but I figured that was just a difference in location. But this... It''s completely different. I don''t know which way to go..."


    "Maybe we can just check the pillars? They probably have more tunnels going down." "No... I''m pretty sure there''s only one way down in the centre of this floor. But everything is the same here, I don''t know which way to go. I didn''t even know there was space outside the storm!" Aleph raises her head, looking around. "That way." "What? Why?" "Looks nice." "..." "..." "Well, it''s hard to refute that logic. That way it is." And so they set off. That way. Flop! Until a wave of numbness and lethargy overcomes the dragon, chaining her to the ground.


    <hr>


    Entry 1


    I have found a source of ink within this labyrinth which does not rely on Mana, like that which I brought with me all those years ago. I had to use a few pages to test different candidates, but I believe this one, sourced from a small insect common to floor 79, is quite suitable. This way it should not be damaged in the same way as my old ink, though in turn it will likely only last a matter of decades at best. I have used my return token on my other journals, so they should stop their decay. Hopefully someone can repair the damaged parts. There was some true gold in there, especially on the later floors.


    Since I am on my last journal, I will be changing the format of my notes. Instead of cataloguing each individual creature I find in what was frankly a much too limiting format to begin with, I will treat this as a diary of sorts. I intend to note down only the most significant events that occur here, though if I can make it past floor 89 I shall certainly begin detailing the nature of each subsequent floor.


    For now, I intend to ascend to train. Clearly my constitution is lacking if I cannot even handle the very atmosphere of the lower layers. Perhaps that giant spider would be willing to spar with me?


    - Unlabelled Journal

 Chapter 27: Blizzard

    Aleph pries open her eyes, her body numb and frostbitten. Ugh... I should''ve been paying more attention. Her blurry vision begins to focus, the flickering light of a fire beside her coming into view, as well as the panicked skittering of a white arachnid around the small burrow carved around them. Her snout is assaulted by curious pokes and prods, testing her life signs. Lifting her head she meets the amber gaze of the golden perpetrator, grinning as he continues to prod her awake. "You''re awake!" The spider chitters gleefully. "I thought you died!" "I almost did." "What?!" "Hoh!"


    "How? What happened? Were you assaulted by some kind-of dream demon trying to devour your soul in its quest to acquire dominance over the realm of dreams?" "Uh... Hypothermia. I''m cold blooded." "..." "..." "I was close." You really weren''t. "Why is this only a problem now? You''ve been fine the past several days!" "I''ve been using Aether to insulate myself, but it''s been getting a lot colder as we go down, and it''s been a while since our last camp. I kinda didn''t notice my body going numb." "How do you not notice that?!" "Well pain is easy to notice. The absence of pain is another matter. Keep in mind my body is designed to run almost entirely on Aether, so stuff like muscle pain and fatigue are seldom factors I need to keep track of." "Dragons are weird..." "I agree."


    "Oh, and by the way, dream demons don''t eat souls. They eat desires, or just normal food like everyone else." Lyly pauses, staring at Aleph aghast as if her greatest fears have been made true. "Dream demons are real?" She squeaks. "You didn''t know?" "I''m never sleeping again..." Aleph shifts, wrapping herself around the camp fire to keep warm. "Hey Goldy, how many camp balls do you have left?" Placing a hand on his satchel, he opens it and displays the contents. "Thuree." "Lyly, do you think that''ll be enough?" Pulling herself out of the terror-stricken stupor she placed herself in Lyly looks up, peering at the camp balls, and then at Aleph. "Depends how long you can go without heat, but without knowing which way or how far to go I''d say no."


    "I think I could last maybe-" "Hold on. How long was the fight against the birds?" Goldy stokes the flames, pouring some weird flammable fluid on to keep them going. "Uh... A minute?" "No! It was twenty! How long was your fight with the monkey?" "Not sure... Felt like less than a minute." "That was ten minutes! Okay, how many days old are you?" "Um... Ten? Maybe?" "Not even close! I know you have no good reference for time down here, but I''m not trusting your timing sense! Oh and you''re thirty-four days and twenty-eight hours old by the way." "Wow! Impressively specific! How many hours are in a day?" "Forty. Obviously. Does that change in the future or something?" "I wouldn''t know." "..." "..."


    "So anyway, what''s the plan? I''m happy to go back up for now. My original plan involved waiting for you to grow older and just power through this place. I still think that''s the better choice." "Too slow. I''ve made the mistake of inactivity before and it ended poorly. Besides, the longer I take the further I get from my goal." "Which is what exactly?" "I forgot." "Then it mustn''t be important." "No, it''s very much a matter of existential importance, spanning several worlds." "But you don''t remember what it is?" "Nope." "Fuck''s sake... I''m not going to convince you to take it slow, am I?" "Not if there''s a faster way. I''ll stay within the realm of possibility, but I''m already feeling too slow. The thing I fear most, is that I''m already too late to complete my mission..."


    Lyly pauses, considering the situation. Goldy simply continues to poke. "Fine. What ideas do you have?" "I can fly. If I pick a random direction I can glide us over the terrain until we either reach the centre, find the edge, or run out of time. Goldy can use his fire magic to keep me warm mid-flight. Worst case scenario I can go in a straight line so we know the way back." "No offence, but it took you twelve days just to learn how to glide in a neat arc. Is long distance flying not a bit of a jump?" "Stamina is no issue for me. And this is mostly just jumping and gliding in a straight line, so I should be fine."


    Goldy nods, coating his fists in flames in a show of affirmation, as if he''d been a part of this conversation the whole time, while Aleph stares resolute into Lyly''s eyes. "Fine! Gang up on me why don''t you!" She huffs, folding her pedipalps. "We can go when the fire ball thing runs out. You are healing right?" "I can regenerate a little. Should be completely free of numbness in a few minutes." "Right... I think that''s normal for dragons? Hold on a second..." For a brief moment Lyly seems to go limp, her glow dimming slightly before returning to normal. This seems familiar... "Yea, no. That''s abnormal for your age. Granted, most dragons are apparently descended from some dude called Farghuash, which you aren''t so anything goes really. But still, you haven''t even reached your first quart and you have the fastest regeneration of all known dragons. You''re objectively weird." "I''m objectively perfect."


    Lyly sighs, laying down by the fire as she contemplates what she''s gotten herself into. The trio wait, soft winds blowing above them as they lay in the small burrow carrying wisps of powdery snow. Aleph''s body heals in short order, her muscles returning to full functionality and her lightly frostbitten extremities thawing and restoring. Soon the fire begins to dim, leaving only the light leaking in from the cores in the sky and the faint glow of the spider to light the burrow, signalling the time for them to move on.


    Aleph stands, Lyly hops atop her perch, and Goldy clings to her back. Crack! Aleph leaps, forming a small explosion of snow from where she set off. Swoosh! She glides, violet lights dancing around her wings as the bitter cold winds brush by. Flame coated palms lay atop the dragon''s back, keeping her warm as a seemingly endless array of evenly spaced pillars blur by. Thirty minutes pass, the winds growing warmer and the snow coated floor lessens, revealing the grey stone beneath. Obsidian feet skid into the rocky ground below, disturbing a thin layer of pale-blue moss as she comes to a stop.


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    "It''s actually warm here..." "We''re pretty deep right? Maybe all the outer walls are like this. Either way, this is a good place to rest for a bit and then we can double back in the opposite direction of the wall." "Sounds good. Lemme grab a snack while we wait." Lyly skitters into one of the pouches adorning Aleph''s back, emerging with a cooked lizard leg and beginning her nibbling endeavours. Aleph, for her part, spends their short break helping Goldy practice his ''t''s.


    Using Lyly''s finished nibbling as their signal to set off, the trio stand. Goldy grabs the cleaned bone, biting through and sucking out the marrow before tossing the rest for Aleph to incinerate in her weird dragon stomach. They set off, rested and warm, now gliding back towards the snowy centre of the cavern. The wind grows cold, grows bitter, grows sharp. Crystals of ice begin to form on the tips of Aleph''s wings, offset by the flames Goldy coats her with. Soon, harsh winds begin to overtake the friction with the air, disturbing her balance as they blow parallel to her path. After almost an hour of flight, a wall begins to form in the distance, writhing and biting in a deadly amalgam of shifting snow.


    Aleph lands, a small hole in the deep snow being carved around her as Goldy expands the crater. "I take it this is what you were talking about?" She asks, surveying the storm ahead. "Yep." The spider replies, popping the p. Quite impressive considering she has no lips. "Well, I''m all for trying new things, but I don''t think I can fly through that. And I doubt it would be easy for Goldy to stop the wind and keep me warm while flying." "Yea, I guess we''ll have to walk the rest of the way. The way down should be in the dead centre, just below the core. But it''s massive, and weird thermodynamic bullshit ends up with the storm not reaching too far down so we should be good once we reach it." "Huh. I kinda like this weird thermodynamic bullshit." "Thermoss... synassic?"


    Stepping forward, Aleph pushes aside the snow as Goldy continues to bend his flames around her. Claws brush against the ground, scraping away a layer of fibrous white instead of the hard stone one would expect. Huh... I guess moss really can grow anywhere. "So how''s your cold resistance?" Aleph asks, her eyes poking up towards the arachnid atop her skull. "Eh, I can handle pretty much anything barring the more extreme Mana-based stuff. That''s what I made this body for after all." "You made your body? How?" "Don''t sweat the details. A girl''s gotta have some secrets for the epic plot-twist reveal later on." "Ooh I can''t wait! " "Hoh! Mee tsuu!" "Fuehehe!" I have three theories already!


    The winds pick up, snow swiftly blanketing the trio as they plough through. Violet surrounds Aleph, the insulation barely able to slow down the heat loss within this frozen tempest as orange flames dance around obsidian scales and golden fur to make up the slack. "So how do we know when we make it?!" "What?!" "Did you say something?!" "I can''t hear you!" "What?!" "What?!" "Hoh?!"


    The storm devours the trio, threatening to consume them whole. Icy winds battle against Aether and flames, slowly winning as the heavy tempest begins to snuff all attempts of conjuring a flame. Switching approach, Goldy releases his hold on the fire, instead grasping the storm and prying open the jaws of wind gnashing at them. "Rruhn!" He bellows, holding the storm at bay, even as his own fingers grow numb. Aleph sprints, barrelling through the snow ahead without stop. Bubbles of violet swirl around, forming their own small tempest as she charges towards the eye of the storm.


    The ground slopes down, and her charge continues. Ice begins to form around her claws, on the tip of her snout, and coating her wings, yet her charge continues undeterred. Claws grasp at stone beneath the snow, each step throwing herself forward until her feet meet... nothing.


    The ground vanishes beneath her, and as they fall the storm vanishes with it, leaving a wave of warmth to slam into them from below in its place. The sudden drop causes Goldy and Lyly to lose their grip, separating as they fall into the endless nothing surrounding them. Aether surges, pulling her companions back to her and, flap! Crack! She soars up with one powerful motion and sinks her claws into the ceiling. The hard stone barely gives, leaving her grip weak. Even Goldy fails to bend it, leaving them hanging precariously atop the endless ceiling of the boundless void around them.


    "When you said it was a big drop... I wasn''t expecting this."


    <hr>


    Lo''osa Eyoloyo''un


    One of three sky islands within Magnus Mundus, more commonly known as Losa Eyonon. It is unknown how long the island has been held in the sky, nor do we know the mechanism with which it is held. Visible from the eastern-most edge of the central continent, Losa Eyonon sits several kilometers in the sky, almost always coated in a layer of clouds. The island itself is only sometimes visible during hot years on clear days of the mid-season. Coating the base is the same brown stone found in the circular island it hovers above, leaving little to the imagination of where it comes from.


    The name Lo''osa Eyoloyo''un roughly translates to the broken island in the sky. Being so far from the central continent it becomes difficult to determine the history and culture surrounding the area. Additionally, its proximity to the eastern tundra limits the ability to send expeditions. What we do know, is that it predates the fourth great war, and thus most of our surviving history. If anyone is to remember, it would be the ancients, yet this is one of the topics known to be off limits. One ancient in particular, Divine Beast Caxhaniel, is known to make regular trips to the island during cold years, only returning to her frozen lands after an eightday.


    - Excerpt from Anya Chiff''s ''Shape of the World''

 Chapter 28: Falling... Falling... More Falling...

    Through the eyes of a dangling spider


    I wonder if Kirby would be a good nickname... She is kinda pink, and has that weird gravity, pulling ability. Would help if I''d ever actually seen Kirby, but still... Lyla hangs precariously by two legs from the dragon''s horns with a confidence held only by daredevils and wall-crawling critters. Her eyes are cast down, staring bored at the black void beneath them. The cavern is filled with a lukewarm steam, pushing in from the sides and filtering up through the hole they entered from. And what about Kong for the monkey? He is a king after all. Said monkey grips to the straps wound around the dragon, his eyes indicating he''s somewhat more shaken by the vast nothingness surrounding them.


    "Hey Lyly! So what now?" "Uh, I guess we just fall. It''ll take a while though, so maybe I should strap us in first." "Hoh..." Lyla pulls herself up and begins wrapping her threads around the dragon, this time being more thorough in giving the monkey place to rest. "How long exactly?" "Took me half a day to fall the whole way. Granted, this body of mine falls slower than you will, but it''s still gonna take a while." "Why does such a big hole even exist?" "No clue. Ask the Progenitor. He made the place." "The shadow guy?" "Yea, that''s what I''ve heard he looks... Wait! How do you know what he looks like?! You were just born!" "I remember him putting me in this body as a soul." Must be a time traveller thing... Or an eldritch thing. I''m still on the fence there.


    Lyla finishes her wrappings, nestling herself in a comfortable cocoon while the monkey lays strapped to the dragon''s back like a restrained criminal. "Well, we''ll be falling for a while, so we may as well set off now." "Hoh?" "Sure!" "Hah!" The dragon releases her claws, allowing the trio to plummet. Wind rushes by as they pierce downwards, the flat ceiling swiftly fading out of view to leave them falling through an endless black fog. "So how will I know when to start gliding again?" "I think the steam clears up pretty quick, maybe a couple hours into the fall? After that you''ll know when we''re close enough for the light to star filtering through the atmosphere." "That''s... Is this even a planet at this point?"


    Hmm, yea. This is gonna take a while. "I''m going to sleep. You guys can too, and I''ll wake us when we start getting close. Just nudge my legs or something if you need me."


    Through the eyes of an awkwardly bound monkey


    It would seem we are left to naught but our own thoughts. How long is a day? Must be long, based on their conversation. The warrior peers into the void. Nothing peers back. How lonely this must be to fall through alone. I should consider myself lucky to have companions on this journey. Though it would be nice if the bright one would bind me more... considerately.


    Through the eyes of a bored dragon


    What if I play a game? I could play... I spy? Aleph spys the void. Okay maybe not. How about charades? With who though? She peers at Goldy, who lays seemingly transfixed by the nothingness surrounding them. Granted, that''s mostly due to his head being tightly bound in place like the rest of his body. Okay maybe not him. He looks like he''s enjoying himself. How about Lyly? She raises her eyes, peering at the slumbering arachnid. She''s asleep... How did she say to wake her? Nudge her legs? If I move too much I might spin out of control... My tongue? It''s long enough, but what if she''s having a really nice dream? Hmm... What else can I do.


    Through the eyes of a ''sleeping'' spider


    "So it turns out dream demons are apparently real." ... ... ... "What?!" "Really?!" "I''ll never sleep again..." ... ... ... "Crazy stuff... How''s Alulen doing?" ... ... ... "He''s been better..." "Still sleeps a lot." "He made pie!" ... ... ... "Gah! Pie? You''ve gotta send me those feelings!" ... ... ... "Here!" ... ... ... "Hmmm, delicious. Dulcis pie is my favorite." ... ... ... "How''s the dragon?" "Oh, and the monkey!" "Any new friends?" ... ... ... "So many questions! Man, this latency sucks..."


    Through the eyes of an introspective monkey


    I am still yet to grasp this concept of a ''name''. There is something more to it than simply a description. The emissary appears to have assigned me the name Gol Dhee. I believe this to be an affectionate term, meant to show endearment. I quite like this name. And yet, the bright one refers to me by a different name. Thamon Khee. I believe this one to be more derisive, perhaps dismissive. Though her stance on me remains a mystery, and so I cannot be confident in that assessment.


    ''Tis strange though, that I possess two names. Should names be granted per individual? Must I create names for the emissary and the bright one? Perhaps I can simply continue to use the ones I already have been. I''m sure I''ll be told if this is in error.


    Through the eyes of a very bored dragon


    Now that I think about it... Doesn''t Goldy already have nicknames for us? I learned his language, which also happens to be similar to one I know, but I don''t know what Hinya Mul or Ho''mah means. So is Hinya just my nickname? How cute! I knew this human was a keeper! Or wait... was it monkey? I keep forgetting...


    Whatever, maybe I just need some sleep. Seems to be Lyly''s approach. She did say she''d wake me when we''re close. Though... If she''s asleep too how will she manage that? Oh well, I''m sure she has this all figured out.


    Through the eyes of a bored spider


    Ugh, it''s like this every time I jump down here... It takes so long! We''re not even a third of the way and I''m bored! Maybe the dragon''s up for a game? Nope. She''s asleep. Monkey? Staring deeply into the void... Maybe I should''ve given his head some freedom of movement...


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    What to do... I could try actually sleep? Though... Now I can''t seem to get the idea of a dream demon eating my soul out of my head. Scary...


    Through the eyes of a bored monkey


    Fascinating! I am beginning to make out shapes in the darkness!


    Through closed eyes


    <hr>


    I open my eyes. I''m somewhere... warm and dark. I press against the walls. I press harder. They break. I look at myself. I have fur... no, feathers. But they are yet to grow. I have- Ow! I was attacked? By what? By others... like me? They are... aggressive? Why? They attack me again. I have not yet figured out this body... I... I''m falling... I''m falling! I''m about to-


    <hr>


    "Uaaah! I''m falling!" "What?! What''s going on?! Why are we panicking?!" "Haah!" Oh wait... I''m supposed to be falling. "Ah, sorry. Bad dream." "..." "..." "..."


    "So... Are we close?" "It''s only been three hours. We''re not even half way." "Huu..." "I see... You guys wanna play a game?"


    <hr>


    A mere fifteen hours of falling through an endless cavern of pitch black nothingness, and finally, the void below begins to give way to a dim, blue glow. Compared to the hours of uniform stagnancy preceding it, the next few minutes prove positively vibrant. Faint blue slowly gradates, giving way to a pale white as the ground comes into view. Aleph flares her wings, the new stimulation proving euphoric after the hours of inactivity. She glides, arcing towards the large hole before her.


    She flies through the hole to the layer below, yet her glide proves too steep, the trio finding themselves careening into the rocky floor. Squelch! Flop. "Oh right... I forgot to mention that gravity gets noticeably heavier as we go down." "Thanks... Wait, heavier? Shouldn''t it be lighter?" "Well, it should actually be way heavier on the surface. Nobody really knows why gravity seems to be weaker than it should, except maybe the other divine beasts who won''t ever tell me a damn thing!" "Huh. Probably Mana. Or gods." "Eh. I''ve never been the religious type."


    Aleph stands, shaking off the slush covering her, and her still bound companions while she''s at it. Lyly squeezes out of her bundle of threads to begin slicing them all apart, freeing Goldy and offloading Aleph. "So, good news! I actually know where we are now, so we can just follow my usual path from here!" "Hoh!" "Yay!" "Bad news though, is that my usual path is me-sized..." "Hoh..." "Ah..." "Which is fine for traversing each layer since the monkey can just expand them, but may be an issue between layers where the rock gets tougher." "Hoh." "Hmm." "Okay, can you guys stop that? I''m trying to have a serious conversation here." "Shorree..." "Sorry..."


    "I could try compress myself to fit in smaller passages." "You can do that? Right! Of course! All dragons can change forms! Standard fantasy stuff!" "Yea, I''ll need more Aether though." "How much?" "At least ten times what I have to even consider it. Unlike my last upgrades I''ll have to rewire large parts of how my body functions for it to work. Otherwise I might explode." "Annuther is weird." "That''s just biology, not Aether." Aleph raises her head, surveying their surroundings. Above them lies a large crater in the ceiling, leading to the hole they entered through. Rivers of icy water cascade into waterfalls all along the edge of the hole, leading into further rivers and pools decorated with eddie''s of slush and ice.


    White orbs lay inset into the ceiling and pillars, pale vines spreading out and into the rock like ivy as they bake the cavern in bright light. Unlike the storm cores, these ones seem more organic making it difficult to determine whether they are artificial or biological. Small critters litter across the landscape, large blue insects skating between ponds while white lizards skitter around pillars to hunt similarly white moths and centipedes. Pale blue birds hang from the ceiling, their heads tilting as they regard the black, white, and gold interlopers standing out like a sore thumb.


    "How far would you get from eating the stuff in here?" "Not even worth one big rock lizard. Waste of time if we''re not hungry." "Well this layer is pretty tame, at least compared to super snakes and mountain lizards. Worth a look though."


    <hr>


    Nino and Lana


    Of the five celestials adorning our sky many would label Nino and Lana, our two suns, as perhaps the most divisive. For while it is our suns who give us life and grant us light, it is also these suns which slowly burn our world, turning once bustling forests and jungles into the harsh deserts which now claim a third of Magnus Mundus. Several studies have shown a strong correlation between longitude and favour of the suns, with those living in the southern deserts and savannas harbouring a greater fear and servitude in their mythology, while those in the north show more reverence and gratitude. It is worth noting though that many of these studies are either incomplete or exaggerated, in large part due to our historical enmity with inhabitants of the outer continent.


    There are many theories on the origins of the names Nino and Lana. The most popular theory posits that Lana, the white sun, was the sole original star within our sky and named after one of the old gods. It is then believed that interference from the gods, perhaps during an ancient war from before the calamity, is what created the red sun which was then named Nino after the god who formed it. A similar theory places Nino as the original, having been a white star like Lana only to be damaged in ancient times, and for the gods to create Lana to maintain the habitability of Ao.


    Native Maolas tribes tend to harbour their own theories, many bordering on religion. Many such tribes from the southern deserts of the outer continent claim that it was the mythical ruler of the labyrinth, or even the Progenitor, who named the stars, yet those from the eastern tundra equally claim that they were named after the Progenitor themself. Those hailing from other worlds tend to view these theories with scepticism, instead claiming that both suns must have always been there, and that all theories invoking gods and powerful displays of Mana are simply blind religion, attributing myth to nature. An understandable belief considering the nature of the world many of them hail from, yet we must not forget the fact that divine interference is a well documented and highly impactful part of all domains of Ao.


    It is worth noting, that the names Nino and Lana are incredibly old, dating back even before the great calamity. The earliest record of the terms comes from a metallic tablet discovered in an ancient ruin on the western coast of the outer continent. The tablet was written in an old dialect of Aoan, that which is still spoken by the ancients today, proving testament to the language''s long history. It is also of interest to many scholars, that of the five celestials Nino, Lana, Tao, and Vao are considered to have Aoan roots in their names. Yet the dwarf moon, Deorum Luna, or simply Luna, is very clearly Latin in origin. The theories on this are endless and deserving of their own book.


    - Excerpt from Anya Chiff''s ''Shape of the Skies''

 Chapter 29: Descend, eat, descend

    "Why did you bite it!" Thunk! "It has Aether!" Slam! "Could we not have come up with a plan first?! This thing is huge!" Chomp! "I did come up with a plan!" Thunk! "Oh do tell! What is this genius plan of yours!" Smack! "Bite it until it stops biting back!" Clonk! Aleph lands by Lyly and Goldy, facing off against a large lizard coated in white scales. Scars coat the beast, which easily eclipses the trio in combined size. Sharp fangs drip with hostility as it glares at its attackers with blank eyes. Small trickles of red drip from its tail, possibly related to why its currently pissed the hell off.


    Goldy slams his fist into his palm, glancing at his companions. "I punch?" He asks. "You are both banned from making plans! Okay, monkey, pin it with earth bending or whatever, then i can bind it and dragon can fini-" Crack! "Gah! Just go!" Goldy plunges his hands into the earth, flipping the ground like a table cloth to uproot the lizard. Grasping its tail he strains, gripping the ground with his feet as he slams it into the rocky ground. Lyly capitalises on its momentary stun to begin wrapping it in a tight cocoon of threads, completely immobilising it.


    Aleph walks up to the beast, writhing and screaming from within its restraints, and calmly swipes her Aether infused tail across its neck, severing the spine. Man... Natural organisms really have no redundancy. The fact I can be killed just as easily concerns me. I should work on removing my own weak points as soon as I have the Aether. "Hoh! Ffictory!" "Lunch!" "Don''t eat it raw! We have time to cook so we should!" "Cooking loses Aether though... It was your idea to hunt more so I could use Aether to fit in your tunnels." "Well... At least let me cook some of it." "Take any part except the head. I''ll have the rest." "Why not the head?" "Aether gathers where there''s a lot of will. Most creatures tend to think with their heads." "Huh... Tail it is then."


    Lyly cuts through the tip of the tail with her fangs, slicing off a portion while Goldy clears some land to start a fire. Meanwhile Aleph begins crunching away at the remainder... without stop. By the time Lyly and Goldy finish spit-roasting their tail cutting, Aleph has finished, easily downing three times her body weight in a matter of minutes. Both companions stare dumbfounded as she lays down with a content sigh.


    "Okay, so I know dragons are weird and have their own ''it''s a dragon'' logic to them at times... But what the fuck?! Where did all the extra mass go?!" Aleph lifts her head, tilting quizzically at the spider. "The stomach I was born with is basically just a high-powered furnace which decomposes matter into unbound energy and separates the existing pure energies from them. Anything I don''t need as nutrients just gets vaporised into energy, then probably turns into Mana or something." "Isn''t that inefficient? Why not turn it into oosoo." "I had to rewire it just to make it work with Aether in the first place. I simply don''t have the parts needed to do anything but extract what''s already clinging to it." "I see..."


    Goldy stares at the pair with utter confusion. "What language?" He utters, chewing on his portion of the tail. "Uh, Englin. Mostly..." The spider responds, nibbling on her own. "Goldy''s language lessons are coming along nicely. It''s only been-" "No! We''re not doing this again! I swear if you call the last five days five minutes or something..." "Is this about the twenty minutes thing?" "We fell for fifteen hours! How can you mistake that for twenty minutes! I even told you when two hours had passed!" "Huhuhu, ffery wrong." "I forgot okay! And I''m pretty sure I was asleep for most of it anyway..." "You were asleep for an hour tops. I''m starting to think your memory issues are just you forgetting things instead of amnesia." "You guys are mean..." "Huhuhu." "Fuehehe." "... Wehehe"


    As the trio finish their snickering they stand, dusting themselves off, and huddling together to plan. "So, do you think you can go mini yet?" "Three more like that lizard and I can." "I don''t think there''ll be many more apex predators in this place... Dammit, we''ll have to just find another way down that you can fit through and hope we don''t get lost." "Cool! Sleep first though." Fwomp! "You know... For someone with zero sense of time you have a remarkably accurate circadian rhythm." "Completely different matters." "In what universe..."


    <hr>


    "Monkey, do you have any butter?" "Mhutter?" "I don''t think butter will help here." "Well what ideas do you have then?" "Uh... Brute force my way through?" "I punch?" "I''m sorry for asking..." "Well, imma try it." "No wait-" Crunch! Crack! Shatter! Flop! "It worked!" Aleph stands, shaking off the pebbles and dust gathered atop her from forcing her way through a tight nook in the downward tunnel they are traversing. "Right... Not like that could cause a cave in or something." Lyly chitters in frustration as they resume their descent.


    "I held onto it with Aether just in case. And Goldy could dig us out if it did." "Now you see, that is a plan. If you''d told me that from the beginning I would''ve had no issues with it." "I thought it was obvious..." "You thought wrong! Okay, I''ll give it to you that I should''ve thought of Goldy there, but I don''t know how your entherr stuff works!" "It''s really good at pulling and reinforcing. Anything close to me can be affected easily enough." "Wait... Then how does that equate to changing your size? Are you pulling space or something?" "No. I just need enough Aether to see individual cells. Then I can manipulate those directly." "You''re insane. Clinically insane." "I''m perfect. Clinically perfect?"


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The trio step out into an open cavern on the next layer. Half-frozen slush covered streams and ponds give way to a bustling network of rivers and small waterfalls. A flock of red-feathered birds chase a swarm of tiny insects, soaring and gliding around creaks and through crevasses while the rivers teem with fish being hunted by an assortment of white lizards and... carnivorous sheep? Those things look tasty... "Hey, can we try cooking one of those sheep?" "Sheep? What''s that? Aren''t they the things you count to go to sleep?" "White fluffy things that get their heads stuck in fences." One of the nearby sheep pauses its fishing to look up at the trio, baring its gnarled, black fangs and hissing. "Wouldn''t they just eat the fence?" "Huh, good point. I wonder..."


    Aleph plods over to the sheep, swiftly separating it from its head. """Wreeee!""" The other sheep screech before elegantly galloping away like the majestic, fluffy beings they are. I feel like something is different, but I can''t put my claw on it... "Wanna cook it? I think they''re tasty." "You should really adopt an ask first, kill later policy..." Lyly chitters as she and Aleph begin preparing the sheep, draining, gutting, and slicing it while Goldy starts the fire. The scent of cooking meat fills the cavern, attracting scavengers and small predators who Aleph simply shoos away. No use eating something with so little Aether. Unless it''s tasty!


    With Goldy in charge of the cooking, the sheep is diced into chunks and steaks by liberally using Aleph''s tail as a kitchen knife, and cooked with mushrooms and plants found nearby and brought from above. There may even be a bit of moss sprinkled in there. A full course meal is served. Mutton steaks with mutton stew and a side of mutton chops. Of course, served with a random assortment of cooked, probably poisonous plant-life which could kill a human ten times over. Though this of course does not apply to freaky dragons, invincible spiders, and monkeys who were literally born here.


    Through the eyes of a master mutton chef


    "Huhuhu." Gol Dhee chuckles, a tinge of pride in his eyes as the emissary savours the stew melting upon her tongue. For the glutton to savour a meal is the greatest compliment I could receive. I must practice my cooking, learn more methods to elicit culinary euphoria. Perhaps in doing so I can even glean new insights into strength. He takes a sip of his portion, drinking in the flavour and letting it linger. Perhaps more seasoning is required? I shall experiment when I have the chance.


    The trio finish their meal, satisfied faces all around. Gol Dhee stands, taking a look at their surroundings. To think such a beautiful domain could exist, so far below. This place teems with life, flowing water coating the world as far as the eye can see. It is as if I am within the stories of old, exploring where the ancestors have been. This place... It must be the very source of all water, what they once called the ocean! To follow in the footsteps of the revered ancestors... Truly, what an honour! With a prideful huff he sets off, his companions shooting a confused glance at his confidence.


    "Where to Ho''mah?" "You''re still calling me that? What does that even mean?" "I think it''s just a nickname." "Odd nickname... Well anyway, I think we can just follow the rivers from here. Should lead down somewhere." "What happened to following your route?" "I remembered what''s on the next floor..." "Hoh? I am cur-"


    ""Wreeee!""


    An unholy screech billows through the cavern, shattering the water surface of the surrounding rivers. Thud! Thud! Thud! Heavy footfalls sound in the distance, accented by a growing rumbling as the source of the sound approaches. "A mmeast affroaches!" "You really need to work on your ''b''s and ''p''s!" "Do you think this one is tasty?" "We just ate!" "Such gluttony..." The thuds grow louder, the surrounding wildlife fleeing from the oncoming stampede. "It sounds like a lot of them... Should we run?" "No way! It has a ton of Aether!" "I dzesire a mmattle!" "Of all the companions... Why these two?"


    Crack! A wave of air slams against them as the beast arrives, a small crater left where it landed. Covered in a thick layer of light-grey fur and adorned with two flat-shaped horns the beast stands tall, towering over the trio as its black fangs drip with malice. "I knew we should''ve thought first..." Crack! Another lands. Crack! And another. "Aleph... I blame you for this." "Understandable."


    <hr>


    Entry 5


    I have forgotten how long it has been since I came down here. Even the reason I''m here begins to elude me, though I at least remember it was by request of my master. Should''ve written it down really. Regardless, I have come a long way since my entrance into these caverns. My growth in body and character alone have made this journey worthwhile. After all, I never before would have imagined I would ever encounter something bigger than Avilar himself and live to tell the tale.


    Right now, I have managed to ascend back to the spider graveyard. I believe it is here where the corrupting energy begins to truly bare its fangs, as I have witnessed several seemingly healthy critters, not just spiders, perish from the ambience alone. Though this place has few beasts for me to train against, it may prove a suitable location to meditate given the quiet atmosphere, though the smell could prove problematic. Perhaps here I can finally gain one of the key insights my master spoke of, though whether that would even help me, given my inability to use Mana, is uncertain.


    Regardless, even just bathing in a lighter form of the energy should hopefully help me build a resistance to it. Failing this I will simply continue to ascend further in hopes of discovering a different method of conquering the greater depths.


    - Unlabelled Journal

 Chapter 30: The cultivator?

    Interlude from the surface. Through the eyes of a cultivator


    A tall man stands at the precipice of a swirling blue vortex, watching as it shifts form into a pure white surface, emitting a subtle glow. Blue robes flutter in the gentle breeze emanating from the portal, white symbols and patterns scattered along the fabric in a gentle tapestry. He approaches the vortex, his golden hair brushing behind his shoulders as he walks. Briefly turning around, he scans his surroundings, bringing his hand to stroke his well trimmed beard before returning his focus to the portal.


    Forming a growing red orb from within his hands he tosses it behind, then steps forward, allowing the white plane to consume him whole. The world bends, up becoming down, becoming left, becoming right. The man''s eyes flicker, darting around to drink in every detail of the experience before the world shifts once again, and he steps out into a large, domed building adorned with mosaics on the ceiling and light-grey stone tiles patterned across the floor.


    The hall bustles with life, people exiting from the series of portals embedded in the centre pillar, gathering and mingling together as old friends and new acquaintances meet. Most are human, yet many show unfamiliar traits. Long ears, short and stocky statures, animal fur and body parts. Yet the ones who draw his attention the most are the guards, some human but most a completely strange and unfamiliar type of being. Adorned in white fur poking through their plated armour, their faces long and tipped with whiskers. Instead of weapons, they bare four long, segmented claws at the ends of their lithe arms which seem to almost drag their bodies into a hunch as they brush near to the floor.


    Behind him, two such guards regard him with confusion, glancing between him and the portal which flickers between a perfect mirror and a featureless white plane before abruptly cutting off into nothing. The man meets the gaze of the confused guards, staring into their black eyes with a warm, welcoming smile. "Alo! Alo''oras soh aosan?" One of the guards asks the man in an alien, whispery tongue. With practised fluency the man places his hand behind his head, scratching awkwardly at his head as he chuckles. "Apologies friend! Do you speak English?"


    "Ennlish?" The guard responds with an irritated twitch of its snout. "Minino''Ennlish lus aosan?" The guard asks its companion, who shakes its head with a frustrated huff. "Ao''Ennlish lolus. Sosoalus lushoshi aolohn." Both guards converse, pointing between the man and the portal as their frustration grows and their gestures begin to appear ever more aggressive. The man''s hand shifts, twitching ever closer to the sword on his back until, "Cease." A hand clasps his wrist from behind, a broken yet clear voice speaking perfect English. Turning around, the man stands face to face with the person... the thing gripping his arm. A formless creature, barely reminiscent of the human form, coated in a shifting array of colours which refuse to maintain any sense of pattern.


    "Greetings!" He addresses the entity. "I take it you speak English?" "Why are you here?" It responds, still tightly gripping his arm. "Same reason as anyone else here. Though I find it intriguing that you would ask why I''m here before asking who I am. Should I take it that you already know?" The entity remains stationary for a short moment, lacking any features which would betray its thoughts. "No." It responds. "I see." The man grins, his welcoming smile returning in full. "Well you may call me Xu. I am the sole representative of the Quiet River sect for this year''s Reverence Festival."


    Xu''s hand is released as the entity steps around him, conversing with the guards in their strange tongue. Raising its hand, it waves over a pair from the back of the gathering crowd, a short lady in fancy robes and a walking fantasy trope. "Oh woe is me! That I would be randomly selected among all these people to help translate a conversation! I guess I''ll just have to do it then." The lady announces, waving her hand dramatically over her face as she scooches her way through the crowd, her companion squeezing through behind her with his entourage of clich¨¦s.


    Scratching his beard inquisitively, Xu greets the pair with a polite bow. "I take it you''re to be my mediators?" He asks, his eyes briefly flicking over to the departing entity. "Yea, I speak both English and Aoan. And Englin for good measure. Crazy how that guy just happened to know, right?" She replies, her eyes darting around in the least inconspicuous manner possible. "Indeed... Might I ask what seems to be the trouble? I''ve only just stepped through and these fine guards seem quite displeased with me." "Uh, yea. I think they were expecting more than just one of you. It seems kinda suspicious having just one guy come through alone you know? Not to mention that weird flickering of the portal."


    "Oh? I didn''t realise you could see the portal from back there." "..." "Hm?" "I have really good eyes." "So I see." He chuckles. "As for my lack of an entourage, I will have to apologise on behalf of my sect. We have run into a snag dealing with an incredibly dangerous individual, I believe his name is Faux. Is that name familiar to you?" "Um, no nope definitely not! Never heard of this foo guy, not me!" She responds ''eloquently'' with a strained grin. Xu smiles back in response, a slight glint in his eye. "No matter. Suffice to say, we are spread thin searching for this criminal and so we elected to send me, one of the sect elders, to take part in place of our usual contingent. As for the portal, we were experiencing technical difficulties after Faux damaged it. We were able to send me, but further transport was deemed unsafe until repaired."


    "Right... Uh, let me just say all that to the guards quick... How does one even say sect in Aoan?" As she turns to address the guards, the stereotype grabs her attention, sharing whispers before she returns to addressing the guards. Xu''s focus is taken by the boy, who holds out his hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you, I''m Auvic. I take it you''re from Earth too?" Xu reciprocates the gesture, gripping Auvic''s hand firmly. "Ah, so that''s how it is. I had heard there were many other-worlders in this domain. I suppose that was more than simple rumour." Auvic''s grip hardens, Xu lifting an eyebrow in response. "Say, you''re pretty strong friend. What say we share pointers?" "Share... pointers?" "Uh, it''s a Wuxia thing, I''m asking for a sparring match." "You''re what?!" The girl shouts, promptly crumpling into an introverted puddle as the entire crowd stares at her. "Why are they still here...?"


    "Auvic, I must advise against this. He is most certainly stronger than you." A shrill voice speaks, the doll-like creature on the boy''s shoulder twisting to peer at him. "Aww, you do care for me." He coos... to the freaky abomination on his shoulder. "It''ll be fine. It''s just a sparring match. Right?" "Haha, I can''t say I''m too interested in a fight." "You sure? It''ll just be in good fun." "Fighting isn''t my thing." "Ah yes, I''m sure that sword on your back is just decoration." "Fighting strangers isn''t my thing." "Then tell me. Why has your grip only been getting stronger?"


    Xu''s smile falters for but a moment, a hint of disappointment in himself leaking through as he releases the boy''s hand with a sigh. "Very well then. A sparring match it is. Lead the way." "Great! Ghost! Could you lead the way?" "Now he knows my name... Fanfuckingtastic..." She grumbles, scooching her way through the crowd again to lead them outside.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The city outside bustles with activity, streams of people flowing between dome-shaped stone buildings while horseless carriages, not quite cars, steadily ride through. The sky above is painted blue and red by the rising suns, the red star lagging below the horizon shortly behind the white star. Dull, grey orbs adorn the air-space above the city, lightly bobbing with the wind, yet remaining tethered to their spots. Breathing in, one can smell the densely packed scent of a vibrant city, the grit of the stone being trod upon, the sweetness of fresh ingredients being carried to stalls, the rich warmth of a restaurant serving an influx of tourists.


    Ghost leads them to a flat, stone field surrounded by thick walls. "Here... They made this place for exactly this kind-of situation, so you can go wild. Just... make it quick, will you? I''ve gotta meet my girlfriend in... Well actually I''m already late, so just hurry it up." "Funfun, don''t worry. It''ll be quick. Here, hold Sil while I fight." "Wait, what? No... What, um..." "Greetings young one." "I''m fucking afraid." Auvic takes stance near the field centre, his fancy-as-fuck sword caked in a random assortment of jewels and precious metals held out in front. Xu remains calm, hands at his side as he stands tall and confident. "Ready when you are" He beckons the boy. "If you insist."


    Auvic vanishes, no trace of his former position left, no sound as he steadily approaches, nor even the shifting of dust beneath his feet. Yet his qi remains clear, a blatant marker of his position. As the boy readies to strike, Xu steps forward, breaking his stance while grasping the approaching sword in one hand and his throat in the other. The invisibility shatters, the qi fuelling it rejecting its directive. "Not bad." Xu praises. "What? Not subtle enough for you?" The boy chuckles, pulling away the dagger poised at Xu''s heart. "But these tricks are hardly worth anyone''s time. Show me what you''re hiding. That power you try to mask with qi." Auvic''s eyes widen, before pressing into a grin. "Funfunfun... Guess you aren''t so indifferent after all."


    They take stance once again, Xu remaining relaxed while Auvic closes his eyes. The qi coating the boy fades away, replaced by something unseen, unknown. Xu exhales, his eyes flickering closed for the briefest moment, and the boy is in front, sword already plunging towards his throat. Xu spins, pivoting on the ball of his foot as he swipes back, the air cracking as his strike shatters the sound barrier. Yet his attack hits nothing, the boy having shifted unseen to attack from below. Xu kicks, his leg plunging through Auvic''s chest, yet not a single drop of blood is spilled as he appears to simply phase through.


    He dodges the oncoming strike by a hair''s breadth, jumping back to widen the gap. His eyes flicker around the arena, searching for any sign of trickery, and they land on Ghost, her eyes closed tight. Xu grins, his eyes returning to Auvic who has once again closed the gap. The boy knocks him to the ground, sword held to his throat. "Quite impressive. It seems this fight is yours." Auvic leans in. "You''re still holding back on me. Do you need more motivation, Faux Tales?"


    Xu chuckles. "Quite the accusation there. I can assure you though, I am not Faux. What makes you think otherwise?" Xu''s hand presses against the blade, pushing the pointlessly opulent instrument away from his throat. "Well you see-" "Don''t tell him our plan idiot! We''re not some comic book villains who need to exposit at every waking moment!" "Well I was going to regale him with some fantasy about how I Sherlocked his identity from bullshit cues, but telling him it was a team effort like that works too." "Fuck... This is why I always work alone..."


    With a sigh, Xu grasps Auvic''s wrist pressing his qi against the boy''s entire body as he wraps around and reverses the pin, his own hand now pressing against his throat. "Well this has been quite fun, but I must insist on leaving soon. I am quite busy you see. Though... I am quite curious about your abilities. You perform techniques without qi, using an energy I cannot perceive. How does one acquire this power?" "It is of little interest to you, young one." The doll speaks up. "This is a power I granted the boy with my own capabilities. Not something achieved through a feat you could replicate." "You lie, doll. I can sense enough to know your two energies differ. This is a power of his own." "Don''t call her that!" "He''s technically correct, you know." "Hey... At least let me be protective of the one I love..." "You love this thing?! Ah, no offence..." "None taken."


    Snap! Xu''s vision is disturbed as a small shock-wave brushes against him, his qi being pushed away by a force unknown. Grasping at the fabric now hanging loose below him, Xu turns to meet Auvic''s strike from behind. Hand grasps blade and dagger presses against palm, both blades being redirected towards their owner''s throat as a wave of qi presses against him, until both parties are tugged away from their bout. "That''s enough of that boys." A large figure booms, her voice instilled with a tremendous intent. Muscles cascade from the intruding arm, her grip unrelenting as she shoves them apart.


    A mountain of bulk looms over them, easily above three metres in height and enough muscle to out-weigh everyone present. Arms capable of crumpling bone like wrapping paper and a torso built like a freight-train, the only way to adequately describe her... Yoked to fucking oblivion. "Ari!" Ghost shouts, dashing over. "Ghost!" The behemoth replies, stepping forward to meet her charge and flick her on the forehead. "Ow!" "You''re late." "But-" "Excuses later. You! Lanky!" Xu meets her gaze, standing tall as he returns to a welcoming smile. "Do you need something?"


    "Yahahahaha!" She bellows, slapping her toned thigh hysterically. "Look at this guy! What a charmer he thinks he is!" Her hands clasp together, a wave of air bursting forth and leaving behind an obedient silence, not a single breeze allowed through the oppressive force bearing down on the arena. "Xu, was it? I hear you''re the stand-in for our good friends in the Qing domain. Good for you. Tell me, how''s the real Xu doing? Has he regrown the leg I broke off last we met?" "Xu is a common name you know." The earth stirs, steam slowly seeping forth from the ground as her hands clench together. "Oh, of course. And I''m sure there are plenty of sect masters who happen to be called Xu, and would come here without any of their disciples."


    The ground boils, rock becoming red, becoming white as even the air begins to glow from the heat pooling around them. Everyone exits the arena, pushed away by the intense heat, except for Xu who remains tranquil within his bubble of calm as if rejecting the pandemonium around him. "You didn''t really think we wouldn''t notice you, Faux." Her gaze turns hostile, her intent alone causing the boiling rock below to tremble. "But hey!" The hostility vanishes, the heat fading to a pleasant warmth as the arena returns to its former state, cleaner if anything. "Criminal or no, it''s no sweat off my back. So long as you don''t make any problems for me in this fine festival I''m managing you can stay. Maybe you''ll even enjoy yourself, have some nice food, hell you can even attend the dive. I really don''t care."


    "But if you do cause problems... I''ll have to file out a really long report so just fucking don''t." Faux''s eyes remain locked on the behemoth, a good natured smile adorning his face. "Well, I wouldn''t want to cause a scene." He responds with a polite nod. "I''m simply here on something of a holiday you see. I doubt I will prove of any concern to you or the residents of this fine city. If I do, you have my word I will not allow it to escalate to the point of your notice." "Yea yea. Just get outta my sight. I know better than to listen to the words of a psycho. Oh, and a fair word of warning. Cause a scene, and it won''t be me who comes for you, but someone far stronger." "Noted." He declares, departing to the main city with a bow.

 Chapter 31: Sheep-ish

    Gold


    Thoom! Thoom! Gol Dhee thrums his chest, challenging the beast before him. "Wreee!" The creature wails in response, charging forth with black fangs bared in full. Glorious! Finally, a worthy fight!


    Cyan


    Wait... Why are we all fighting one-on-one again? Oh right, the bet! Stupid monkey... Whatever, I''ll show him! "Come at me fool! Let me show you just how much of a mistake challenging me is!" Lyla is promptly ignored, her sheep instead making to charge the dragon. Okay now it''s personal!


    Violet


    Are the bigger sheep any tastier? I think in most worlds things with a lot of Mana get tastier, so these ones should be really nice. They have a lot of Aether too. The most I''ve seen beside the orbs and death vines. Aleph ponders to herself, meeting her sheep in a stare-down. The beast holds its ground, seemingly unwilling to challenge the predator before it head on.


    Cyan


    "Fuahaha, take that! Not so ignorable now, am I?!" Lyla declares, having bound the beast''s front legs together. "Screeee!" The beast billows, a shock-wave of air bursting forth. "Iiiiii!" Lyla squeals as she''s blown into the distance.


    Gold


    Crack! The ground shatters beneath as Gol Dhee catches the beast''s charge, grasping its horns as he matches its strength with his own. His strength proves insufficient however, as the beast presses forward, the ground buckling around his feet, even as he instils essence to reinforce the stone. With a wide grin he slams his foot, beckoning a pillar of earth to push him up and over the beast. From above he spins, coating his fist in flames as he winds up a strike and... slips off its fur, having never made contact with its hide. What?


    Cyan


    Lyla skitters back to the sheep, still contending with its bound feet as shock-waves and blades of wind circle the agitated beast. Uh, now what? I could just wait for it to exhaust itself I suppose... But if I take too long I might lose the bet. Hm... Okay, new plan...


    Gold


    Gol Dhee strikes again, his fist charging the beast''s side. Yet once again his attack slips off the fur, leaving it unharmed. There must be a trick, a mechanism with which it defends. But what? Gol Dhee grasps the earth, flinging a wave of stones at the beast. Ducking its head, it lets the stones strike, each one sliding harmlessly off its fur. The head is its weak point, yet also its greatest weapon. A single mistake could lead to my death, so I cannot be careless. What else? Leaping over its charge, he lands in a river, grasping the water and firing a torrent at the beast. As the water reaches its fur it spins, twisting and fading away. I see!


    Violet


    Aleph wags her tail, having won her third staring contest in a row with the sheep. This is kinda fun! And clearly the sheep is enjoying it too, since its challenging me to another. The sheep glares, brushing its foot against the ground as if about to charge, yet it never does. I wonder how the others are doing. We''re doing one-on-ones right? Why are we doing it like that again? Oh well, if it''s important I''ll remember, surely.


    Gold


    Gol Dhee leaps, soaring over the beast and he grasps the air, wrestling control of the wind around the beast. Yet it refuses his call. As I thought, the beast coats itself in winds to blow away attacks! Perhaps I can learn from this? Though for now, I must counter it.


    Cyan


    "Ultimate technique! Uh... What did I call it again? Hm... Oh whatever." Lyla tugs at the threads she scattered around the sheep, pulling it tight as it wraps together into a net around her victim. Winds buffet the fibres, but are only able to delay the inevitable as they close in around it. As soon as a thread touches one strand of fur, the beast''s fate is sealed, now wrapped in a tight cocoon of white strings. "Fuahaha victory is mine! Though... How do I kill it?"


    Violet


    Okay, this is starting to get boring now. It seems ten staring contests is about the limit before things start to get ridiculous. Good to know. Aleph stands, giving herself a stretch and a shake as the beast takes a step back. Flaring her Aether, she grips the environment, stretching her wings out and lowering her stance. And she charges.


    Cyan


    "Bastard! Stop that already!" Lyla yells as she dangles from a thread, trying to crawl along it to reach her foe. A torrent of wind attacks her, desperately pushing her away as she refuses to forfeit her approach. "Just let me kill you! Is that so much to ask?!" Lyla pauses for a moment, rethinking her words. "Wait, am I a villain? Cool!"


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    Gold


    Wind is pulled and churned, forming a vortex around Gol Dhee. His foe charges, baring its black fangs wide as it lunges for him. Swiping his arms, Gol Dhee directs the torrent towards the beast, catching its charge and lifting it high above him. With it in the air he grasps the earth, pulling out a spire of stone and stabs it above, the blow meeting its descent. The coat of wind pushes back, but the spire, assisted by Gol Dhee''s strength and the weight of his foe''s fall, is able to pierce through and claim the beast''s heart.


    Cyan


    "Gah, dammit! You leave me no choice!" Lyla complains, unable to progress further under the torrent of air pushing her back. "I don''t exactly have the Mana for this, but here goes. Killer technique! Ice... spike... something or other, okay I swear I have really cool names for these!" Mana bursts forth, coagulating above her and pulling moisture from the air as it forms a thin spear of ice. The air cracks as it fires through, cutting through the wind with intense speed and piercing directly through the sheep''s skull.


    Lyla falls limp to the ground, her opponent collapsing alongside her. Ugggh, Mana deprivation sucks... Did I win though? Wearily shuffling her body around she turns to peer at the monkey, who stands atop his foe, thrumming his chest and howling manically. Well I''m not first... Am I at least second? She turns to see the dragon. Oh shi-


    Violet


    Aleph meets the sheep head-on, bashing her head against its own with enough force to fracture its skull. Dazed, the beast stumbles back, only to be stopped as Aleph grips its neck with her teeth. Infusing Aether into her whole body, she twists, throwing it high into the air. Crack! She leaps after, soaring above it and slamming down with her tail at the apex of their ascent. The bladed appendage cuts through the beast''s hide, shoving away the Mana attempting to coat it with ease as it is sent plummeting to the ground.


    A final desperate attempt at defence escapes the beast, firing a powerful shock-wave of air to break its fall, knocking Goldy off his podium and sending Lyly flying... again. The attempt proves fruitless however, as Aleph flaps her wings and shoots down, landing atop the beast with enough force to generate a shock-wave of her own.


    Lifting her foot out of the puddle that was once a neck, Aleph walks over to Goldy, who stands up bearing an unreadable expression. "Where''s Lyly?" Goldy looks around, closes his eyes and waves his hands a little, then points over to a nearby hill where a limp fuzzball lays groaning. Trotting over to the unmoving fluff-nugget she boops her with her snout. "Heeey. Are you dead? Do I need to go on a vengeance arc against all sheep?" "Uugh... Who even taught you that? And I''m fine, just out of Mana." She chitters, too spent to speak through her threads. "Huu?" Goldy scratches his head, confused by the unfamiliar chitters. "She says she''s fine. Just tired." "Hoh!"


    Aleph lifts Lyly atop her perch and waddles back to the sheep. "Should we eat again?" "You lost the bet. You have to cook them now." "Bet? Oh, right! Forgot about that." "Um... You can cook... right?" "Of course! My cooking is perfect! You''ll see." "Sure..." Aleph lays Lyly by Goldy and begins dragging the sheep corpses together. "We just ate, so I''ll prepare the big one and eat the others myself." "I think even just the one will be too much. We don''t need to preserve for the next floor since there''s plenty of food there, so just make enough for a meal then eat the rest like you always do." "Works for me!"


    Stepping over to the target sheep, Aleph ponders. What to make? What can I make? Let''s see... Past lives... The earliest one I remember had some nice dishes. But I had four hands then, and I have none now... There was that one where I was a cat, but we just ate things raw... I was a snake once. It''s amazing the things you can make without limbs. But that body was vegetarian. I don''t know any meat dishes from that. I can''t remember the lives I can''t remember yet, so they''re off the table. What about my more recent lives? I have a few fragments from those to work with. Hmm, let''s see... I think I have an idea.


    Aleph sets to work, cutting some parts of the sheep into thin slices with her tail and grinding others into balls. What do we have left in the pouches? Anything to season with maybe? She slips out of the harness wrapped around her and peers inside. Hm... Weird mushroom, weird plant... I think this one is just mould... Oh well. I''m pretty sure seasoning is optional anyway. Returning to her preparations, she slices and grinds more meat. Now for the hard part. I don''t have hands for this but I should have enough Aether to just lift it. Pushing Aether into the prepared meat she pulls it into the air, pressing and shaping it into a disk which she tops with slices of meat, and sprinkles with more meat. Perfect! Now I cook it.


    Carrying it over to her companions, who sit by a newly prepared campfire, she settles down and hovers the meal over the flames. "Something seems familiar about this... And since when could you use telekinesis?" "I''ve always been able to do this. I just haven''t had enough Aether for it to be useful." "Huh... So how strong were you originally?" "Hmm... Well I''ve been steadily remembering each attempt in order, but I can''t remember my first. At all. And I think it needs to stay that way." "Well that sounds suspicious... Are you sure you aren''t just being manipulated by some eldritch giga-freak to think that way?" "Scary thought, but you could say that about anyone." "Yea, but not just anyone has conveniently organised memory loss like you."


    She does have a point... Oh well. I''m pretty sure it''s fine. Not like sending myself into a spiral of self doubt and confusion will help me at all. As the meal finishes cooking, Aleph slices it into three parts and distributes it. "I knew it! Why would you make pizza out of meat!" "You know about pizza?" "Of course! They sell these everywhere! But you''re supposed to use bread for the base and cover it in sauce and cheese! Not just meat all around!" "Huh... Thought I was forgetting something. Oh well, tastes fine to me." "Just leave cooking to us from now on." "Agreed." "... Meanies."


    <hr>


    Entry 76


    I have returned to the magma pool. I believe this floor is one of the 70s, though without my journals it is hard to keep track. I intend to spend some time here training. Perhaps if my body can adapt to handle the intense heat and toxic air I could endure the miasma below. I would also like to try some of the crystal darts that inhabit this layer again. I wonder if they would taste even sweeter combined with the sky-fanged spider I brought from below.

 Chapter 32: Splash

    Through the eyes of a stunned spider


    "So small!" "Ffery tiny. Muchly cute!" Lyla stand eye to eye with the now micro-sized dragon, having scaled down overnight to fit through tighter passages. "I know you said you could shrink yourself, but I was expecting monkey-size, not me-size! You even made your horns shorter and less pointy!" "Well it seemed appropriate. And now that I can manipulate my DNA I''m much less restricted in what I can do. Still slow though." "Dhee... Enay?" "Really small stuff. I''ll explain later. But that''s insane! Is it an ongtherr thing?" "No, you can do it with Mana. In fact many magic systems will have some level of DNA manipulation built in."


    The dragon clambers up the monkey, settling on his shoulders as Lyla begins leading the way through ariver-carved tunnel. "You know, for someone who loves uthir so much you sure seem to know a lot about Mana." "Well of course. Mana is really cool, and easy for people to use." "Then why didn''t you attune to it. You know, like your body was designed to do." "It''s icky." "Your logic never ceases to impress..." The tunnel shifts and turns, stretching and compressing as they crawl their way through., following the stream of water below. Walls turn red, then grey, signifying their transition past the dense rock between layers.


    Even the monkey struggles to fit through some of the tight crevasses as they make their way down. Gradually, the sound of trickling water beneath them begins to be overwhelmed by the crashing of waves further below. Lyla reaches the mouth of the tunnel, peering down the sheer drop below. "Okay, so we need to be careful and-" The monkey slips on a wet rock, out to prove its slippery worth to the world. Smack! Tumble. "Haaa!" ... ... Sploosh!


    The dragon stands up, having fallen to the side before his plummet. "That''s a lot of water. Should we help him?" "I''m sure he''s fine." "Can he swim? I don''t see him." "Shit..."


    Through the eyes of a submerged monkey


    Never before have I been submerged in such depths. It is so... tranquil. A contrast to the chaotic motions of the surface. I could grasp the water, pull myself out, yet... I feel as though I lay on the precipice of an insight. A greater understanding of something vital to myself, surrounded by all of this water. A black, scaly figure plunges into the depths above him, swimming his way. I suppose I should not keep my companions waiting. My insight can come another day.


    Pulling at the water, he forms a torrent around himself, lifting him and the emissary to the surface where he proceeds to sit atop the waves. Truly... How can such quantities even exist? Water stretches across the horizon, dancing and crashing in a chaotic medley of waves around the giant pillars of red stone holding the sky in place. "Ho''mah." He addresses the bright one, who floats atop the water surface. "I see no route. Is this the greatest depth of this world?" "Uh, no. Not even close." Tremendous! The world truly is vast! "Then how shall we descend? I cannot breathe the waters." "Uh... A few ways." "Can we get to one of those pillars first? This body is hard to swim with." The emissary interjects, her head barely surfacing as she desperately paddles.


    "Allow me!" Gol Dhee declares, crouching atop the water and grasping the waves. Pulling the water forward with steady motions he carries the trio towards the nearest pillar. Palms rhythmically plunge into the water one after the other, sliding the water surface like a sheet as they ride atop. "How nostalgic! I haven''t wave skated like this since my son was a child!" "Looks like fun! Maybe I''ll give it a try later." "Eh. I could totally do this with a more Mana efficient body." Upon reaching the pillar, the trio hop up, latching to the wall and climbing to a flat platform along the wall.


    "Ah, much better. Now I can address the problems we have." The bright one announces, settling atop the emissary''s back. "This doesn''t really work that well with you so small..." "Sorry." "Well, anyway. We have a problem. As far as I''m aware, every dry route down to the next layer is barely big enough for even me to fit in. So unless the monkey suddenly develops shrinking powers too, we''re stuck." "What of the waters? Are there no paths within the depths?" "No clue. Don''t know if you''ve noticed, but I float so I''ve never seen down there. Besides, even if we can keep my body underwater I doubt any of us could breathe."


    Gol Dhee sits, scratching his chin as he ponders the predicament. "Are there no other paths among the pillars?" "There probably are. In fact, there have to be. Pretty much every divine beast I know of has made the full descent at one point or another, so there has to be some way down large enough for us to pass through. But we could be here for years searching with how big this place is. I would be fine with that, but of course miss-speedrunthemostdangerouslabyrinthintheworld here probably has some things to say about that. In fact... Why aren''t you saying anything? I was expecting some crazy reveal about one of the absurd things you do with your oothin stuff by now."


    "Oh, sorry. I was distracted." The emissary responds, raising her head from where she had been staring, fixated on the ground. "By what? A rock?" "No... You know how I can see Aether? And how really old and strong-willed stuff tends to have a lot?" "Uh, yea? I remember something along those lines at least." "Well, this ocean seems to be littered with Aether. Practically a buffet really." "Ah yes. I''m sure that looks just divine to you..." "That''s not what got my attention. There''s so much Aether there it should be obscuring my ability to see past it like a wall. But even deeper, there''s something... Something with more Aether than anything I''ve seen in this labyrinth so far. And with the way it''s focused I''m willing to bet it''s attuned." "Attuned as in?" "Like me. A being with Aura attuned to Aether and able to use it."


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    "How does Aether equate to one''s strength? You claim all beings possess it. Do I have it too?" The emissary tilts her head, taking a moment to consider her answer. "It doesn''t. Not really. Aether just tends to stick to things really well, and is attracted to expressions of will through Aura. The really big rock lizard had almost none though." "Such an ancient beast? But how?" "Yea, your logic doesn''t add up there. If it''s old it should have a lot." "Well it had a lot of Mana, so it probably purged all of the Aether clinging to it at some point. You both could probably benefit from doing the same, since it tends to interfere with Mana a bit."


    Is this a potential avenue for strength? I wonder how much I could benefit from greater control over my essence... "Well... That was a fun, and slightly unsettling, distraction." The bright one says, evidently trying to wipe away the Aether. "You actually have a lot. More than the death vines and the sheep combined." "Well thank-you for not trying to eat me at least..." "You''re welcome!" "What of I?" "Eh, so-so. You have as much as one of the sheep." "I see... Then my will is lacking!" "Or you''re just young." I must enhance my training. I have seen no beasts in this domain, so I shall instead focus on technique. Enhance and develop my skills so I may remain an asset to this group.


    "Can we get back on topic now? I can''t swim, the monkey can''t shrink, so how do we proceed?" "Well, now that I have this much Aether I can do pretty much anything within my skillset, only limited by my range and speed. Gills would be too big of a change, but I can enhance my breathing to hold it in for a long time. If I find a route underwater, then Goldy can form a bubble around us and I can quickly swim us to the next layer." "Hoh! I am fond of this plan!" "Eh, sure. Sounds good to me. I guess in the worst case we''ll have to explore anyway, so we can just search one pillar at a time until we''re lucky."


    "Great! I''ll start working on modifying my internal organs again!" "I shall begin my training. I have much to improve." "I''ll uh... Figure out something to do!"


    Through the eyes of a meditating dragon


    Okay, let''s get started. First things first, I need to grip my entire body. Aether surges through Aleph''s body, filling her limbs, grasping everything from her scales, down to her cells, and even down to the atom. A violet glow permeates her body, even outshining Lyly as it reflects off her scales into a shimmering array of spotlights which oscillate and shift as she breathes. Now then... I''ll start by pulling my body back to its normal size. Reducing my weight like this is a distraction I don''t need. Her body is tugged, flesh and fibre unwound from the dense knots they were wrapped in as she grows, returning to her natural scale.


    Next up is efficiency. I no longer need the extra redundancy I created last time, so one layer of scales, leaner muscles, and more dense bones are next. Scales are pulled apart and muscles are consumed, breaking them down to their core parts and using them to thicken the remaining scales, pack her muscles with more efficient fibres, and harden her bones. Now finally, I need to make myself better in water. No idea how gills work, so I''ll increase my lung capacity, give myself some webbing, and give my wings a way to fold closer to my body. Organs shift, condensing and expanding to make room for larger lungs and a stronger heart. Her hide stretches, pulling out between her toes to form webbing and stretching the sides of her tail to form caudal fins.


    While I''m at it, I can start turning my blood into Aether-based ichor. That and DNA will take more than just today though, so I''ll stop here. "Fuuu..." With a deep breath, she stands, stretching her newly enhanced body. Great! How are the others doing? Aleph turns her head, following the cacophony of webs up to see Lyly dangling above, wrapped tightly in her threads with a dejected expression. Looking down, she finds Goldy atop the ocean... spinning wildly out of control. Looks like they''ve been having fun without me.


    <hr>


    Entry 287


    How long has it been since I first stepped foot here? Surely years have passed at this point. My training has completely stagnated now, my body gaining no strength. Perhaps it''s about time I return to the surface? Yet, I feel no pull to return, no lingering desire to go where I once called home. This place has become comfortable, familiar, filled with so many fascinating discoveries that I could spend a lifetime seeking them all and never find them all.


    I have estimated the widest layer of this place to be about as large as the central continent, if not larger. So many mysteries lay in hiding upon the surface, lost cities, strange formations, enough to satisfy millennia of scholars and historians. Yet down here, there are entire worlds left undiscovered, unknown to those on the surface. Layers of continents stacked upon each other, each just as rich and diverse in history and nature as the lands up above.


    It is the utmost shame I haven''t the paper to write everything down, to map every place I''ve explored. Perhaps the apes from the forest layers have some form of paper, but to reach there I would have to make the climb through the endless drop. For now, I will simply continue my training. The waterfalls on this layer here prove to be an excellent place to meditate, and I will use this time to consider my next steps.

 Chapter 33: Depths

    "Leave me to my shame..." "Is it really that bad?" "For a spider, it is the ultimate humiliation to be caught within your own webs... This is simply the consequence of my own hubris... Let me dangle as punishment for my folly..." "If you insist... I left the satchel in the cave in case you guys get hungry. I''ll probably be a while. See ya!" Aleph steps away from the dejected arachnid, leaving her to her dangling and approaching the still spinning Goldy. "Do I want to ask?" "Training!" He declares, his features a blur within the vortex of water formed by his... training. "Okay! Enjoy!"


    Aleph breaths in, grasping the air with Aether to condense and store it in her enlarged lungs. Leaping off the pillar she dives, submerging herself in the bottomless depths below. The shimmer of the surface ripples above, light streaming down in beams as it gradates to the solid black below. The pillar she dove from continues out of sight, only waning in width the further it goes. Using her new webbed feet and tail fins, she swims over to the pillar, the water pushing strongly against her motions. What''s going on? This feels way harder than I feel it should...


    Reaching the pillar, she holds on and begins walking herself down. The light steadily fades as she makes her slow descent, the world becoming a uniform dark-blue all around her. Her Aether flares, gripping her surroundings to make up fir the poor sight as it wraps around the enormous pillar, mapping out every groove. Eventually, she reaches a point where the pillar begins to expand, though still comparable in size to the top. Her descent continues, the world swiftly turning pitch black as the depths continue to reach further down.


    Man... this goes deep. Reminds me of that life I was an octopus. Though, I had seventy-three legs then, so would that make me a heptacontakaitripus? Shame I never got much Aether in that one. Would be great to know how I was able to go so fast underwater, especially compared to this... Her trek is slow, the endless descent beginning to feel a lot like the hours long drop three floors above. Eventually though, the pillar begins to expand outward, turning into more of a mountain than a cliff as the ground levels out. There''s been no wildlife either. How strange...


    Aether coats the horizon, a clear signifier of the vivid ecosystem around, yet none approach remotely close to her. Flaring her own Aether she expands her sight, catching a few fish swimming a wide arc around her. Guess I''m noisy? I''d like to figure out what I''m missing here, see what they have that I don''t. Let''s see... Aleph lays upon the rocky floor, slowing her heart-rate to a crawl and pushing Aether into her tail to emit a strong violet glow. The light attracts sea-life from afar, no longer put off by her rough motions through the water.


    Allowing them to gather she pulls in her Aether, focusing on the minute details of each specimen. Small fish circle around, their hydrodynamic bodies slithering through the water, pushing onward with their fins and tails. A few squid pass by, pulling water in and ejecting it to propel forward as they lay a few curious tentacles on the glowing tail. In the distance the dim lights of a cluster of jellyfish approach, seemingly curious about the new similarly violet glow to their own. Cool fish! This doesn''t really help though... I have webbing and a tail fin, which should be about as efficient as any other fish, and jet motion will take too long to figure out. What am I missing? Why do they seem to have so much less drag holding them back?


    Maybe if I can catch one... She shifts, poising her body to strike as she awaits the perfect opportunity. Aether is narrowed to pinpoint precision on her prospective targets as she details and predicts each motion until... The fish scatter, fleeing in random directions while the squid hide between cracks within the rocks, and her sight loses focus, pain shooting up her tail. Shit! I wasn''t paying attention! Her body is tossed and dragged through the water, the light from her tail lost behind the sharp teeth of her attacker. Spreading her Aether out again, she takes in the form of the enemy, a streamlined beast with a wide hole peppered with hooked fangs clamped around her tail. Angled fins circle the cylindrical frame of its body, segments spinning like a rotor as it twists Aleph along with it. A worm... shark?


    Gripping her claws into the worm-shark''s head, she begins to thrash her tail, sticking the blade into the flesh of the beast until it lets go. They separate, the fish gaining distance before circling back. What''s with those scales?! She complains to herself, her paws scratched and bleeding from the rough surface of the shark''s hide. How is it so fast with such rough scales? Mine are way smoother, so I should experience way less drag, right? Aleph swims, trying to dodge its next attack but it simply proves too agile for her clumsy motions, slamming into her side and scraping into her thick scales.


    Okay, plan A! Brute force! Aether grips her limbs, the water around her condensing into large, violet bubbles and dancing around her as she battles against the resisting force. She''s able to dodge the next strike, swimming a straight line perpendicular to the beast, but is too slow to turn away from the one after. Uh, plan B! Instead, she pivots just enough to latch on to its side, sinking her claws into the rough scales once again. The worm-shark thrashes and writhes, spinning wildly to throw off the beast clinging to it. Even attempting to slam her into the rocky floor fails, not able to generate enough force to damage itself, let alone Aleph so long as she''s hooked in place like this.


    Well, plan B is effective, so that''s nice. From here I can start just siphoning off the Aether clinging to it too. It can''t kill me, so I see no reason to kill it either. Would be nice if I can figure out how it''s so fast though... There has to be something. Aether wraps around the worm-shark, steadily prying off the unattuned Aether clung to it while also observing every inch of its body. The beast eventually calms down, either too tired to writhe more or content in the fact it can''t do anything to get rid of the parasitic dragon clinging to it. Hard to tell with these really.


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    Aleph takes in every detail, the tooth-like scales adorned with sharp grooves and the stretchy flesh beneath, winding and unwinding by several full rotations with each motion as the fins rotate to accommodate. I don''t get it... This thing is bigger than me and it moves with less force, but it seems as if it has no friction with the water. It barely slows down. This isn''t a Mana thing is it? Is it doing something to the water? Refocusing her view, she watches the motions of the water around the shark''s body, the way a thin layer of water seems to cling to the scales, creating a near frictionless surface for the surrounding fluid to brush against. Is that what it is?


    Unlatching her claws from its hide, Aleph lets it swim away, clearly done with the freaky back clinger it tried to eat. Let''s try... Gripping the water with Aether, she forms a large bubble around her body. And now I swim! And now she fails to swim. Her legs simply passing through the stationary water within the bubble. This might be more tricky than I thought...


    Through the eyes of a dejected spider


    All I wanted was to make a pretty web sculpture... How did it come to this? I am the shame of all spider kind... To be caught in my own web... I am no spider... No divine beast Lyla... I am simply a failure... Is that a butterfly? "Have you come to watch me wallow little one? Observe, for this is the form of a broken being. The shell of a former titan of grandeur." Ah... It left... Just like my pride...


    Through the eyes of a spinning monkey


    Hmm... This too is a failure. Gol Dhee thinks to himself, once again spinning out of control atop the water surface. My essence seems to refuse my attempts to form a cowl of substance. I simply cannot grasp all of the water in such a way as to adequately coat myself. It always ends with me losing control. I had thought water would be easier given the ability to see it flow, though perhaps air might prove less unruly. Stepping out of the waters and climbing back to the platform he instead tries grasping the air, pulling it around himself in a controlled tempest. The winds remain tame until he tries to grasp more, at which point they lose control and throw him into the air.


    Thud! He lands, laying still upon his back. This was even more unruly. What am I missing? The beast of white fur bares the same essence as I, yet it wields a coat of wind with ease, through naught but instinct. Perhaps my perspective is wrong? I wonder... Would the bright one have insight into this? Sitting up, he looks at the bright one, still dangling in shame above him. "Ho''mah." "Hmm?" She responds apathetically. "You can wield the elements yes? You formed that spear of hard water before." Perking up a little, she cuts herself free, dropping to the ground in front of him. "Yes! I''m an master at casting I''ll have you know! This body just isn''t very efficient with external stuff..." "I seek advice. How do you go about performing your... casting was it?"


    All semblance of the bright one''s former mood vanishes as she promptly enters teacher mode, eager to impart her knowledge to the young. "Well! Step one is always visualisation. You need to know what you''re casting before you cast it, and the more specific you want to be, the better you need to understand it. Step two is to grasp whatever your trying to manipulate. You seem to take that step literally, but it''s enough to just grasp with your Mana alone. Or if you want to form something from scratch like I did yesterday you kinda just... grasp your Mana itself in a way." To grasp with my essence instead of my body? How strange... Perhaps this is what I am missing.


    "And finally, the third step, which many struggle with because it''s awkward and finicky, is to instil your intent, usually with Aura, and allow your Mana to just... pour into the spell." "In still intent... into the substance?" "Uh, yea. A bit in the Mana too, but you''re trying to make an object do a thing, so it''s the object you tell to do the thing. Lemme demonstrate." The bright one raises her tiny limbs, pointing them to a rock. "Step one! I wanna melt the rock, so I imagine that happening." You can melt rock? "Step two, I grip it." Essence pours from her whole body, running across her limbs and wrapping around the rock. "And step three, intent." The rock trembles, then glows, then loses its form, glowing a bright red as it splodges onto the floor. "Hoh!"


    "Was that helpful?" She asks with what he can only guess is a hopeful or proud look for spiders. "Indeed! I shall resume my training!" "Fuehehehe, go forth my student! Show the world how amazing my teaching is!" Sploosh! Thud! "Oh, the dragon''s back." "Greetings Hinya. How goes your search?" Gol Dhee asks the emissary as she steps forward, coated in a thin layer of water. Perhaps I should have asked the emissary instead? "I made it to the base of the pillar then ran out of air. It''s pretty deep, but I figured out how to swim so I should be fine to try again." "I assume you''re just wording that weirdly to mess with us?" "Ah, you figured me out!" "Fuehehe, I''m privy to your tricks now, fool!"


    "Well, if everything is good here I''m going to go try again." "Ah, wait!" "I have a question!" "Me t-" Sploosh! "..." "Could she not hear us with that water over her ears?" "She responded to your words though." "I wouldn''t put it past her to somehow lipread, even though I have no lips." "Impressive?"


    <hr>


    "Father. Lyla has returned to the floor of islands. She seems to have companions this time." "Ah, is that so? Oh, do tell me about these companions!" "Yes mother. One of the apes native to the central jungles of the sun-coated layers with a full coat of gold. And another divine beast, a black and violet dragon." "Ah I remember that one. A curious little soul, no? Quite fast as well, a record breaker even. What is the current date, child?" "The cycle is 1840. We are within the first quart, the first day of the sixth eightday." "Fast indeed, it hasn''t even been a quart since it hatched. The reverence festival happens at this cycle''s end, do they still hold it?" "I don''t know. My eyes still only reach as far as the islands." "We can just ask Lamla then. Keep an eye on those three, I have a hunch about their success." "Yes father."

 Chapter 34: Abyss

    Sploosh! "Hey guys! I think I found a way down!" Lyly and Goldy raise their heads from whatever game they were playing with a bunch of rocks and moss bundles. "Really? This isn''t like the last time right?" "No, definitely. I travelled the whole route and poked my head through to the next floor. It''s not another dead end this time." "It better not be! It''s scary down there!" "It''ll be fine. I only got attacked the one time, every other time I just scared everything off." "The fact you got attacked at all is what worries me! This is totally setting up goal posts!" "You mean flags?" "Oh, is it flags? Wonder how I got that wrong."


    As they argue, Aleph ushers her companions onto her back, preparing to make the dive. "Goldy, how long can you hold an air bubble?" "A quarter of a rest?" "I don''t know how long that is... Oh well, there''s air pockets on the way so we should be fine." "Your sheer confidence is... worrying." Standing upon the precipice of the platform, Aleph gives Goldy time to prepare a large bubble, grasping the air and pulling it into a small vortex around them. She leaps, plunging into the waters below and swiftly swimming her way down the pillar.


    Having spent the past few days swimming, she''s now gotten much better. A thin layer of water clings to her, held in place by Aether to all but eliminate drag while she also grasps the water around the film to act as additional, more dynamic, fins to propel herself down. Light gives way to pitch black, their immediate surroundings lit only by the soft glow they each emit. Aleph traverses the ocean floor, following a straight line to their destination while Goldy keeps up his dance of air, and Lyly puffs her fur to scan for any approaching sources of Mana.


    In the distance, the water begins to glow, lit by the occasional bright rock or patch of glowing green moss, gently swaying under the currents as tiny fish nestle their way through them. The frequency of the lights steadily pick up, growing into a vibrant coral reef. Eels split their form into dozens of fabric-like fins and wrap around the base of glowing corals, while a dizzying diversity of fish weave between the rocks and through the grass-like moss coating the floor. As the trio approach, each creature disappears into crevasses or camouflages among their surroundings before resuming their liveliness as they pass by.


    "Does everything glow here? Looks cool as hell, but also feels like someone ran out of ideas and decided to just make everything glowy." "I find this very much inspiring!" "Wait until you guys see the next part! It''s even cooler!" Aleph swims through a tunnel winding down. The walls slowly lose their glow, steadily transitioning into an intricate pattern of fractal rock formations. Small sea snakes weave through the grooves, causing the wall to almost pulsate and appear alive. "Cool right?" "I can''t see a thing... It''s too dark." "Nor I." "Huh... Didn''t think about that. I forget most people mainly use their eyes." "You don''t?" "I''ve been using Ae''othas as my primary sense for a while now." "Oh right, that uthur sense thing you can do. Maybe I should learn something similar?" "I don''t see why not. Should be easier to do with Mana."


    Swimming into an offshoot of the tunnel Aleph leads them to an air pocket filled with a series of tiny holes. "One of the pit-stops. We can rest and restock on air here." Goldy halts his motions, taking the opportunity to rest his arms. "Say, how strong have you gotten now? You mentioned there was a lot of oothoo down here, but I don''t recall seeing you eat anything except what we caught on the surface." "Well I no longer need to eat to extract Aether which is nice. I can just pull it straight off in a few minutes." "So does this mean we won''t be seeing you do that unhinged thing where you consume ten times your body weight every time we hunt? That''s a bonus." "Pretty much."


    "What about that thing you saw? The one really far down?" "The weirdly dense Aether? It''s still there. Barely moved actually. If anything it''s more clear now that I''ve cleared most of the Aether in the area." "Is that why you took so long? You were eating the whole time?" "Hey, you''re the one always saying to take my time. And this makes me stronger too, so we''re way safer." "... Point taken." Goldy stands, stretching his arms before turning to face Aleph. "I am rested. How much deeper do we go?" "We''re about a third of the way there. Shouldn''t be too bad, and most of it is this tunnel going straight down anyway." "I see. Then I am prepared to go the full route without rest." "Sure. Gets us there faster."


    They dive once again, resuming the straight drop below. The tunnel begins to expand, stretching into a wide cavernous drop as the fractal walls give way to large spiralling grooves. "This place is even cooler... but it''s also dark. The walls were covered in a ton of Aether. It took me five trips to get it all." "At least you didn''t eat the walls..." "Are the walls not alive? This Aether clings to life, yes?" "Maybe, but I haven''t seen it move at all. Some types of rock also hold Aether really well though so it''s probably just that."


    The straight descent is slow, even in spite of how fast Aleph can swim now. The cavern walls grow, the rocky surface oscillating between more natural rock formations and the steadily thickening spiral pattern. All the while Goldy and Lyly sit surrounded by total darkness, unable to see anything beyond the small air bubble coating them. Silence permeates their descent, only broken by the occasional splashes and shifting air as they swim.


    Aleph pauses, focusing her senses on the environment. The walls appear to shift, the stone silently sliding against itself without so much as a ripple forming, and from a direction with no translatable name... "Brace!" Goldy tightens his grip on the air, pulling the bubble in tight as Aleph darts to the side. Crack! The water bursts, a powerful shock-wave bearing against Aleph before immediately imploding and pulling her back, all the while the bubble around them threatening to burst under the pressure of the blast. The trio turn to face the source of the explosion, hidden behind the dark veil of the aquatic abyss. And the abyss opens its eyes.


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    Food


    Like a beast out of hiding, the void bares its fangs, lit by the dull glow of six enormous white eyes before completely vanishing. "What was that?!" Lyly yells as Aleph surges downward, her limbs cutting through the water, coated in a swirling maelstrom of violet. "I don''t know! It wasn''t here last time!" "Why is it here now?!" Thoom! Aleph redirects, another explosion forming from where she was about to swim. Her body is thrown by the currents, the bubble of air being held on her back nearly bursting from the strain while Lyly is tossed around, barely hanging onto her by a thread. "It clearly wants to eat us!" "Did you see the size of that thing?! What sustenance is it supposed to get from us?! We''re tiny!"


    The depths turn silent, darkness consuming the world once again as everything returns to an eerie tranquillity. Where is it? I can''t feel it at a- The world closes in, walls forming from nowhere around the trio as another explosion rocks the outside. Just ahead lies an exit, a jagged crevasse rapidly closing before them as a rush of water pulls them back. Straining every muscle in her body Aleph swims up, planting her feet on the hard, fleshy ceiling. Firing a pulse of Aether through her limbs she shoots off, leaving behind a small crack in the surface as she rockets through the narrow gap leading out. Once again, the figure behind them vanishes, leaving behind nothing but an implosion of water.


    Around the trio the walls of the cavern begin to close in, winding together in a tight knot to crush their prey. "Stop what you''re doing and hold on tight!" "Bu-" "Now!" Taking a deep breath, Goldy releases the air, allowing it to burst into a plume of ascending bubbles while he grasps hold of Aleph''s back, holding on to Lyly as well. This will be tricky to do, but there''s no real choice. Okay, focus... breathe...? Fight! The ocean turns violet, Aether grasping a wide dome around the trio. Redefine friction. They fall, Aleph flapping her wings to push herself down and swiftly accelerating beyond what would normally be the speed of sound as the sphere of violet holds close.


    Water simply brushes by them, soaked in the glow of Aether as it provides no resistance to their descent. Another shock-wave bursts from behind, yet this time it passes by harmlessly, leaving the trio untouched as they thread the needle through the rapidly closing exit. A wave of force slams upon them, almost crushing them as the violet glow dissipates and drag returns. Winding through the tunnels, Aleph squeezes her way into a tight nook and surfaces into a small air pocket.


    The trio catch their breaths, Goldy spitting out water while Lyly lays upside-down in a daze. "What was that thing? What did you just do? Why is the world still the wrong way around?" Slumping to the ground, Aleph flicks Lyly upright and stills her racing heart. "I don''t know... It shouldn''t be able to do that. I don''t know how something can have an anchor without a heart..." "You''re using words, but with no context." Lyly prods Aleph in frustration. "I don''t know the proper Englin for it. Not that it matters anyway. I doubt it can follow us between layers." "You sure?" "It''s aquatic. You tell me." "How do we know it''s not amphibious?" "..." "..."


    "Hinya." Goldy beckons, his breathing now stable, albeit a bit raspy. Aleph turns to meet him, clearly happy with the change in topic. "Hm?" "What manner of skill was that? The water... vanished from touch." Aleph narrows her eyes, tilting her head as she recalls her actions. "I... Huh. I wasn''t really paying attention. I kind-of just changed something about the water, but I can''t remember what exactly." "Could you do it again?" She shakes her head. "I wouldn''t want to. That stunt cost me half my Aether. I don''t regret my choice, and I still have more than when we first got to the ocean, but still. That''s a big blow." "Hey wait, didn''t you say Aether never gets used up?" "Not if I pull it back out of whatever I infuse it into. In this case it was too precise, and we were moving way too fast. My mind simply couldn''t keep up."


    The trio sit in silence for a while, resting their bodies and minds until Aleph stands. "We should probably go. This tunnel leads to the next layer I''m pretty sure." Lyly hops atop her perch and Goldy begins to walk beside them "If it doesn''t, we''re digging our way down. I''m not going back up there. Why did that thing attack us anyway? Doesn''t seem worth the effort for something so big to hunt us." "Do you guys have a lot of Mana? I know in some worlds old creatures live purely off Mana instead of normal food." "Ho''mah has much Mana. More than the void eyed beast." "You think? I figured it was about the same." "That''s probably why then." "Can you not see Mana? At all?" "Can you see Aether?" "Touch¨¦."


    As they traverse the tunnel, water begins to trickle in, forming a small river below them. Over time the river grows, water pouring in from dozens of side channels as the tunnel widens into a small cavern and opens out in the wall of the next layer. Rivers and waterfalls stream from above, coating the horizon with rapid movement. Dark-red stone surrounds them, cradling the streams in a chaotic mess of ravines and crevasses. Something seems off... Aleph''s eyes skip over their surroundings, remaining locked on a single point of swirling Aether in the distance.


    Aleph steps forward, spreading her wings to glide. "Hey, what are you looking at?" "Goldy, hop on. You guys remember that really dense Aether I mentioned?" Goldy pulls himself onto her back, laying forward to cling. "Come on, we just got out of a close call! Can''t we rest first?" "I understand that, but I don''t know how long it will stay. I haven''t seen another Aether user since... I don''t actually recall ever seeing one. This could answer questions I have about why there are none. Why there''s so little Aether. I need to go." Lyly holds for a moment, considering Aleph''s words. "Fine..." She responds, clinging to the dragon''s horns.


    With a leap, Aleph soars over the network of rivers and canyons, warm and humid winds and the scent of damp stone brushing by the trio as they glide. Why is it spinning like that? She swerves around a pillar, flapping her wings to maintain height as she circles the mega-structure. Why is it focused into a single point? She lands, her claws scraping into the hard stone below. Goldy hops off again as they approach a distant waterfall. Everything about this seems so... inefficient.


    They near the waterfall, a wide torrent of water cascading down with tremendous force before flowing smoothly between a series of sharp boulders and outward to a fast-flowing river. Nestled within the centre of the waterfall, a figure stands. An oppressive yet unfocused Aura billows forth, green eyes bearing themselves through the rapids. The figure steps forth.

 Chapter 35: The hero

    Through the eyes of a certain elf


    What manner of creatures are these? Stepping out from under the heavy weight of cascading waters, the man takes in the form of the three beings approaching him. Lines of water are drawn from his pointed ears to his chiselled body, soaking his bare chest and drenching his leggings. Raising his arms he flexes every muscle in his body with enough force to eject the water coating him, like any man would given the ability. Even the drips of water tugging down at his dark-brown beard and hair are blown off, revealing his dry scruff in all of its scraggly glory.


    He steps to the side, directing himself towards his gear. The ape I recognise as one of the gold-touched apes from the jungle layers above. I didn''t know they explored this deep. This one reminds me of that young one in particular, the one which kept challenging me to a fight whenever we crossed paths. Given the way it''s looking at me, perhaps that assessment isn''t far off. His gaze drifts from the ape''s reverent stare to the palm-sized spider nestled atop the obsidian beast. I know of no animal that looks like this. But I recall the stories of the blue-eyed spiders, those who remember any offence to their brethren. How did the old rhyme go? Black eyes are tame, red eyes are tender. Gold eyes are doom, but blue eyes always remember. There was also that tale of an army of white spiders who lost to divine beast Kavlaxhar. I wonder if this one is related.


    His eyes shift down, green meeting violet in a direct stare, before immediately shifting down. I know better than to meet the gaze of an old beast for too long. No surprise that the one with the most unusual presence is the one with the deepest gaze. Master taught me that the presence I see is related to one''s will. My will has focused my own presence to my core, below my heart. But what does that mean for this one, whose presence feels equally spread throughout its entire body? Normally it is somewhat focused in the brain, the source of one''s will, but if anything this one has less in its brain than anywhere else. How strange...


    A voice emanates from the dragon, spoken without movement in a tone much higher and more feminine than its form would imply. From the spider a similar voice echoes, whistled through threads wound between its pedipalps with the same tone and only slightly higher pitch than the dragon. Is that Englin? Master was right, I really should have learned it. I would have expected Aoan though, especially from such an old beast. He tilts his head, scratching the side of his messy beard as he watches them converse. The spider hops off, and the dragon steps forward, its presence pulsing as it steps.


    Fight


    Violet Aura presses against him, a challenge instilled into its will. Not food... Not enemy... But fight? This beast is strange in every way I can measure. Its Aura is weak yet its intent is strong. It has the form of a dragon, but with fins and webbing lazily tacked on. It sits like a bull, prowls like a cat, poises like a bird, and even has subtle mannerisms I would expect from the likes of a maolas or a human. It reminds me of my master in a way. But more than any of that... I''ve never seen another creature able to manipulate its presence like I can. The man reaches into his satchel, quickly rummaging through to pull out an old, worn journal. I must write this down! There is just so mu-


    Fight


    Ah... right. Bad habit. Putting down the journal he turns to face his challenger. I am not unfamiliar to challenges in these caverns. There was the ape tribe, those merfolk, and now this unnatural dragon. I have never had reason to decline. His own Aura billows forth, an intense green completely overwhelming the violet as he presses his own intent.


    Fight


    He responds, standing to his full height and taunting the dragon with a wave of his finger. The beast doesn''t flinch, its gaze locked on him as its presence expands, flaring into a wide cowl to encompass them both. The elf condenses his own, focusing it into his palm to meet the oncoming charge. If this is the speed we''re working with, this won''t take long. His palm meets the dragon''s skull, but his presence wavers. The dragon''s cowl pressing into his arm to squeeze his presence where it''s weak, cutting off the intent travelling from his core to his palm. What?! You can do that? He leaps back, his palm having harmlessly bounced off. Strange...


    The dragon regards him, shaking its head bearing an expression he cannot parse, but the intent baked into its Aura speaks clearly.


    Disappointing


    It can even instil emotion into its Aura? Perhaps I have underestimated this beast. But is it really comparable to the likes of the drake queen and my master? No matter. I am physically stronger, that much is clear. One good strike should still suffice. The man takes a stance, his feet spread apart as he pulls his fist back to his hip in preparation for a strike. It doesn''t charge... This is feeling more like a test than a fight. Well, I''m not one to back away from a challenge. His whole body twists, following his hind foot forward as he presses a wave of his presence through his arm like a pneumatic piston. At the very apex of his strike his palm curls into a tight fist and twists inward, his intent imbuing into the strike to form a sharp wave of air which shatters forth with a bang!


    The dragon shifts slightly at the last second, allowing the wave of condensed air to thread the needle between its horns, across its back, and through a loop made with its tail. Passing by harmlessly the wave shoots through the air, crashing into a distant wall and bursting apart the hard stone as if made of breadcrumbs. He doesn''t hide the look of shock on his face, instead allowing it to transition to a wide grin. This time, a feint! Taking stance again he prepares his next strike, only for the dragon to shift, once again holding a ring where he intends to strike.


    "Gahahaha! Not impressed are you?! Fine then! Let us do this properly!" The dragon tilts its head, eyes widening in surprise of its own, before morphing back into concentration. Focus... Their eyes narrow. Breathe... They both inhale. Fight! They charge.


    The distance is closed near instantaneously, bare feet and obsidian claws cracking and scraping the ground as they approach. Green coats the man''s fists and violet coats the world around them, skin bearing into scales as he land the first strike. Once again, his presence is cut off, leaving his fist impotent against the tough hide. Faster then! He kicks, his leg aiming to shatter the sound barrier before being rendered mundane as well. All the while the dragon aims its own strikes, pushing away his intent to defend just enough to bruise. It presses my presence where it''s weak... Then I should simply remove all the weak points!


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    Flaring his own presence he coats his body, attempting to imitate the dragon. No longer able to break his intent the beast switches to the defensive, nimbly backing away and weaving its large body around his every strike as it perfectly predicts each movement. Faster! Shock-waves emanate from his strikes, his fists brushing against its scales while his kicks scrape its horns. A shock-wave pulses by the beast''s ear, a strike that would normally burst one''s eardrum and rattle their brain, yet it shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to graze past his strikes be it by lack of or in spite of any injury.


    Leaping back the dragon turns, flaring its presence and focusing it around the pair. Stepping forward to meet its retreat the man loses his footing as an intense force tugs at his presence, dragging him towards the oncoming tail as if pulling directly at his heart. Shattered debris is pulled from the ground alongside him, gravity having seemingly decided on a new point of origin, yet the force on his own body appears doubled, slamming him into the tail as it flips to an equally strong pushing force. His body rips through the air, the ground cracking under the weight of the shock-wave emanating from his rapid displacement until he crashes hard into a wall, leaving a crater within the dense rock.


    I feel I am completely outclassed in skill, and I have a hunch this beast has yet to go all out either. Let''s see if I can change that. Pulling himself from the pile of rubble coating him, the man hops forward unscathed. Dusting himself off, by flexing of course, he steps over to his luggage and grasps hold of the hunk of bone with a leather-wrapped handle sharpened into a long, wide blade which would make a claymore weep in envy. He lifts the blade high, every shred of his presence focusing into a single strike.


    "Stop!"


    A tiny voice declares, the white bundle of fur skittering between the pair. "You speak Aoan?" The elf asks the spider, lowering his blade. "Oh yea, you speak Aoan too?" The dragon asks the elf, trotting its way over. "You speak Aoan?!" The spider asks the dragon, impressively managing to show a recognisable expression of total shock without eyelids or lips. "Hoo!" The monkey yells to nobody in particular, simply wanting to be part of the fun.


    "No, wait! Sorry new guy, I''ll address you in a minute." The man nods, putting his sword back down and sitting by the gathering group with his bag. "There''s no way you''ve been able to speak Aoan this whole time! Right?" "Uh, yea. It''s actually one of my preferred languages. Why are you speaking like that though?" "Me? You''re the one talking like a fossil!" "It would seem you both speak different dialects of Aoan. I happen to have learned both, but they''re generally quite similar." The man interjects. "Ugh... Why can''t people just stick with the modern way of speaking... Whatever! Beside the point! You''ve been able to speak Aoan this whole time?! Give me back all the effort I spent teaching you Englin!"


    Well now this just feels awkward... Pulling out a piece of wood and a knife from his backpack, the man begins whittling away, leaving the pair to their mind-blowing revelations. "You do realise the main reason I found Englin so easy to learn is because it''s derived from languages I already know right? I''m pretty sure I mentioned this at some point. I speak English, Latin, and Aoan which are the main three languages that Englin seems to be derived from." "Why didn''t you tell me! We could have solved so many communication problems by now if we''d just started by talking in Aoan!" "I know dozens of languages, each from a different world. How should I know you happen to speak one of them? And the one time I started listing them off you stopped me early." "You were saying weird words! I still have nightmares from that last one!"


    The ape sits next to him, peering at the carving. Handing over a fresh block of wood and a knife, the man begins showing the ape how to carve. "I''ll have you know that Ahvi''salThe first one is a lovely language, difficult to actually speak with, but very cute nonetheless." My that is unsettling. I do feel a presence watching me now. "Stop saying that! Wait... does this mean we have to teach the monkey Aoan now?" "Would''ve made sense to teach him Aoan in the first place. His language is very clearly derived from it." "Whyyy..." "Hey, look at it thi- ooh! Is that me?"


    Shifting over to the elf, the dragon peers at the carving of herself being formed in his hands. "Just a hobby of mine. You''re welcome to keep this one if you like." "I''d love to! Goldy, can you put this in my satchel? I left it over there." "Hoh!" The ape announces, thumping his chest lightly before taking the carving and packing it in her bag. Sneakily, the spider skitters over, peering down at the roughly made carving of herself before snatching it for herself and scampering away with it.


    "Oh yea! Since we can speak the same language that makes things way easier! You suck at using Aether!" The dragon declares, violet eyes squinting at the elf. "You mean... my presence?" "I''ve never heard it called that, but sure. It''s not just that you don''t know how to use it, you''re actively using it wrong!" The man scratches his beard, pulling at the knots weaved within the scraggle. "As much as I''m impressed by your usage of... Aether, I can''t help but feel your being too critical. My master''s teachings haven''t failed me thus far." "Your master taught you how to use Mana. Not Aether. The way you''re spinning it around and focusing it into incredibly tight points is just absurd! I bet you don''t even know how to push or pull with it!"


    The spider skitters back, having hidden the carving out of sight. "This guy uses yuthu? No wonder I couldn''t sense anything. Why are you down here anyway?" "I forgot. It''s been a number of years since I came here. I think my master asked me to do something, but I can''t seem to remember what." "Wow... You two will definitely get along..." "Hey, so how deep does this place go?" The dragon asks the elf. "Well the floor we''re currently on is one of the late sixties or seventies. The deepest I''ve made it is floor eighty-nine." "That deep?! How did you get past the big dragon on the magma floor?" "There''s a dragon there?" "..." "..." "So unfair... Why does he get to skip the big fuckoff dragon?"


    "Are you also trying to reach the bottom?" The dragon chimes in. "Yes, but I''m not strong enough to handle the lower floors of this place." "Wanna go with us? You''re clearly strong, and I can teach you to actually use Aether!" An opportunity to observe these fascinating creatures from up close? How could I say no!


    <hr>


    Entry 288 - Aleph Null


    I don''t have enough paper to justify logging every creature I''ve seen, but I believe this to be a notable exception. I have encountered a fascinating beast within the layer below the ocean. A dragon coated in glistening black scales, sharp claws, and violet eyes bearing a depth comparable to that of the oldest beasts I have seen.


    As it turns out, what I call my presence is more than a simple extension of Aura or a vague sense of a being''s state. It is a pure energy called Aether, equivalent to that of Mana, Demonic, and Angelic. I wonder if my master is aware of this, hence why they taught me so differently from the others. It would be just like them to omit critical details like this. Despite having comparatively little Aether in comparison to myself, the dragon has shown incredible skill and precision with the energy to the point of closing the gap in strength. I would not be surprised if she had a method of surviving my strongest blows. Incidentally she has offered to teach me the correct way to use Aether, something I cannot see myself refusing.


    Alongside the dragon are two creatures, a white spider and a golden ape. They are fascinating creatures in their own right and I intend to dedicate pages to them as well.


    - Unlabelled Journal

 Chapter 36: How not to not Aether

    Through the eyes of a new student


    "Stop spinning it like that!" "This is harder than it looks you know." "This should be the easiest part... Aether defaults to being still, so just relax your grip a bit." "Yes ma''am." Teacher is... a surprisingly patient teacher all things considered. The group rest by a grassy pond, a day''s walk from where they met. Within the pond stands the ape, Muscles, surrounded by a harsh torrent of swirling water, brushing against his gold fur. Lil'' Blue sits herself at the other end of the pond, sipping up her fill while the explorer sits in a lotus position, attentively listening to Teacher''s instructions.


    Aether swirls within him, gradually calming its flow as he loosens his habitual hold. "Great, now let it spread evenly. You should only focus it on an as needed basis." "Fuuuuu..." He exhales, resisting the strong urge to resume spinning his Aether as he spreads it out. "What does this achieve?" "Faster response time. You don''t have the means to change your body structure so you can''t rely on any type of Aether channel to transfer faster. Even if you did there would still be no reason to focus it like that." "This is very different from Mana..." "It depends on the world, but keeping Mana moving can help it stay attuned to you by keeping it occupied with instruction and close to your soul. Aether isn''t fickle like Mana though, it won''t go away without prompting."


    "I see." He responds introspectively, stroking the untamed strands of beard streaming from his face. These habits are quite difficult to curb. I''ve been doing it like this for... Hmm... "Say, do any of you know the date?" Lil'' Blue skitters over, hopping to her perch atop Teacher''s head as she winds threads around her pedipalps to speak. "It''s a couple eightdays into 3681 post-revival. Why?" "Thats... Midway through the 1840th cycle, yes? Oh my... I''m late. I was supposed to attend a wedding twelve cycles ago."


    Lil'' Blue wipes her eyes with her forelimbs, staring at the explorer with a very spidery form of disbelief. "You''ve been here twenty-four years? I didn''t realise a human could last that long down here..." "I''m an elf." He responds ""What''s the difference?"" The dragon and spider both ask in unison. "Actually wait... I thought he was a monkey. He has the same brown fur that they usually have doesn''t he?" Lil'' Blue''s gaze shifts from the dragon to the elf, then briefly to the monkey and back to the elf. "You know... I''m starting to see where your confusion stems from." "Hey..." The explorer peers down, self-consciously stroking the unruly scraggle of his beard.


    "Well human, monkey, elf, whatever. Why''ve you stayed here for so long? Not the most... hospitable place." "I came here about fifteen cycles ago as part of a competition by request of my master. I can''t remember the exact reason, only that I''m aiming for the bottom of Nilasuun." Teacher tilts her head, the spider atop smoothly hooking a leg around her horn to avoid sliding off. "Is that what this place is called? How cute!" "You''re not taking the ''cute cave'' meaning are you?" Lil'' Blue chitters. "Of course I am! Nila Suun. It''s a great name!" "No way! It''s clearly ''red walls'', Nilas Uun! The stone here turns red when exposed to a lot of Mana, hence the name!" "I''m quite partial to Ni Lasu''un, the interesting world of stone." Lil'' Blue lets out a frustrated chitter, turning to beckon Muscles over.


    Through the eyes of a wet monkey


    "Monkey! Come over here, we need you to settle a debate." Gol Dhee releases the swirling vortex of water around him, allowing it to crash back into the pond. A debate? What insight of mine do they seek? Stepping out from the waters he waves his hand down, prying the liquid clinging to his fur and causing it to puff up in all of its fluffy, shiny glory. Sitting down by the trio, his eyes turn to the bright one. "You seek me?" "Does the word Nilasuun hold any meaning to you?" She asks, grooming the fuzz on her forelegs. "None." He responds, brushing away the rogue droplets of water still clinging to him.


    "Uh, okay. What do you call this place then? As in this whole labyrinth?" "The world? My people call it Heumo Ho''Mul." "That''s... Location of Mul, yes?" The dragon chimes in. "Who''s Mul? And don''t you always call me Hinya Mul? What does that mean?" Gol Dhee rubs his nose as he thinks on the question. "I lack the words to describe him. The name means great shadow and he is the one we revere most. Hinya is... one who acts on behalf of another." "So I''m emissary to the great shadow? Sounds cool! I''ve even met a guy who looks just like that once!" Are the speculations true?! Could she truly be emissary to a god? "Hey, what''s mine mean? You call me homo or something right?" "Ho''mah is one who is bright. Because you glow. Though some of my people called you Hinya Mol. Emissary of the powerful light." "Fuahahah! My name is cooler than yours!"


    Through the eyes of a cool-named spider


    So what does he call the elf then? I''d ask but it feels like something you should ask yourself. Probably calls him green dude or something anyway. Lyla nestles comfortably into her perch, continuing to groom her fuzz as the dragon stands, followed by the elf and monkey. "Shalleth we''st headeth offeth? I''st doth not''est desireth to lingereth." This old dialect of Aoan is fucking painful to listen to... I mean, I understand her, but why not just speak normally! The elf stretches, walking over to haul his backpack over his shoulder, and attach his satchels, and wrap his tool belts, and... I''ve seen entire armies with less gear than him... Whose war is he preparing for with all of that?


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    The group set off, led by the elf as they traverse the grasslands. "So where are you leading us anyway? I didn''t know this layer even had plant-life." Lyla asks, dangling to the side of the dragon''s horn to meet the elf''s eyes. "Actually, nearly every floor has plants, and I''m yet to see one without moss. You may have made the same mistake as I had when first exploring this place. As it turns out, each layer isn''t a uniform biome, but rather a continent of its own with varying degrees of climate and wildlife, though there are commonalities, like how this floor has a lot of rivers and waterfalls and how the floors below tend to be foggy, there is no less diversity here than on the central continent above. Incidentally..." I have made a mistake...


    Through the eyes of an eager teacher


    Aleph flicks the chatterbox''s head with her tail. "You''re spinning your Aether again." Rubbing his head he turns around apologetically, taking a breath to calm his grip over Aether. "Sorry, I got distracted." "Yo finally dude. He like, stopped. That''s so totally rad yo." Lyly whispers atop her head. This dialect makes me so uncomfortable... "Say, you never answered her first question. Where are we going?" "Ah, right. I know a route down the next few floors, but it''s quite the walk from here. Still, it''s far better than stumbling through the ever increasing fog of the next few layers." "I see... Oh, and make sure you keep your Aether spread evenly. I can see it pulling together again." "Yes ma''am..." You know... I still don''t know his name... Oh well, I''ll just call him Fluffy.


    As they walk along the terrain slowly shifts, pillars growing more dense, more sparse, thicker, and thinner while grass paints itself in ever increasing splatters across the ground. White moss clings to the ground between patches of grass, dipping into pools of water, and coating the pillar walls. All the while constant streams of water tumble down from above, some in tiny streams, and others in wide pillars the group occasionally have to power through. In the distance, enormous geysers erupt from below the horizon, shooting boiling water with enough force to cause tremors kilometres around and carve into the rock above.


    The trek is long, paws, feet, and knuckles brushing against grass, wading through rivers, and scrambling across rock alongside the occasional flick on Fluffy''s head. The air grows thick with a tropical humidity, the scent of wet grass permeating the cave as arches of mossy wood begin to litter the horizon. Fluffy skips ahead, planting his sword into the soft soil of the ground and settling his bags beside it. "Are we taking a break?" Aleph asks, sitting beside him. "Oh, yes. Sorry, I''m not used to travelling with others. We can keep going if you like." "Yo it''s totally almost night anywho. May''s well just crash either ways... yo." "How can you even tell?" "Skill issue."


    Aleph lays down, allowing Goldy to lean against her and forcing Fluffy to do the same. Much resistance is had, yet he eventually succumbs to the relentless tugging with her tail and pulling force of her Aether, Goldy sharing an understanding look with him as they settle for the night.


    <hr>


    What is Mana? We use it every day, even those of us who aren''t attuned. It is the driving force of most of our technologies, the source of strength for our greatest warriors, and the means with which many thousands of lives are saved each day. Yet with the recent wave of other-worlders being pulled to our world, many among our youth have begun to bare a woefully poor understanding of it. Much information tends to get muddled under the endless stream of stories and beliefs they bring and share. While these stories are fascinating in and of themselves, we must not allow ourselves to forget the true nature of Mana and its history.


    To begin with, Mana is one of the three major pure energies, and the one which is most abundant in our world. Testimony from those who hail from other worlds, including demons and the rare ancient transcripts of conversations with angels, indicate this varies with some worlds containing more, less, or even none of each of the pure energies. Some worlds are allegedly composed entirely of esoteric energies, not classified under the main three. Though much of this should be taken with scepticism, as it is impossible for us to verify. Not to mention the questionable validity of the claims about these energies to begin with.


    The most unusual property of Mana is its variance. Within Magnus Mundus, Mana is considered extremely versatile and capable of nearly any feat, given enough energy. Yet in other domains, despite the energy being identical by all metrics, they bare completely different effects. In the Maroltin domain, Mana takes the form of an all-encompassing system, allowing individuals to cast predefined spells based on a complex system of individual traits and skills. The energy itself is known as MP, and has even been seen to be usable by demons who completely lack the ability to manipulate Mana. The tower world also has its own form called aura, not to be confused with the Aura discussed in earlier chapters. This aura grants its wielders unique abilities which grow and evolve with the individual.


    An interesting consequence of this is the effect known as deprecation, in which most individuals will experience a weakening in their Mana-based abilities within other domains. Magic from some domains may also exhibit additional properties during deprecation. The most clear example of this is with the MP system adapting to use estimates, denoted as heuristics, when attempting display the traits of an individual from another domain, since it cannot accurately ascertain the capabilities of those under a different system.


    In the following chapters we will discuss the different forms Mana is known to take, as well as their interactions with one another. We will also discuss the known magic systems of other dimensions which, while more sparse in good examples, are known to have the same properties of deprecation.


    - Excerpt from chapter 6 of Eyva Poe''s ''Analysis of the Pure Energies''

 Chapter 37: Lost and found, and lost again

    Several days pass with the group traversing rocky terrain, scaling and descending small mountains, trudging through bogs, and gliding across canyons. Laying in rest by a horizon spanning canyon, Aleph chokes down an almost perfectly spherical bird whole. "So good!" "Well of course. Orbids go perfectly with red pyre leaf, and the burn-root I used as stuffing really brings out the cold oils from the bird." Fluffy declares, his pectorals threatening to burst from the fabric of his shirt as he puffs up with pride. "What do you guys think?" Aleph asks, already finished her portion. "Glorious! I have much to learn!" "Eh, I could do just as well with the same ingredients."


    Aleph prods idly at the campfire as the others eat, her eyes occasionally drawn to the misty canyon below. "Say... What makes this canyon any more special than the others we passed by? Hardly seems worth the effort to come all this way." Fluffy finishes chewing, wiping away the oil clinging to his scraggle before responding. "This canyon has routes which lead all the way to the magma floor. The floors between are covered in thick layers of fog, making them hard to traverse, even for me." "I''ll have to teach you ae''othas I suppose. And ae''loyo." "Eye sphere and up? Strange names..."


    Once Lyly finishes her portion, Aleph stands to get a better look down the canyon. Focusing her Aether she begins mapping the walls, searching for a way down. "Looks like it''ll be easiest to just-" Swoosh! "Iiii! Not again! Why meee..." Aleph leaps back, unable to catch the bird which just made off with Lyly.


    Through the eyes of bird food


    "Stupid bird! Why does this happen every time I come here?! When will you morons learn I''m not food?!" Lyla writhes within the grasp of a raptor-like bird, adorned in red and black feathers and armed with sharp claws it fails to sink into her. Landing on a nearby cliff ledge, the bird pins her to the ground and begins pecking. "Unhand me fool! My body can''t be injured by the likes of you!" Clearly perplexed by the impossibly hard carapice, the bird picks up a rock with its other leg and begins slamming it into her. "Release me or face my wrath!" She wriggles her legs within its grasp, hoping to at least unnerve it if nothing else.


    Thoom! A distant burst of sound catches the bird''s attention, prompting it to take off once again with Lyla in tow. Seriously... This kind of thing never happens on other floors, so why do I seem so much more appetising here? I''m sure I taste great, but you''d have better luck eating the rock between layers. Wind rushes by as they soar away from the oncoming sound, Mana beginning to pool around the bird to increase its speed even more. Are we being chased? They do care! Or at least the dragon does. I still can''t actually turn to see them. Maybe I can help...


    Lyla releases a stream of thread, hoping to let it catch on terrain or be caught by her companions, yet an unfortunately timed turn around a pillar leads to her ending up tangled tightly within the bird''s grasp. "Shit." The bird dives, gaining speed as it dips into a canyon below. "Hold on!" A distant voice echoes through the wind. Is she talking to me? Or-


    Thoom!


    Gravity takes over, her body spinning wildly as she falls into the misty canyon below. Thonk! Tumble, tumble. Splat! Tumble, thud! Wriggling herself free from the bird''s grasp, and her threads, Lyla takes a step back from the remains. Blood pools from the lower half of the bird, the upper having vanished entirely. You know... I''m glad she''s not my enemy. Skittering around the area aimlessly she takes in her surroundings. All around her is a complex network of organic structures spreading out in a three-dimensional web-like pattern, and covered in a thick layer of moss.


    Should I stay in place or try find my way out? If I stay, how long until I''m found? And isn''t this one of the layers I''ve been eaten on? But if I move, what happens if they find this place and I''m not here?


    They won''t leave without me... right?


    Through the eyes of an ecstatic elf


    Wind rushes past the adventurer, rattling the paper in his hand as he scribbles a tick into his journal. Never thought I''d be able to mark off breaking the sound barrier while riding a dragon from my bucket list. What a day! Landing at the canyon edge, Teacher looks around in search of the fallen spider. "Either of you see where she fell?" "Ah, no sorry. I was otherwise preoccupied." "I witneshed her fall into the mist below." "That''s no good... Your Aoan is coming along nicely though." "Aoan is musch easier than Englin."


    Teacher glides down, light from above fading into dark-brown, and then into uniform white as they plunge into the mist. She weaves around pillars and roots, deftly swooping under and over as they grow steadily more dense, alongside an ever-thickening fog. Reaching the ground they land, dense fog blocking their sight in all directions. "Say, how can you see so well in here?" The elf asks, stepping off the dragon''s back and onto the thick carpet of moss coating the floor. "I''m using Ae''othas. You can try it too, you just spread a thin layer of Aether everywhere and feel how much resistance is put forward." "I''ll give it a go."


    Aether pools around him, green bubbles forming around his body as he pushes the energy outward. "Too much. You''re forming Ae''osa." This is trickier than it sounds. He thins his Aether, spreading it wider only for it to pass through fog and stone uncontested. "Thinner still. With this much density your will simply overrides any resistance ambient material can put up." "Perhaps this is too advanced for me." "We can always try again later when we''re not stressed." She turns away, setting off into the fog as the elf and Muscles follow behind. Now that I think about it... I can''t feel her Aether around me at all. Is it even thinner than the ambient rock?


    Through the eyes of a thoughtful monkey


    Gol Dhee walks beside the warrior of green, a hesitant confidence within his gait. To be walking beside the warrior of green himself! To even understand his tongue! Coming here was no mistake. "Everything okay buddy?" The warrior asks, giving him a light thud on the shoulder. "All is fine friend." I shall never cleanse this patch of fur again!


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    His gaze washes over their surroundings. Silence permeates the cavern, only broken by the steady thuds of the emissary''s heavy footfalls. Heat and humidity coats them, condensation dripping from Gol Dhee''s fur as his feet brush against damp moss. Coating... They coat themselves in a cowl of Aether, yes? I wonder... Gol Dhee slows his gait, focusing on his essence as he allows it to pool around his hand, coating his fur in energy. As his essence wraps around him he feels a slight shift, patches of fur turning white and forming a line before he dispels the essence, returning his fur to its golden luster. This is... I wonder...


    Through the eyes of a worried dragon


    Am I going the right way? Did we go past her? I been with her since... Since I was born, pretty much. It feels wrong now without her on my head. There''s gotta be something in my memories to help find her... Something... To do with true names? I know her name is Lyla. I should have enough... have enough to... her name? Um... Aleph slows to a stop, Goldy swiftly catching up behind her as Fluffy regards her quizzically. What was I thinking about? "Is something wrong Teacher? Your Aether is acting strange." "Even I feel an odd presence." "Ah, sorry." With a deep breath Aleph calms her stirring Aether, allowing the agitated lights around her to fade. "I just got distracted for a moment."


    Goldy shares a sympathetic look with Fluffy, stepping forward to rest atop her. "She shall be found." "Maybe a plan could help. Do we know which way we''re going?" "Oh, I was following you guys." Both give her an incredulous look. "You were walking ahead of us though." "Eh, directions are weird. Up and down make sense. Everything else is kinda wibbly." "Perhaps Ho''mah is correct and you are an elderrich." "Hey, not you too..." Aleph pouts, lightly slapping the offending fool. "But yea, a plan would be nice. Any ideas?"


    "We make noise? Call Ho''mah to us?" "We would only attract predators. This general area is teeming with large beasts, well adapted to the low visibility." Aleph lowers her snout to the ground, idly scratching at the moss. "We could split up? Cover a wide area then circle back." "I don''t know about Muscles, but I have almost no visibility here. This is one of the floors I''ve spent the least time on because of how easy it is to get lost." "Hm... Goldy, how about you?" "I can grasp the winds, sense her essence and that of any interlopers."


    Aleph stands, beckoning Goldy onto her back. "You keep searching while I walk. Fluffy can keep track of where we''ve been so we don''t get lost." "We''re already lost." He responds, self-consciously brushing his beard. "Ah... Then you can just ride and practice with your Aether." "Works for me." The trio set off, utilising advanced heuristic-based Brownian motion to determine their direction. Violet Aether spreads wide, feeling out every nook in the surrounding roots and crevice in the rocky floor while green Aether clumsily warps in imitation.


    "Hinya." Goldy beckons from her back, his palms bending the fog in a slow dance. "How do your kind determine age?" Is he trying to distract me from getting stressed? Well, he could just be curious, but it''s still sweet. "I haven''t been to the surface of this world, but if it''s like most others I''ve been to it''ll be based on years. How long the planet takes to orbit its star." "You''re not from this world? One of the summoned I take it?" Fluffy queries, his Aether snapping back into his body the moment he loses focus. "Don''t think it counts as summoning. I reincarnated of my own volition to a degree, though my soul was placed in this body rather than infusing naturally."


    The web of roots around them grows thicker, moss dangling down in curtains all around them. "How did you die?" Goldy shoots a worried look between Fluffy and Aleph, calming as she responds. "You want a list?" The pair share a glance from atop her back. "Highlights?" "Hmm... I was once eaten by a dragon. Twice." "The same beast in different lives?" "Same dragon, same life. I only died the second time. I''m still a bit salty about that one actually..." "How? How do you survive being eaten? And then get eaten again anyway?" "Trust me. You don''t want to know."


    Goldy narrows his focus, his fingertips delicately brushing the air as he tightens his legs around Aleph''s back. "See something?" "Hmm... Hinya, how does one speak this direction in Aoan?" He asks, pointing left. "That''s lo''o eyoloyo." "..." "If it helps, even the oldest beings I''ve spoken to simply call it ley." Fluffy chimes in. "I sense a presence ley." I don''t see the issue with lo''o eyoloyo... It''s perfectly descriptive... Aleph directs her focus left, picking up the pace as she coats the world in Aether, searching for any trace of Lyly. "I see something!" She declares. "I sense her essence ahead. She is near." Goldy confirms.


    Walk turns to sprint as Aleph approaches the razor thin threads strung between the webs of roots, following a jagged line and leading in random directions. Reaching the threads, she places a claw against one and plucks, the fibre showing no sign of snapping. "Yep. That''s hers. Which way should we-" "Iiiiiiii!" Thonk! The world returns to its natural order as Lyly lands upon her perch, comfortably snuggling into place. "Lyly!" "You guys came for me!" "Um... Should you two really be yelling like that?" "It''s fine, I almost never encounter predators here." The fog opens its eyes. "Fuck."


    <hr>


    Mashu Soso''ayo


    In the heart of the northern continent of Mashulasloyun lies the largest mountain range in Magnus Mundus. Most well known for its lush greenery and beautiful landscapes, this tropical mountain range is a common tourist destination. Especially so for Maolas due to the rich history and culture relating to their kind. It is for this reason that despite generally high tensions with the outer continents, people from the central continent are still allowed passage to see the mountains.


    There are many myths relating to Mashu Soso''ayo and the surrounding lands, several of which depict the origin of the Maolas and their god Aoi. Unfortunately due to a long history of conflict, and the four great wars, many of these myths have been lost or degraded to time. Additionally, since the ancients consider the topic of old gods taboo we cannot rely on their testimony to fill the gaps either.


    One of the more popular stories originating from this region is that of Laleus Aoi''sho, though this has no Englin translation I know of. The crux of the story is the god Aoi''s search for a place to call home, and their long journey around the world. Mashu Soso''ayo features in this story as the location in which they create the first of the Maolas and discover the answer to where home is.


    If you have any interest in history or culture I can''t recommend visiting Mashu Soso''ayo enough. Even the views are breathtaking enough to be worth the trip.


    -Excerpt from Anya Chiff''s ''Shape of the World''

 Chapter 38: Fog fight

    The group stand surrounded, a set of four pitch black eyes baring through the fog ahead of them, seemingly consuming the light if not emitting darkness itself, as several similar beasts lay hidden within the fog around them. Aether spreads forth, grasping at the forms surrounding them and measuring their figures. "There''s seven of them. I think we should fight." Goldy and Lyly avert their gaze from the ominous black orbs winding through the trees above them to try and spot the hidden creatures. "Is it worth fighting? We could probably just run." "I need the Aether. There''s no need to kill them if we can restrain them instead, but I especially want that big one in the back."


    Fluffy slides off Aleph''s back, stepping behind her. "I''ll take the four in the back then. This is a creature I haven''t seen before, so I''m quite interested to learn more." "Can you see them okay?" "I can get a rough gauge of their presence. And my senses aren''t too bad either." Aleph nods, nudging Goldy off her back as well. "Think you can handle the one to the side and the one above us?" With a light thump to his chest, he grins. "I have been sorely missing a good battle!" "Good. Then Lyly and I can take on the big one over there."


    Aleph focuses her gaze forward, ignoring the four eyes trying to draw attention from above and locking directly on the largest figure in the cavern. A single eye opens to meet hers, the entire cave seeming to dim under the pull of the dark sphere before it shuts once again. Was this my fastest staring contest win yet?


    Green


    Ae''othas must be a formidable sense to be able to see through this fog. Yet I cannot seem to grasp how she manages it. Stepping towards the nearest presence he can feel, the elf takes in the silhouette before him. A large lizard-like figure with eight legs sprouting into thin digits which wrap around the branches it clings to. Frills poke out from its face like whiskers, the thin membranes seeming to float in the air and react to every slight brush of wind. Briefly the frills pause their motions, instead switching to open its eyes which drink in the light before closing again and making its approach.


    The elf breathes in deep, closing his eyes. Perhaps if I face this battle by only allowing myself to use this skill to see I can find some improvement. My master always does encourage growth through adversity after all.


    Gold


    Tugging at the air, Gol Dhee focuses his attention on the beast above him. Its essence holds strong, observing him as he watches back with his own. I have been given responsibility to face these two beasts. My first priority must be to ensure their attention lies solely upon myself. Plunging his hands into the hard stone below he attempts to wrestle control of a wave of stone, but only manages a fistful of large rocks from the essence infused earth. Taking what he has, he flings the rocks with all his might to the beast, observing as it weaves around his attack with an uncanny agility for its size.


    Satisfied with the attention he''s garnered he focuses instead on his other quarry, charging towards the beast with flame coated palms. With a leap, he throws his fists forward and coats the area before him in fire. The beast slithers away, its pale skin now visible under the golden hue of Gol Dhee''s flames as it wraps around the branches to charge him in sync with the other.


    Cyan


    "So how much onthulius does this guy have?" Lyla stands on guard atop her perch, waving her pedipalps like a boxer entering the ring. "A decent amount. This is about the limit I would expect to cling to a creature not attuned to Aether in this world. The others are so-so. I''m not too concerned about them." She always finishes with ''in this world''... Does she end up in a different domain every time she goes back in time or something?


    The pair approach the beast, a subtle pressure from its Mana wrapping around them as it shifts and winds through the branches out of sight. Focusing her own, she picks up the faint vibrations in the ambient Mana allowing her to sense its silent motions as it grasps and pulls itself along the branches around them. The easiest win condition will be to wrap it in threads... "See if you can distract it while I build a trap." "Sounds good"


    Green


    I can''t sense anything... My Aether is thin and spread wide, but I don''t feel a thing. Am I missing something? Is it not thin enough? No matter, I simply need to keep- Bang! The earth cracks around him and he is slammed into the rocky floor, a large mass pressing into him from above. Ah, there we go. He grips the mass above him and sinks his feet into the ground. With a twist he lifts the large beast, its head alone easily twice that of the dragon, and cracks its body like a whip.


    Bones shatter, the earth shatters, and the air itself shatters under the force of his first strike. Branches all around him splinter and break, disrupting the balance of the other nearby creatures as the shock-waves from his attack ripple through. Hmm... That won''t do. Using brute force like this will just kill them. I should see if I can incapacitate them with my Aether alone.


    Gold


    Gol Dhee tenses, leaping to catch the charge of the oncoming beasts. His hands connect with the smooth skin on their skulls, muscles straining under the tremendous force of their charge. Quickly realising he''s losing the battle of brute strength he deftly throws himself into the air above, wind from their collision below helping push him high. Grasping the air, he throws himself back down and strikes at the open target, only to be slammed aside by an agile tail.


    Eight black eyes bear down upon him as he tumbles into the ground, catching himself and sliding to a stop to match their gaze. That was painful... He grimaces, the bruised flesh on his arm throbbing as a small trickle of blood weaves between strands of gold fur. Is this a battle I cannot win? I am unable to both defend and attack, and I am too slow to avoid everything... No! Thoom! He slams his chest, the fog wavering under the wave of sound. Essence flows around him, coating every limb, every muscle, every patch of fur. Gold shimmers, flickering into white as patterns spread across his coat. His fur gains length and his muscles gain strength, Thoom! I shall be no burden!


    Violet


    Did Goldy''s fur just get longer? What is he even doing over there? Ooh! Is this evolution?! Or wait... Was it ultra-something? Hmm... "Watch out!" Thud! Crack! Aleph is sent flying by the whipping motion of a giant tail, the pale scales striking against her own obsidian ones with enough force to leave a gash and launch her through several branches. "What are you doing?!" Shit, I wasn''t paying attention. "My bad! I''ll stay focused!"


    Charging back towards the behemoth before her, Aleph slides under the gaping maw lunging for her and slashes her tail into the flesh below. The attack barely leaves a mark on the thick scales, but it''s enough to keep the titanic beast''s attention solely focused on her. Slamming her feet into the ground she leaps, violet bubbles coating her as she slams into the belly of the beast, briefly lifting it from the ground before sprinting away.


    Green


    Hm, yes! I think I feel something! Thonk! Never-mind... The elf grabs the tail slamming into him and tosses the creature into the air. This ae''othas skill is difficult... I can''t even figure out how to feel what my Aether is touching! Focusing his attention to the sounds of loud footsteps approaching he condenses his Aether in front of himself. Master always said magic works through visualisation, perhaps Aether works the same way.


    His mind narrows, the air condensing into green bubbles before him. His mind focuses, the bubbles splitting apart as he grasps hold of the finer particles in the air. His mind empties, leaning into a pure focus as he narrows his thoughts down to comprehending the individual atoms within his grasp. And now... Shock-wave! Nothing happens. Shit... Thud!


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    Gold


    Tiny but powerful vortices of fog swirl around Gol Dhee, an oncoming tail brushing harmlessly past as he grips the air into a tempest and pulls the beast from its feet. Coating himself in flames he meets the charge of his other foe head on, allowing the white flames to flicker over and burn through the tough scales slamming into him. As the beast backs away he takes a solid stance, waiting ready for their next charge.


    This form works well! I may not have the strength to take these beings down, but I can at least last until the others finish their quarries. It hurts to admit weakness, but I must not allow recklessness for the sake of pride.


    Cyan


    "Fuehehe! The trap is complete!" Lyla hops down from the branches, landing atop her perch with practised grace with a single thread held in her jaws. "I''m ready when you are! Just lead it back to where we started and this thing is as good as caught." "On it!" The dragon leaps back, leading the titan by the jaws as it repeatedly lunges and bites with an enraged fervour. Almost... Almooost... "Now!"


    Mana pulses through the thread in her grip, flowing up and across the network of threads woven together and scattered across the web of roots above. Like clockwork, the threads tense and pull in, sliding free from the roots and clumping together in a common centre where the titan stands. Wave after wave of tight threads clump and wrap around the beast, leaving no limb free as it''s left writhing and bound.


    "Fuahahaha! Yet another victory, courtesy of the great divine beast Lyla herself!" "Hey..." "Oh yea, you helped. Thanks." "Good enough for me. How are the others doing?"


    Thoom!


    Green


    "Fuu..." The elf sighs, opening his eyes to see three incapacitated creatures encircling the crater he stands in. Fog rushes back towards him in a light implosion of air, having been blown away by the force of his strike. It was worth a try I suppose.


    Stepping away from the shattered earth around him, he walks over to where he last heard Muscles to find the ape deflecting blow after blow from the two beasts circling him. His fur changed... How fascinating! Resisting the urge to pull out his journal and begin furiously writing notes, he instead shouts to the ape. "Need a hand there?" Their eyes meet briefly, Muscles ducking below an oncoming swipe of the creature''s paw to sprint to the elf''s side. "If you are willing."


    "Excellent. Stand back." With a moment of hesitation, Muscles complies. His fur fades back to its natural gold as he steps away, making sure to keep a curious eye on the elf as he takes stance.


    The elf breathes in, his mind focusing on the sole purpose of throwing a single strike. Feet spread apart and fist to his hip he takes a step, straining every muscle in his lower body as his foot plunges into the ground and his weight shifts forward. His hips turn, dragging his shoulders along with and finally his arm begins to extend. All within the span of a millisecond he throws his arm forward and with a final twist, the air shatters.


    Crack!


    A wave of force burns through the air, ejecting all matter and leaving behind a trail of molten rock as it travels straight between the two creatures before carving into a distant pillar. Wind bursts outward from the line drawn by his strike in a powerful shock-wave, shoving both creatures away as they begin to tumble and crash into roots and stone. The cacophony of sound reverberates through the cavern, the fog once again blown away from the area flowing back in an implosion of wind. Roots above them waver and fall, their supports destroyed by the beasts'' uncontrolled travel and shaken by the shock-wave.


    Giving Muscles a friendly pat on the back he sets off in the direction he thinks the dragon was last at, leaving the dumbfounded ape staring in disbelief and awe at the line of obsidian now forming from his strike.


    Violet


    "Huh... Guess they''re done too." Aleph trots over to Fluffy, ignoring the line of glowing red rock behind him. "I saw you were trying to use ae''othas earlier. Any progress?" Fluffy sighs, shaking his head. "None. I can''t seem to feel anything from my Aether aside from where it is." "That''s what you''re supposed to feel for. You just need to make it thin enough that objects are able to push and block it, then you feel the environment based on how much resistance you''re getting. You''ll have better luck practising looking at living things which interfere more strongly with Aether." "I see! I''ll begin practice immediately!" Gotta love this level of enthusiasm from a student.


    "Sure, I''m going back to the lizard thing so I can extract the Aether from it. You know how to do that right?" Fluffy opens his eyes, putting a pause on his training to look at her confused. "You can do that?" Aleph returns the look with her own confusion. "Uh... Yes. That''s how you''re normally supposed to do it. You extract unattuned Aether from the environment." Has he just been relying on ambient Aether this whole time? His will must be pretty impressive to reach such an absurd amount in a world this sparse.


    She turns around, stepping over to the still writhing beast. From above, Lyly peers down at the cracked scales and drips of blood on Aleph''s side. "You''re still bleeding you know. And what''s with the weird gold stuff mixed into it?" "Oh yeah. I''m changing my blood into ichor. It''s more efficient than blood, especially for helping carry Aether." Fluffy steps up once again, giving her side a poke and looking at the red and gold mixed fluid. "Isn''t ichor a key ingredient in ambrosia?" Aleph pauses. "You know this world''s recipe for ambrosia?" "Yes, my master drilled the method into me for some reason. I could never forget. Ichor is about the only ingredient I could never find any feasible method of acquiring." "Well... That''s extremely convenient."


    <hr>


    So! You want to know how to make ambrosia? Well good news for you! I happen to know how! For reasons totally unrelated to the plot, I would never foreshadow or anything, don''t worry about it.


    Step one? Ingredients! Unlike some worlds, Ao requires a mixture of substances to produce its brand of ambrosia. Also unlike some worlds, these ingredients happen to be pretty vague, and a lot of them land on a ''close enough is good enough'' basis! Probably because the behaviour of this world''s Mana is closer to the true nature of Mana than most. Huh? I shouldn''t say stuff like that? Isn''t this whole schtick kinda a spoiler to begin with? Eh.


    So what do you need? Well most ingredients aren''t really relevant to this story, since they happen to be very common within the labyrinth. The most notable ones though, include powderised extract of a subterranean mammal''s claws or fangs, any boiled substance from a realised divine beast, a mixture consisting of precisely three different breeds of moss, the favourite spice of whoever is creating the ambrosia, and of course the most important ingredient... ichor. Granted, ichor happens to be the most difficult of these to obtain, since any being with enough purity of ichor to matter would normally be unwilling to simply hand over its blood to a mortal, but if you can get this then everything else is usually a given.


    Great! Step two! You have your ingredients! So what do you do with them? Mix them all in a big-ass pot! Yes. The pot is also an ingredient. The quantities don''t really matter as long as they''re roughly equal in mass, save for the pot. Really, you only need to think they''re equal for it to work. Next you need to freeze them. Flash freeze is best, but sticking the pot in a cold place and waiting works too.


    The final step? Burn it. Burn it more. Do not stop burning it. If it looks burned, it''s not burned enough. Use fire, magma, a dwarf star, anything that''s hot enough to burn things. The amount of time varies based on factors randomly selected about the ones creating the ambrosia. You''ll know it''s done when it stops being black and instead emits a somewhat divine-ish glow which seems to do freaky things to the surrounding light. Can''t miss it.


    This creates exactly one vial of ambrosia. How big is a vial? As big as the person creating it thinks it is. Mana is just weird like that.


    PSA: Not fit for consumption by mortals. Side-effects of prolonged exposure to or excess consumption of ambrosia can include itching, scratching, uncontrolled maniacal laughter, mood swings, glowing cartilage, scritching, desire for power, increased emission of alpha particles, steady modification of one''s body over the course of one sixth of their average life expectancy into a completely different species, desire for world domination, moss, an increased propensity towards sparing one''s potential nemeses, accidental summoning of Laxbakkan or one of their incarnations, temporary or sporadic heightening of bodily capabilities, formation of a pseudo pure-heart, formation of a pseudo anchor, increased propensity towards devising plots, numb toes or fingers, increase sensitivity to sound and unbound energies, headaches, back-aches, stomach-aches, cramps, nausea, something akin to bone rot, and a runny nose.


    - Vector''s guide to ambrosia

 Chapter 39: To ambrosia or to not ambrosia

    "You know... Those aren''t the worst ingredients I''ve heard for ambrosia. Pretty generous actually." Aleph lays atop the bound beast, steadily prying away the Aether clinging ambiently as it remains spent and defeated, albeit visibly seething with anger and frustration. "You think it''s doable?" Fluffy asks, attentively watching her method of Aether extraction. "The hardest part may actually be the pot. Do you know if it has to be metal?" "My master never specified. Is it really important?" "Probably. Mana is weird like that. If you don''t think it''ll work it probably won''t, especially with ambrosia."


    "Hey, what do we need this stuff for anyway? Is it another oothong thing?" "I think you''ve said that one already." "Ah, shit. You''re right..." "And I want to summon a demon with it." """...""" "...?" "No." Lyly declares, staring at the dragon completely deadpan. "What? Why?" "Because demons are crazy psychopaths who devastate empires and sacrifice innocent maidens to the abyss or whatever!" "What kind of demons have you been summoning?" "None! Because it''s a bad idea!"


    "Demons do have a bad reputation..." Fluffy chimes in, prompting a huff from Aleph. "Well I''m definitely not leaving the summoning to you guys." Goldy steps up, scratching his chin as he pipes up. "What is a demon?" Fluffy turns to respond. "Other-worldly monsters I believe." Lyly skitters forth. "Crazy world dominating evildoers!" Aleph scoffs. "Interdimensional contractors." """...""" "So many new words..." Aleph shakes her head, standing up as she finishes absorbing Aether. "You summon them to do a thing and they do it. As long as you do everything properly it should be perfectly safe. Most demons are perfectly reasonable people I''ll have you know."


    Aleph hops off the giant lizard, swiping her tail to cut the creature''s leg free. Taking the newfound mobility it proceeds to swiftly drag itself away from the group of weirdly strong freaks, making sure to give them a rude hiss along the way. As you do. "Is ambrosia needed to summon them? I thought it was more of a stimulant." "Depends on who''s using it but it can be a stimulant. More likely to just kill you though. In our case we''ll be using it as payment." "Hey! Don''t talk like we''re doing this! We are not summoning a demon! Elf guy, back me up here." "I don''t know Lil'' Blue. It''s sort-of starting to sound like a good idea. I don''t know much about demons to begin with, and Teacher seems to know a lot. Maybe we can try a little summoning?" "No! Monkey, tell them they''re idiots!" "Demons are assistants, yes?" "We''re doomed..."


    Nudging the pessimistic spider onto her rightful perch, Aleph turns to face Fluffy. "Any idea where to go from here?" "None." "This way it is then." Picking an intelligently chosen direction by not caring which direction is chosen the group set off into the fog. An eerie silence fills the cavern, only broken by the light footwork of the travelling group. Time swims by without any change to their environment as branches continue to stream past them with an unfettered homogeneity. The occasional crevice crops up, digging into the ground yet never reaching nearly deep enough to breach into the next layer.


    Through the eyes of a tired spider


    "Hey, so what do we do about water? I''m starting to get thirsty." Lyla asks, scritching her dry fangs. "With this much fog I can use Aether to pull some from the air if you want." The dragon replies. "Uh... I won''t get eethui poisoning will I?" "No... I wouldn''t want to waste Aether like that anyway." "Ah, that''s good. Wouldn''t want your eldritchness to rub off on me." Lyla chuckles, teasingly poking the dragon. "I don''t know... You might enjoy it." The dragon shoots back. "Oho? She doth admit her abyssal nature? Oh do save me from this terrible creature sir hero!" "How''d you know people used to call me that?" "..." "..." "I was talking to the monkey. You were called hero?"


    The elf scratches his ear, a light blush coating his cheeks at the question. "Well um... You see..." Ah yes. The cute elf being embarrassed about something trope. I feel like something is different though... "I kind-of just went around doing my own thing you know? Helped people where I could, explored a bunch of interesting places... I even wrote a few books on my adventures! Eventually people just started calling me a hero, which was... well... Anyway, it was around the time I helped stop that invasion from Osalaleus, so maybe-" "You mean Utopia? Holy shit, you''re the Lost Hero aren''t you..." "The what?" "Really popular guy nobody knows the name of who never returned from a reverence festival dive. Everyone thinks you''re dead." "Oh..."


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    "Whenever we get to the surface, I have a few friends who would die for your autograph." They are going to be so jealous when I tell them! "Do you think this moss would be any good for the ambrosia?" The dragon interjects, scratching at the fluffy material coating the floor.. Fuck''s sake, not this again... "We are not summoning a demon." "No, that''s lichen. I think using that would cause a cascade. The moss hanging from the roots should suffice though." The elf responds, pulling off some of the hanging moss. "We are not summoning a demon!" "We also need some bone powder right? Do you think everything here counts as subterranean?" The dragon posits. "We. Are. Not. Summoning. A. Demon." "I wouldn''t risk it. I hear the recipe can be finicky about these things so we''re probably better off looking for a burrowing creature akin to a mole or worm." The elf clarifies. "Listen to me dammit!"


    "Oh come on, it''ll be fine. Demons are very skilled at what they do, so having one on the team would help." "It would be a fascinating case study!" "Demons are... strong and friendly? A fine sparring partner?" I''m being ganged up on... Lyla collapses in defeat, laying limp atop her perch under the barrage of disagreement with her opinion. "There there. It seems you''ve been outvoted. Don''t worry though, whoever I summon I''m sure you''ll get along with them just fine." The dragon consoles, bringing her tail around to gently pat the sulking spider on the head... back? Same thing really. "We are so doomed..."


    Through the eyes of a truly fascinated elf


    I had never considered the possibility of summoning a demon! Do they have their own society? What does their race even look like? How does the summoning process work? Where are they even being summoned from? So many questions to ask! Maybe I should start with... "Teacher, you seem to know a lot about demons. Do you have history with them?" "Hmm, good question..." "..." "..." "Well?" "I forgot." "You... forgot?" "I have amnesia okay! You try remember things with a shattered soul!" "A shattered... soul... I thought souls were indestructible." "Eh, well shattered is a bit of a misnomer, but it gets the idea across at least. My soul, and my memories along with it, is kind-of scattered, or suppressed? I believe it''s intentional, since there are memories I absolutely must not recall. So the less I remember the better." That sounds... concerning...


    "We should rest. It''s been a long day and it''s getting late." Lil'' Blue chitters lethargically, her voice clearly filled with more than physical fatigue. Seriously, how can she tell? The group settle down by a nice looking root, unpacking their gear and starting a small fire. The elf lays down his sword and sits facing Teacher. "So how does one go about actually summoning a demon?" "Uuuuugh!" Lil'' blue groans, skittering away to brood from within a nook in the root.


    "Anyway... So what do we need?" Teacher tilts her head, laying her cheek against the floor as she thinks. "We don''t need anything really. Just something that conducts pure energy well to draw an array with. The stone here should actually be fine to use if we powderise it." "So simple? Then I suppose the ambrosia is still the main roadblock." "Is it? We have all the difficult parts already though. Basically just need some moss and a mole." "We don''t have anything from a divine beast. That''s going to be hard to find, especially here."


    Teacher lifts up, looking over to Lil'' Blue. "Lyly and I are divine beasts, aren''t we?" "..." Lil'' Blue stares blankly before averting her gaze. "...?" "What happens if you get that ingredient wrong?" She hesitantly chitters. "Instead of ambrosia you get an incredibly potent gaseous toxin said to have once killed a god." "Ah, well... I maaaay have exaggerated our status as divine beasts a little..." "You did? A little? Why? How?" "Well... Okay, don''t get me wrong. We are divine beasts. Just not realised ones yet... You don''t get that status until after you meet the Progenitor. I think." "I see... Well that complicates things."


    Through the eyes of not quite a divine beast


    So I''m a divine beast but also not? Makes sense-ish. "Imma go to sleep now. Goodnight." "Rest well." "May your sleep be pleasant." Skitter, skitter. Plop! "Night."


    <hr>


    I open my eyes. I... Something is wrong. I''m not quite... myself. Am I attuned? That should be a conscious effort though... Unless... I suppose there are exceptions to that. Yes, that''s right. A few energies can attune to the body first, then the soul upon birth. That must be what happened. So... What am I?


    I look down. I have wings. So many wings. I don''t have the words to describe anything else. The words... Am I not thinking in Aoan? No, this language... What is it? I''ve never even heard... Oh! I''ve finished unattuning. Good. That was... icky.


    The one holding me is... concerned? Right... I just unattuned. This body is failing. Not built to survive without... There is plenty of Aether, but... I won''t attune in time. I''m dying... Again... How many times has this-


    Who is that? Who is looking at me? So familiar... I know them! They''re my... Brother? Sister? Again with this language... I can''t find the words I''m trying to say... This isn''t... how this memory...


    Is someone interfering?

 Chapter 40: The ranker?

    Through the eyes of a tower climber


    "That is... impressive." A behemoth of a woman sits snugly at a dining table, coldly regarding the small Japanese boy sitting across from her. "What ever do you mean?" She asks with a mischievous smile. "Mmmf!" "Oh, come on sweetie. Nobody can hear you from there." Her arms lay wrapped around a small figure, completely hiding the diminutive form who begins to wriggle. From within the ocean of muscle a pair of azure eyes poke out, followed by the rest of Ghost''s head. "You''re just jealous." She mumbles, before sinking back into the comforting embrace of biceps and abs. "Sure. Jealous. That''s the word I''d use." Heh. I know love-struck eyes when I see them. I''m sure he''s just dying to do the same with his own partner.


    "Well... seating arrangements aside, I don''t believe we''ve been introduced. My name i-" "Auvic right? The folks from Curei''a spoke highly of you. Some kind of celebrity I take it? Anyway, the name''s Aeryth, and I''m the chief manager of this year''s reverence festival. And you''ve already met my glorious little muffin, Ghost." "Nehehehe..." "Yes, I see you have... a relationship." Thonk, thonk, thonk. A waiter steps over, delivering three steaming bowls of long awaited ramen. The scent of hot food prompts Ghost to wriggle free of her muscly cocoon and immediately begin slurping down her bowl with no regard for the remote concept of manners.


    Auvic takes a more civil approach, whispering his thanks before proceeding to actually use his chopsticks. Finally! I''ve been waiting for this all day. Aeryth on the other hand manages to take civility a step further, drinking down one noodle at a time, sipping a ladle of broth, and mixing a different variety of toppings with each bite, savouring every mouthful in a show of unparalleled elegance. Yet despite this seemingly slow method of eating she manages to keep pace with the native ramen eater and the insatiable glutton, managing to finish at the same time Auvic places down his cutlery.


    "Great! Now that we''re all fed we can get down to business. You are both morons." Ghost tries to hide away in her cocoon of muscles, to escape the criticism she knows is coming. Yet her retreat is vetoed by said cocoon of muscles. There shall be no escape for you, cutie. "A bit harsh don''t you think? We were just trying to keep a dangerous individual under control." "You underestimated him severely. Auvic I can understand, but Ghost you should have known better. Didn''t your system tell you anything?"


    Ghost rests her chin on the table, visibly frustrated by her inability to escape. "He''s a god seed like us. All his stats were null. I figured we could just stall him until you showed up. Didn''t expect you to just let him get away." That complicates things... "You are aware of god seeds?" A shrill voice pipes up, prompting a confused glance from Aeryth. "Huh... Thought that was just a creepy doll." Ghost perks up, her eyes widening at the doll''s words. "Wait, do you know what a god seed actually is? Can you tell us?" "Unfortunately, it is not my place to discuss the matters of this world''s gods. I have an agreement to uphold with them." I am speaking to a god level being. Noted.


    Leaning forward, Aeryth regards the doll with renewed interest, her eyes meeting its hollow sockets dead on. "Surely you can tell us something right? A hint maybe?" Ghost perks up, an idea flashing through her tiny head. "Auvic was classified as a god seed! Surely there''s some loophole you can exploit with that, right?" The doll twists its head, a broken imitation of a quizzical tilt as it turns to face Ghost. "I''m fucking afraid again..." "Perhaps you are right, but I am quite comfortable with the arrangement I have and have no desire to risk disrupting it. Though, what I can safely tell you is that Auvic likely classifies as such by technicality. Strictly speaking he is my Acrylon, something akin to an apostle or a ward. Out of curiosity, what do you already know of god seeds?"


    "Only that people who surpass the limitations of their magic system in some way often seem to be labelled as such. Oh, I do have numbers though. I''m at fifty-six percent, Ari and Faux are at ninety-nine, and Auvic is at... sixty-nine percent." "I wonder what criteria are used. Or perhaps Auvic''s is a placeholder? I can''t imagine what would lock you at such a close value as ninety-nine either, aside from intentionally holding the process back. Though I should refrain from further elaboration. A stray word would be enough to provide irrevocable interference."


    Aeryth shakes her head, putting thoughts of gods and freaky dolls to the side. "Anyway, we''re getting sidetracked. Faux, the guy you were dumb enough to pick a fight with, is a known mass murderer who has been wreaking havoc in Qing for the past three years." "Qing? Seriously? They couldn''t think of a more creative name for the cultivator world." Not very good at staying on topic, are you? "It was named after the Qing dynasty. Now back on topic. Had you actually pissed him off he would''ve been able to level this city, let alone snap that noodle you call a neck in two. In fact, the only reason he didn''t is probably because of folks like myself and Kav being around. But even with all of us a fight could lead to some serious collateral."


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    Auvic leans his chin into his hands, a hint of doubt in his eyes as he takes in her words. "Is there anything I can do to help?" "This is my headache to deal with, not yours. Just stay away from him and especially don''t challenge him to more sparring matches. Him fighting is the last thing we need right now." Leaning back, Auvic raises his hands in defeat. "Fine, fine. No crazy hero moments for me. I''ll stay put." This idiot is going to need a unit watching him for sure. "You''d better. I''m late for work now. If you cause me any problems I''ll fold you like a crepe." Aeryth picks up Ghost, planting her on the chair beside her before standing up.


    "Aww, but what about our date?" "Tomorrow. I have more headaches than just Faux to deal with today. They''re opening a new all you can eat buffet nearby. I''ll take you there." "Sweet!" Giving Ghost''s hair an affectionate rustle, Aeryth leaves and steps out into the open air. The scent of noodles and cooked meat gives way to the soft waft of freshly cut grass and evening winds. The sky, once a bright blue, turns amber under the first sunset as the red sun climbs down the horizon, its white twin shortly behind dipping its toes.


    The city lays quiet, the only sounds being the gentle brush of wind and the occasional shuffling steps of city-goers as Aeryth confidently swaggers her way down the street. Pivoting, she turns her way into the darkest alleyway one could imagine, painted black, hidden from all sunlight, and dotted with a bunch of completely pointless, but menacing looking spikes. Stopping by a large spike jutting out of the wall, she sits along it and pulls out a sizeable book which in her hands looks more like a child''s notepad. What is that idiot doing... She waits, her eyes flickering across the pages as she ignores the shadow draped figure approaching.


    As soon as the figure reaches within a metre from her she slams the book shut and turns to face him. "Took you long enough, Don. And here I thought I was the late one." The figure stops, visibly sighing before dispersing the shadows to reveal his brown hair and expired complexion. "Haah... I''ll manage to sneak up on you one of these days." Sure... As if I don''t already know the positions of all my subordinates at all times. "Report. Where is our little headache now?"


    "The target has been visiting a variety of bars and caf¨¦s. No incidents reported yet. Though he does seem particularly interested in the magic systems of other domains." Aeryth leans against the wall, letting out a deep sigh. "How am I supposed to deal with this bastard..." "It might interest you to know he has signed up for the dive. With randomly assigned partners." Oh? This could maybe work out then. I wonder... "Good work. Anything else to report?" "The scouts have returned from the labyrinth. It''s mostly the usual. Breeding season has just passed so divers will have to be wary of more numerous shuun and millivipers, the flooding in the eastern section of floors ten to sixteen has lessened, and divine beast Nok still sleeps. Though, there were also reports of a few particularly strong entities wandering the twenty-fifth floor."


    Entity? Seriously? I know you''ve got this whole fancy and mysterious shtick you''re working with, but still... "What kind of ''entities''?" "An instance of the white shadow was spotted in the labyrinth for the first time in one hundred years." "White shadow? Never heard of it." "An old myth about a creature which was sealed away by the city''s guardian." "Right... What else?" "A gold monkey, or ape... They weren''t clear about which. Anyway, it seems to be capable of wide-area elemental telekinesis. And is reportedly ''extremely buff''." I like the sound of this one. "Then there was two figures within the dark central tunnels with glowing purple and red eyes. The scouts dared not approach because of a tremendously imposing Aura."


    "Hmm... Send Fiata Nite to investigate them." "Of course. And then there was also a hobo." "Fucking what?" "A shirtless man covered in dirt with a staggeringly unkempt beard." "Did the scouts arrest him?" "Those who tried were wiped out and buried neck deep in stone. They had to be freed by one of the junior scouts who was spared the man''s wrath." "Get a bounty posted for this guy. Make sure you assign an appropriate difficulty and provide warning about the other creatures." "Of course. And... there''s one more. A being with many eyes which left several scouts traumatised." Don''t tell me... "I need a full description. Colours, shape, everything." "Unfortunately the many eyes and a strange ring of light is all we could pry from the scouts. The experience completely broke them."


    Dammit... Why does this have to happen this year? I really hope I''m wrong about this...


    <hr>


    "So, from one love-struck fool to the next, fight on!" "Right... So what exactly do you like about... What was she called?" "Sil? Everything! The uncannily smooth face, the hollow gaze, the ear piercing voice, it''s all just so... perfect! Oh and don''t get me started on the unnatural ways she can contort her limbs!" "Wait... So you''re not just being hypnotised into thinking she''s a beautiful maiden or something? You actually like that?" "I seem to get that a lot... What do you like about your partner?" "Muscles." "Is... that all?" "Oh, are we talking about more than appearance? Well she cooks, cleans, can crush a skyscraper with her pinky, and gives really nice cuddles. She does tend to leave her dumbell collection lying everywhere though. Don''t ask me why she collects dumbells of all things. She doesn''t even use them. And where she gets them I have no idea, but seriously, how do you even get a disk bigger than me stuck in the drain? It''s ridiculous! Fuck, she can clean for sure but when she leaves a mess, she leaves a mess!" She does realise I can hear her from across the city, right?

 Chapter 41: Red mist

    The group traverse the foggy terrain, following a sizeable river along its winding path. The vibrant trickle of water fills the cavern, steadily leading them down to where they can hopefully breach into the next layer. "Are we there yet?" A bored spider mumbles. "How should I know?" A confused dragon responds. "I don''t know. Just felt like the right thing to say." "Huh... Now that I think about it that sounds right. Oh, and the river seems to be steadily growing steeper, so maybe we are there... yet."


    Lyly perks up, pulling herself from her dazed dangling to stand firm atop her perch. "Really? Finally! Should we wake up the others?" "Already awake." Fluffy announces from Aleph''s back, sitting up with a stretch as Goldy does the same. The terrain stoops down, leading into a cave within a pillar wall. Dimly lit fog gives way to pitch darkness as they enter the cave, still following the bustling river.


    Fluffy and Goldy hop off Aleph''s back, their feet splashing into the water as they begin to wade alongside her. "What lies within the layer below?" Goldy asks, turning to face Lyly and Fluffy. "This far out is new territory to me. How about you elf?" "The next layer varies wildly. If we end up near a geyser it''ll be incredibly foggy, otherwise it will be similar to this layer. Interestingly, most of the life there actually seems to be more populous on the ceiling where moisture builds up, and-" "If you go on another tirade about random wildlife facts I am going to bite you." "..." "..." "It''s really interesting though..."


    As they continue through the tunnel, the wall spread out and light begins to trickle through, saturating the cave with a vibrant red. Aleph turns her eyes to Goldy, walking ahead of the group with his gaze fixated on something in the distance. "Everything okay Goldy?" His gait slows, bringing him back in pace with the rest of the group as he shakes his head. "I though I... Never mind." If you say so...


    The cave opens up into a cavern, all vision blocked by a thick, red fog. Aleph takes a moment to pause, expecting the rest of the group to do the same, only for them to keep walking. "Hey, where are you..." Lyly hops of too, skittering away in the same direction. Okay, something''s up here...


    Through the eyes of an excited elf


    Could this be? No, there''s simply no way... The elf approaches a small figure within the fog, covered in pristine blue fur and adorned with two dull claws at the tip of each paw. As he nears the creature it lifts onto its hind feet, twitching its button nose as it regards him with a pure unblemished curiosity. "Look at you! Such a beautiful creature!" He coos, picking up the small animal.


    Such a perfect specimen! I''ve never seen a cottonfang with such spectacular fur, and the patterns along its back bear a perfect symmetry too! Not to mention how calm it is, not even the slightest bit scared as I approach! I need to sketch this! Such a... His gaze turns, meeting eyes with another figure poking out of the fog. Is that a grey legsniffer? I had no idea such rare creatures even existed here!


    Through the eyes of a nostalgic monkey


    That figure... Gol Dhee ambles forward, cautiously approaching the stout silhouette before him. A golden glow peers through the red fog, reflected off the thick fur of the giant being as it holds still, observing his gradual approach. Could it be? He picks up the pace, the figure becoming clear as he breaches through the fog. Father...


    Through the eyes of a determined spider


    Lyla skitters forth, chasing the shadow which has stolen her attention like a cat with a laser. "You aren''t getting away!" She declares, picking up her pace until... Bap! She pounces, nailing the shadow to the ground with her legs. "Fuahaha! None can escape the grasp of the great Lyla!" "Indeed. ''Twas foolish of me to even attempt." It fucking speaks?


    Through the eyes of an engrossed elf


    Running his hand through the soft, black fur of the majestic beast he follows beside, he analyses, awestruck by the elegant gait of its long legs. What manner of creature even is this? Articulate hooves, furred wings, a mane of horns, is this some form of yet unknown dragon? And its condition... It is clearly of animalistic intelligence yet it is perfectly tame, seemingly groomed to a downright artistic degree, and the way it moves is so... practiced? Choreographed? As if it knows the perfect place to land each footfall. Is this perhaps... some kind of lost animal paradise? He looks around, eyes flitting across the dozens of equally majestic creatures walking, flying, and burrowing around him.


    A bird with red feathers that dance through the air like licks of flame, a serpentine mammal which practically swims through the stone, and even an earth drake adorned in a silver crystal shell. All approach and probe without caution, satisfying their curiosity over this new interloper as he does the same. Predator and prey stand together in harmony, as if an unspoken truce has taken root within this mysterious fog. Is something pulling me? He turns, looking for the source of the faint tugging sensation which briefly brushed by. Finding nothing, he shakes his head and returns his eyes to the creatures around him.


    It''s all... too perfect...


    Through the eyes of a surprised monkey


    "Father! Is that really you?" Gol Dhee approaches the figure, standing at nearly twice his height with a coat of gold that easily outshines his own. "Fa-" "I am disappointed in you son." "..." He stands still, a stunned silence filling the air. "Father, I-" "You are weak! You cannot so much as bend the earth around you!" "The earth is saturated in too much essence! I cannot hope to-" "You believe you cannot, and thus you are unable! That is all!" The earth fractures, stone rising and spiralling around the pair is if granted a will of its own.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Gol Dhee watches in awe at the display. The dense, essence filled earth he could barely scrape at is hurled violently around, bent with ease like splashing a pool of water. He attempts to step forward, but is held back by a slight pull. "Ignore it and step forth." He complies. The tug fades and he stands before his father, looming over him with an unwavering confidence. Raising his huge arms he proceeds to thrum his chest.


    Thoom!


    The earth powderises around them.


    Thoom!


    The air shivers in awe and fear.


    Thoom!


    "Come! Face me!"


    Through the eyes of a confused spider


    "Who are you?" Lyla asks the strange shadow beneath her. "Oh, you know me well." It replies, winding free from her grasp and pushing its form out as to white orbs form on its face. No. Fuckin. Way. "Yes, daughter of mine. I am the Progenitor. And you have quite impressed me." Lyla freezes, momentarily struck in the head by revelatory whiplash. Shaking herself out of her daze she meets the figure''s gaze and speaks. "Why now? I''ve been here for so long... Why come out now?" "Indeed. Around one-hundred-and-fifty years I believe it''s been since you began in earnest. And your efforts have not gone unnoticed by me."


    Squinting her eyes, somehow, Lyla begins to skitter closer but fails to close the distance. I can''t move? Shaking herself she breaks free from whatever bound her and approaches the shadow. "Who are you? Who am I? Why does nobody tell me things? I need to know..." "All in due time child. First you must follow-" "No, I need answers! You can''t keep me waiting for hundreds of years and expect me to just play along when you show up out of nowhere!" "Very well..."


    Through the eyes of a suspicious elf


    The elf''s eyes dart around, scrutinising every detail, every action of the strangely calm creatures surrounding him. They''re too tame. These cannot be wild animals. Not to mention their pristine condition. But that isn''t what bothers me... He watches them walk, the way all of them seem to subtly follow the same direction to some common destination. They seem to be leading me somewhere, but more than that... They''re so interesting. Each one moreso than the last, as if specifically chosen for me. As if... I see... This is an illusion.


    The world wavers, the animals beginning to blur and lose focus as the fog thickens. I didn''t even notice the fog growing thinner... I wonder though, is this a reaction to my figuring out the illusion, or has something else caused it to falter...


    Through the eyes of a monkey in training


    Gol Dhee pulls himself from the ground, his whole body aching as he strains his weary body to dodge the oncoming bolt of boiling rock. "Fight back! Don''t just dodge! Claim dominance over my essence!" You give me an impossible task! Planting into the ground, Gol Dhee winds his arm to counter the next strike. His white fur singes and skin burns as he slams his arm into the heated rock, essence surging forth as he wrestles enough control to fling it back. "Good!" His father announces, punting the rock away before lifting more. "Now again-"


    The world wavers, the form of his father beginning to lose opacity. Looking around, the larger ape lets out a breath and lowers his fists, the rock falling back into place as he does. "It seems our time has come to an end here." Gol Dhee relaxes, his fur fading back to its natural gold as the pair approach. "Your white fur technique is good, but lacks polish. Technique is vital for handling essence but more vital is your intent. You must demand your will be instilled over all others." His father reaches out a hand, dropping a small pendant into Gol Dhee''s palm. "Develop more techniques like this one. Become stronger, and when we next meet-" "I shall be stronger than your current state." "Hah! You wish boy!"


    "Be well, my son."


    Through the eyes of an elated spider


    "No way!" "Yes, this is my true form." Speaks the young, pale skinned girl adorned with jet black hair and wearing a long, black dress. "I knew it! All powerful beings have a cute girl as their final form! I should really work on mine..." The girl chuckles, spreading her arms and performing a twirl. "Of course silly! And that''s not all..." "There''s more?!" "The reason I''m here is to promote you to that of a fully realised divine beast!" "Wow, really?!" "Yes! No longer will you be made fun of, or be left out by your siblings. Also Kavlaxhar sucks and I''m demoting him to be a housecat." "Wow! It''s like a dream!" Literally...


    The world wavers, the girl losing detail in her form before fading into the red mist. Guess it''s over huh... Well, it was fun while it lasted... The illusion vanishes, replaced by the view of a dragon surrounded by a pulsating mass of teeth and vines, all coated in a thick green goo which the dragon seems to be heartily chomping down. What the fuck...


    Through the eyes of a relieved dragon.


    Ah, looks like they''re regaining their senses now. Aleph hops down from the weird plant thing she just killed and shakes off most of the goop from her body, letting the rest slide off her smooth scales. "You''re back!" "So uh... What exactly just happened?" Lyly chitters, skittering atop Aleph to her perch where she slumps down with a noticeable lethargy. Goldy and Fluffy follow shortly behind, sitting in the nearest patch of stone not covered in gross plant goo. "Well, you guys were all acting weird and ignoring me. Even when I nudged you guys you wouldn''t react. Then I noticed you were all heading in roughly the same direction so I went ahead and found this thing. Noticed it was releasing red spores into the air and figured that was the cause. So I ate it."


    "Finds a weird mind altering plant and decides to just eat it. Honestly, that does sound like something you would do..." "It actually tastes kinda nice. You guys should try some." "Hell no." "I''d rather not." "I decline." Aleph lets out an offended huff, averting her head from the rude trio. Minus Lyly who is in fact, still on her head. Your loss. Aleph stands, ready to set off as her eyes transfix on a strange object held by a golden fist. Has he always had that? Seems kinda... Um... What does it seem like again? Wait... no... was I thinking about something? Eh, probably nothing.


    "So wait... How did you not get affected?" "Why would I be affected?" "Why wouldn''t you be affected?" "I don''t understand the question." "It''s your weird yuuthuu stuff again isn''t it..." "Maybe? Anyway, we should go." "But then... why did it affect the elf?"

 Chapter 42: Travel log

    Entry 1


    My travel companion Muscles has shown me how to make parchment from animal hide. The process is slow, and the pages are thicker and more cumbersome but this means I can be less frugal with my notes. A good thing too, since I was almost out of space in my journal.


    Currently we are traversing the 70th floor, trying to head towards the centre. As always I have opted towards the approach of following the size of the caves since they are generally larger nearer to the centre. This is made a smoother process by Teacher''s ability to see through walls. A remarkable ability I must try to learn for myself.


    Incidentally, we have somehow gotten to the topic of names. Strangely enough I can''t seem to remember mine. I''m sure it will come to me eventually though.


    Entry 2


    Turns out we''ve been walking in a circle. Who knew following the easiest path would diverge us so much from where we want to go? We will try again after a rest and put more of an effort in following a straight line. I do feel this journey is strengthening our friendship though.


    Entry 7


    My Aether training is coming along slowly. Ae''othas is simply too advanced for me, at least the way Teacher does it. For now I will try focus on sensing a small area around me, as an augment to my other senses rather than a replacement.


    Apparently Muscles'' training is going well though. This white furred form of his has become more stable and he can control a wider area with it. He''s even beginning to manipulate the Mana rich rocks here.


    I have also found a small patch of glowing moss which we can use for the ambrosia. Though different in colour it reminds me of the bioluminescent layers above.


    Entry 18


    I have encountered a few new species today. A small mammalian critter with jet black fur and large, round ears, a yellow bear with patches of red fur on its chest, and a pack of grey rabbits which stood on their hind legs. One of the rabbits was exceptionally plump, and delicious.


    There have also been a few crystal butterflies following us. Strange critters indeed. Perhaps they like Lil'' Blue''s Mana?


    Entry 21


    We went in another big circle. Maybe my cave size method isn''t very effective after all. Tomorrow we are simply going to throw a stick and follow as close to the direction it points as we can until we find something we can work with. I still feel our friendship is getting stronger by the day though.


    Entry 27


    Turns out Lil'' Blue is quite fun to be around. Where she finds so many ideas for games I have no idea. And she won''t tell me either. Just that she has ''lady''s secrets'' and a ''super cool reveal for the future''. I have some theories of my own though.


    Entry 45


    We have found a subterranean creature we can use in the ambrosia. A curious little critter which tried to eat my toes while I slept. I would like to find more to study, but they seem quite skittish. At least when you''re awake.


    With this our main hurdles will be something from a realised divine beast and a durable pot. I have been collecting the moss we need in vials and I always keep some ground mungroot on me for this exact situation. How my master knows this is my favourite spice I do not know, but they''ve never been wrong before.


    Entry 80


    According to Lil'' Blue it''s been thirty days since we entered this floor. Not sure how she can tell. One of her ''lady''s secrets''? I must say though, I''m quite surprised with how lost we''ve gotten. Normally I can at least find a way down to the next floor where there are plenty of rivers to follow, but here we''re lucky to find a tiny stream.


    Turns out she has been trying to reach the bottom of the labyrinth for much longer than I had thought. Longer than I''ve been alive even. Some kind of rite of passage for divine beasts I gather.


    Entry 60097562334


    I am a dumbass, Lyla is the best, and I stink too! My bad sense of direction is only eclipsed by my awful taste in divine beasts!


    Entry 100


    As it turns out, Lil'' Blue can write. Incidentally I would like to make a note to never bring up divine beast Kavlaxhar around her, and definitely not compliment him within earshot.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Entry 110


    Another fucking circle. This time we''re just going to follow Teacher. My method clearly isn''t working.


    Entry 151


    We thought we had gone in yet another circle, but as it turns out we simply came upon one of my old camp sites. Must be from years ago since I don''t remember this place at all. I wonder why I didn''t clean it up. Either way this makes for a nice place to rest a while.


    Entry 152


    I remember why I left this place in a hurry now. Truly, who knew so many grey-bellied chimps could live in one place. They even managed to injure Teacher, though she seemed largely unphased by the whole thing. Her blood seems to be almost entirely ichor now though, so that means if we find a divine beast we''ll have everything we need for ambrosia.


    Entry 185


    I am learning Englin now. It is certainly a language. Teacher says it''s similar to Aoan but I don''t really see how. Aside from a few similar words it''s a completely different language with some truly bizarre grammar. Given how much people have always built up this language as the pinnacle of communication, I am quite disappointed with how difficult it is to learn.


    Entry 190


    We seem to have reached the outer edge of this layer. The intense heat, heightened gravity, and obsidian walls indicate we are close to the boundary separating the labyrinth from the planet''s mantle. From here we can get a rough gauge of which direction the centre is, so we should hopefully make it there within a few days travel.


    Entry 199


    I believe I have finally figured out ae''eyo, the ability to pull with Aether. Supposedly, using this is far more efficient than giving vague instructions to Aether as I normally do. Something to do with the way Aether prefers precise instructions, but frankly I lost track of what Teacher was saying when she started delving into atomic physics and the fundamental laws of the universe. Who knew she was so knowledgeable about such absurd topics.


    Specialith Entryith From Aleph


    Thou hast shown difficulty maintainething thine memories of some simpleth concepts of Aether. Thereforeth I hath doth taken the liberty of providething thy a summarised explanation of the topiceth.


    Where oneth may intuit based ofeth Mana that Aether shall fill in the gaps of instruction in order to performeth a task, this be''eth untrue. Aether shalt only perform as efficientethly as the specificityethness of the instructions shall allow. Commandething Aether to push a finger''s worth of air, shall cause the Aether to spendeth time calculatething the force and quantity of energy required to push the air. Yet commanding Aether to push 1e14 atoms of air shall allow the Aether to performeth thine same task imminently, for thy calculations hath already been done.


    Thine most efficient path in mastering thy manipulation of Aether shall be to first master ae''othas to the degree''eth thatst thine is capable of witnessing the presence of atoms. Fromst there, thine shall attain capability of grasping every atom within thine view and applying technique at the speed of thought. Thiseth shall additionally enable greater force to be appliedeth, for the Aether shall be able to act in confidence with thine instruction.


    Heed mine advisements well, for they shall lead thy towards a path of superior application.


    Entry 200


    My master taught me one of the oldest forms of Aoan, which I am now quite fluent in. Yet even I find Teacher''s writing archaic to a truly obtuse degree! Even divine beasts don''t speak that way.


    Incidentally, what is this absurdity of perceiving every atom around me? I don''t even know of such large numbers, so how am I supposed to visualise them? Venting aside though, this simply means I have much practice to do. And I am not one to shy away from a challenge.


    Entry 230


    We have reached the foggy lake. Were we to travel the circumference of the lake we would eventually find one of my routes, though I am unsure how large this lake actually is. Perhaps ''lake'' was something of an understatement. Either way, the group consensus is to search for another way down. Our best bet is to search the pillars where tunnels tend to form the most frequently, though the walls of this place make discerning them quite difficult.


    Strangely enough I have been feeling as if I am being watched for a while now. It reminds me of when Teacher spoke those strange names. Quite unsettling.


    Entry 300


    We finally found a tunnel leading down. It seems to be a pathway dweller nest, so we might be able to reach a few layers down with this. As for the inhabitants, I assume they are either skittish or have migrated to a different layer. It does seem to be the hot season after all.


    One thing I didn''t realise when I began writing more freely, is the issue of space. Parchment is thicker than paper, and I don''t have proper bindings for it. As a result my bags are overflowing and I have almost no space for anything else. Perhaps I have been too liberal with my writing. I supposed I didn''t need to document every new insect I found.


    <hr>


    "Father. Lyla, the dragon, and the ape have reached the steam layers. Additionally, they now seem to be travelling with that weird elf man." "Oh him. Wasn''t he the one now called the Lost Hero? We should ask Lamla, they will know. How are they doing?" "They appear to be lost, mother. From what I''ve gathered they seem to be going in circles, though it is hard to keep up with them given their speed and stamina." "Don''t worry yourself child, your work has been a phenomenal boon to us. Our observers have gotten evermore strict lately, so the ability to know what happens above us, even if in fragments, is priceless. Is there anything else?" "Yes mother. I find the dragon to be quite confusing. Much like the elf, it seems to have no visible Mana. My senses should really be good enough to pick up on even the slightest hint of it, so I find it quite unnerving that beings as strong as them can get past my sight." "As I recall, the dragon was designed to be exceptionally efficient at manipulating Mana. Perhaps it has developed a more enhanced method of Mana concealment? The soul we used was pre-awakened and evidently had memories of its past life, so it is entirely plausible. They will be reaching Mekrotok soon, so do keep us informed of anything new. Perhaps Lyla will finally reach past that layer. I would be quite pleased with that." "Yes mother. I will keep my eyes on Mekrotok''s domain."

 Chapter 43: Final ingredients

    The group lay at rest by a bubbling pool of hot water, the occasional geyser bursting with heat as steam rises to the ceiling. The steady drip of water echoes around them as steam coagulates across the ceiling, condensing into a persistent light drizzle across the entire cavern. Aleph, Goldy, and Fluffy sit around a collection of items organised into neat piles while Lyly sits facing away atop the dragon''s back in a futile attempt to ignore them. Vials of moss, pouches of bone dust, and a seemingly random combination of plants, animal fur, and goop lie in front of them.


    "So all we really need is a divine beast and a pot, right?" Aleph asks, idly nudging a pouch of sand with her tail. "Yep. Divine beast is going to be hard though. I know they have a strong relationship with this place, but I''ve never heard of them living here aside from Nok on the twenty-fifth floor and maybe a couple old myths." Fluffy responds, inspecting one of the empty vials with confusion. "Well of course. We''re all born here, but there''s no reason for us to stay once we reach the bottom. Don''t know what that Nok guy''s deal is." Lyly interjects, doing a stellar job of ignoring everyone. Goldy scratches his chin, peering at the brooding arachnid. "Say, Ho''mah... You have explored here for an age. Do you not know of any divine beasts within this realm?" "..." """...?"""


    "You know something..." "Is there really a divine beast here?" "We can summon the demon after all?" Lyly skitters away, attempting to escape the barrage of peer pressure only to be pinned beneath the full weight of a dragon''s tail. "Uwaaah! Lemme go! I''m not telling!" She squirms, her fuzzy legs writhing in an attempt to pry herself free as the others surround her. "My master has taught me some interrogation methods. I could try pry some answers from her." "Eep!" "Perhaps we settle this difference in battle?" "Um..." "Why don''t we just, you know... talk about it first? I do want to make ambrosia, but surely there''s no need for violence here." "Yes! Listen to her! Don''t torture the spider!"


    Fluffy sits down with a chuckle, Goldy following suit with a hint of disappointment as Aleph releases the spider. "So... Is there a divine beast here?" "You''re going to summon a demon if there is, aren''t you?" "I''m going to summon a demon either way. It just might take a bit longer." "Uugh, fine... Not like it''ll be a secret for long anyway... You remember that dragon I mentioned? The one in the magma lake?" "Ah, the one I somehow keep missing whenever I go past that floor?" "Yea him! His name is Mekrotok. He who guards the greatest depths, who tests something or other, I forget the rest. He''s a divine beast."


    The group share a glance, their path forward now becoming more clear. "So if we ask this Mekretok for some-" "Good luck with that. Every time I go there he spits out his shitty introduction then attacks me. No questions asked. Granted, he might''ve asked the first few times but that was ages ago so I can''t remember." "Okay then... Fluffy, you seem to be able to go there freely, so why don''t you go look for some kind of loose scale or shed hair. Take Goldy with you since he can sense Mana. In the meantime I''ll stay here and make a pot. There''s plenty of iron in the stone here so I should be able to work something out." "Works for me." "I too." "Then it''s settled. See you in a while."


    Through the eyes of a monkey on a mission


    To be tasked with accompanying the warrior of green... Today is a glorious day indeed! "Say, Muscles?" "You call, Maho?" "Yes, that name. I''ve been meaning to ask what it means." "It means a warrior who is green." "I see... Wouldn''t brown be more appropriate, given my hair?" "You had less when we first met. And brown hair is common amongst my kin. Your green eyes and green glow are what set you apart from my kin the most." "Ah, I forgot my eyes were green. It''s been a while since I''ve looked in a mirror now."


    The damp stench of the cavern grows thicker as the pair traverse the rocky terrain, wading through lukewarm ponds and stepping into one of the tunnels leading down. Winding its way down, the tunnel wraps itself around the pillar before opening into the ceiling of the next layer. The warrior leaps, sliding down the pillar while Gol Dhee grasps the air to tame his own fall. Around them, several pools of boiling water dot across the terrain, much like the previous layer only now emplaced with more esoteric rock formations, arching and curving across the horizon. Pillars and spires, stalagmites and stalactites, hills and mountains saturate the world in a steadily darkening red as one peers further down.


    "Since this is a pathway dwelling we should be able to find tunnels leading all the way down to the magma chamber. Granted, there''s a chance we''ll be attacked by whatever dwells here, since we''re basically walking into their nest." Gol Dhee scratches his chin as they begin to circle the pillar. "We once encountered sky beasts within such a pathway. Strange beings which struck with ice and traversed through matter." The warrior strokes his unruly fur, his interest piqued. "You encountered some sweepers? It''s been a while since I saw those, since I haven''t ever bothered climbing up the endless drop. But what do you mean about them traversing matter?"Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    How to word this... According to the bright one talking like this makes me appear ''cool'' and ''sophisticated'', yet it makes concepts like this difficult to express. "When they struck, their bodies were solid. Yet when we struck back they were as if without substance. Only Hinya was able to strike one down." "Fascinating! I had no idea that was how their magic functioned! Does this function indefinitely? Could they stay incorporeal without limits?" "No. Some tried to follow us through walls I had closed, but lost their motion and became solid within the ice. It was... gruesome." "I''d imagine so..."


    "Maho, if you do not mind my asking... What makes you? What is your drive, your purpose in gaining strength?" "Hmm..." The warrior narrows his eyes, furrowing his brow in thought as switches his hand to a different patch of fur to untangle. "I can''t say I have anything I''d describe as a purpose. Nor do I want one. I simply act as I see fit, and if I don''t see fit to act I won''t. As for why I''m here, I came by request of my master, though now I simply stay because I enjoy the exploration. And strength is simply useful to have. I do take pride in it, but it is little more than a means to an end for me." "I see... We are quite different then. My desire is to reach the peak of my own strength. To stand upon equal grounds with the ancestors I revere as they have done before me."


    The warrior grins, thumping Gol Dhee''s shoulder. "A fine goal, but why stop there? Why not seek to surpass them?" Gol Dhee''s eyes widen, before curving into a grin of his own. "Huhuhu, for one without purpose you have quite the greedy mind." "Gahaha, maybe I do!"


    Through the eyes of an awestruck spider


    Fwoosh! "No way! You can do that?!" Lyla stands gazing in awe at the stream of flames emanating from the dragon''s mouth. "Of course! All dragons need to be able to use breath attacks. Pretty sure that''s a fact of life. Takes too much focus to use in a fight at the moment though." "Okay but do you have to say that while spewing fire from your mouth? I know you can talk without using your lungs, but still." "I need to keep heating this though. If I keep stopping it''ll never melt." The flames wrap around a pile of powderised stone, heating it to a red hot point.


    "How are you doing that anyway? I take it you''ve not been a fire dragon this whole time, right? I don''t think the Progenitor likes to do repeats." "Using Aether. I told you before that Aether can do anything Mana can, just with some extra hand-holding. I''m pulling a bunch of air into my mouth, spinning it really fast to generate friction, then letting it spew out so it looks like I''m breathing fire." "Couldn''t you just do that directly on the pile?" "Yes, and it would be more efficient too. But this is cooler." "Agreed."


    Lyla skitters close to the flames, holding her pedipalps out as if sitting by a campfire while the stone below her turns bright red. "It''s kinda quiet though... Shouldn''t there be a persistent fwooshing sound?" "Ah, right. Gimme a second." Fwooosh! "Um... You''re using your vocal chords for that one, aren''t you?" "Well if I have a lot of force going around in this flame. If I just release it you''ll be sent flying." "I see... Thanks for the consideration at least. Though, couldn''t you just let a little air out? Just enough to make a sound." "This is pretty complicated you know. I''m almost manipulating things on a per-atom basis here. Trying to work without a closed system would just make things too hard." "Every atom?! There''s no way someone can have that kind of processing power! Is this another yuyu thing?" "Maybe? No? I''m not sure... It might be a soul thing. Or maybe both? Hmm..."


    If she isn''t being controlled by an eldritch abomination, she is the eldritch abomination... Actually, a time-travelling creature of the abyss does sound kinda metal.


    <hr>


    Soras''Aoi omulosh. Osamu lasu''oras, eo osamu''yulul mum Aoi Aoi''loras. Laleus Aoi''lomum.


    Aoi''sho''losh. Sulul Aoi''sho, loyo''un Aoi''sho, eyonon Aoi''ha, un Aoi''lulonoo. lasu''lothey''losh. Soras''Aoi omulosh.


    Los''Aoi omulosh. Sulul Aoi''eyo, esh mum loyo''un Aoi''ama. Ayosa Aoi''amama, ihsulul Aoi''amama. Eo soras''Aoi omushulosh.


    Leun''Aoi omulosh. Aoloao mum Aoi Aoi''in''shosh. Hish''lasu Aoi''lonoo''sho''shi soho''oshyo. Lohish''lasu Aoi''lonoo''sho''shi sohi''oshyo.


    Hish Aoi''lonoo''sho''losh, Nilasuun Aoi''amama. Lohish Aoi''lonoo''sho''losh, Aoleu''lothas Aoi''amama. Soras''Aoi omushulosh.


    Lohishley Aoi''lonoo''sho''losh, Mashulasloyun Aoi''amama. Soso''ayo omu Maolas''loama''losh.


    Lo''o soras''Aoi.


    - Abridged retelling of the ''Laleus Aoi''sho'' myth, written for the children''s book ''Lomum''loao Mul Laleus Aoi''sho'' by Ins Umola

 Chapter 44: Partially metallic alchemy

    Through the eyes of an impatient spider


    Lyla lays atop a crudely formed steel pot, which in turn lays atop a lethargic dragon, who in turn lays half-submerged in a pool of boiling water. "I''m boooored..." She murmurs. "You and me both..." The dragon mumbles back. "He said it was a straight shot down, right? Even with how big this place they should be fast enough to get back here in less than a day!" "Maybe they''re lost?" "Don''t jinx it..." "Could be that all the tunnels are blocked." "Stop..." "Maybe they can''t find anything?" "Noooo..." ""..."" "Maybe they''re out buying milk?" "Guess they''re never coming back then."


    Through the eyes of an elated elf


    "Gahahaha! And then! And then! They swiped my feet and sent me flying! It felt like I was spinning for days!" "Haahahaa! Glorious! Perhaps I should learn some of your master''s teaching methods? Give my son some much needed tutelage when I return!" "Perhaps! Perhaps. Hmm... Why are we here again?" "Hoh... I think... Scales?" "Ah, yes. We wanted some of that divine beast''s scales didn''t we. Do you think these will do?" The elf scratches at the ground, lifting up a red palm-sized scale for Muscles to see. "It bears much lingering essence. I suspect this to be our target." "Great! With a few of these we can head back up then."


    The elf takes a step back, the overwhelmig heat softening as he takes distance from the pool of boiling rock beside him. His eyes scan across the sharp obsidian walls and the torpid rivers of magma, searching for any signs of motion beyond the occasional flicker of tiny critters adapted to the extreme heat. "It feels hard to believe a dragon lives here, after all the times I''ve passed through." "Perhaps it only bears interest in other divine beasts?" "Could be... Or maybe we don''t have enough Mana to interest it?" The pair set off with a shrug, retracing their steps towards the outer wall where they entered from. I hope we haven''t kept them waiting. We may have lost track of time a bit...


    Through the eyes of a summoner in the making


    "Wanna help me prepare the summoning circle?" "I''m not that bored." "You sure? "..." "..." "Fuck it. Why not." "Great!" Aleph bolts up, letting the pot fly into the air, and the spider along with it. Darting over to a nice looking boulder, she flares her Aether, gripping the tough basalt and infusing her tail. Crack! With one swift motion she cleaves the boulder horizontally in half, leaving a near perfectly smooth surface for her to stand on. Okay! Step one is a circle. Doesn''t really have to be a circle, but circles are cool! A visible river of Aether bubbles stream forth, condensing into a line and wrapping around to form a ring. Violet bubbles ooze from the ring, dancing around before dissipating into the air.


    "This is looking ominous already... So what do you want me to do?" Aleph looks down, taking note of the unsettling liveliness of the bubbling circle surrounding a fairly sizeable, and probably menacing looking, dragon. "Point taken. And for now I need you to just wait. First I need to query this dimension''s parameters, then you can help me decide on the circle configurations." "Wait... So is this like a choose your own demon adventure?" "You know what? Now that I think about it, it kinda is. Neat." "Okay, I''m in now. Parameter away! Actually... What even are ''dimensional parameters''?" Hmm... So first I need to grasp some demonic energy. There''s actually quite a lot here, so that makes things easier.


    The surrounding air turns violet, subtly shifting between darker and lighter hues as Aether wrestles control over demonic energy. Now I just stick it in the circle with intent, and... The ring comes to life, a vibrant spectrum consuming it before settling into a fixed pattern of light. "Neat. You made a rainbow. Does that mean this dimension is progressive?" "This is actually more akin to a written language. Each shift in colour represents a deviation from a standard default. You can actually tell this world is fairly new by the lack colours there are." "If by new you mean at least five-thousand years, then sure." "That''s pretty new by demon society standards." "They have a whole society?!" "For someone with so much stigma against demons you sure know very little about them." "Hey. I don''t need my hypocrisy called out like this. I''ll have you know I was killed by a demon once!"


    Makes sense. Now let''s see... So demons are actually fairly restricted in this world due to the presence of angels? Has there been some kind of conflict since I last checked? And there''s been a few addenda about Aether reducing in quantity, which stabilised a couple thousand years ago. I can''t tell if that feels right or wrong, but it at least helps explain the lack of Aether here as something unnatural. What else... Ooh! Fridays are pizza days! What''s a Friday though? And why isn''t it translating? Oh well. As for the actual parameters that should be enough. The colours dissipate, settling the ring back down to its former violet hue. "Aww, I liked it better before..." "Well now we get to make the actual array."


    "To start with, let''s add the basics. We want to summon a demon..." Several more large rings form, a few overlapping and intersecting. "And we need our names... Is Lyla your true name?" "Uh... I''m pretty sure it is, but isn''t giving your true name to a demon a bad thing? Can''t they get eternal power over you or something?" "Worst case is that they can forcefully summon you. But the effort that would take is such that they would be better off sending an army after you instead." "Oh... Lyla''s fine then." "I''ll put placeholders for the other two then. I don''t think either of us have ever asked their actual names..." Several symbols mark themselves around one of the rings, replacing the lines in some places, and wrapping around them in others. "And then a few other common things like where we are, what we''re paying, and the type of contract to expect..." Runes and lines further complicate the array, saturating it in a seemingly chaotic mess of shapes.


    "What do any of these even mean?" "A lot of them don''t actually mean anything. It''s moreso the intent infused into them that matters. For most of them I just picked random symbols from my memories I feel will give us a good first impression." Lyly peers at the mess of nonsense runes and symbols before pointing at a large one sat alone in a circle. "What about this? Looks important." "Hmm... Well I believe it''s pronounced ta, but... No, there''s more to it. A certain intent that I can''t seem to read properly. Must be a memory I shouldn''t remember." "I''m starting to have doubts again..."


    Through the eyes of a serene monkey


    "Haaah, bliss... I was unaware of the blessing of a warmed bath." "We call these hot springs. I once knew a great place up north with the most divine springs to bathe in. Maybe I''ll take you there someday if they''re still open. I''m good friends with the owners." "A place better than this? I can scarcely imagine..." The warrior of green stands from the spring, streams flowing down his body before being flung off by the flex of his muscles. "We should go now. The break was nice but we''ve kept the others waiting. Just one more floor to go. Would you mind?" "Of course." Gol Dhee follows suit, pulling the cascading waters from his body as he stands. Lifting the warrior over his shoulder he grips the air and leaps, swiftly pulling himself up the pillar wall as if swimming through the wind. Upon reaching the tunnel above he releases the warrior and they begin the final stretch of their return.


    As they surface the layer they spot a glowing array of violet light surrounding a black dragon. "Oh! You''re back!" The emissary yells from afar. "Finally! What were you doing down there?! Taking a bath?!" So smart! Have we been caught?! The pair share a glance, nodding together in a silent agreement to say absolutely nothing. "There were some delays. I''ll tell you later. What''s happening here?" A true master of diversion! I must learn his methods! "We''re preparing the array in advance. What are your names by the way?" "I have taken the name Gol Dhee." "Huh... What a coincidence! And you?" Everyone turns to face the warrior who stands in deep contemplation, almost taming his fur with his furious combing. "Your name?" "Yes, yes. Let me think..." One can see the visible steam erupting from his head as his eyes narrow to a line in abyssally deep focus. Actually, that might just be lingering steam from the bath. "You have a name, right?" "I may have forgotten it." "Hey, don''t worry about it. I forgot my true name too. I''ll just put in an alias instead."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A few symbols flicker within the circle before the entire array intensifies into a blinding light then fades into nothing. Left behind are grooves carved into the stone, matching the array formerly formed with light. "We can carve the rest out later. Did you get the stuff?" "We got the stuff. You got the pot?" "We got the... Where did I put them... Oh, there! Cool, let''s get started. I''ll leave you in charge of ambrosia brewing." The warrior nods, walking over to a pile of crude pots where he begins placing small samples of each ingredient and mixing them together. "First step is to freeze it solid. Lil'' Blue, you''re an expert caster right? Would you do the honours?" "Well I was going to complain, but when you put it like that..."


    The bright one skitters to the pot, her essence pooling in front of her and forming a flame of ice. "Behold! Fire so hot it''s actually cold!" That''s possible?! "That''s not possible..." It''s not?! "You think I am bound by the mere mortal confines of the laws of physics? I''m an expert caster, fuck that!" So it is! Logic aside the pot does in fact freeze solid within a small inferno of white and blue fire, a cold mist emanating from the frozen metal as frost builds up within the grooves. As fast as it froze, the bright one collapses, her body bereft of essence. "Uuuugh... Worth it..." Was she simply showing off?


    "Now we need to cook it. My master always described it as burning the ever loving shit out of it, so I think we just hit it with as much heat as we can until it''s finished." "I can handle that part." The emissary declares, stepping up towards the pot and opening her maw wide. A small flicker of light forms within her mouth before bursting out into flames which coat the pot. "You''re a fire dragon?" The warrior asks, seemingly perplexed. "No, but I''m really good with Aether." "I see why you took charge of this task." Gol Dhee remarks. "I can scarcely match the intensity of those flames with my own. It would seem my training is indeed lacking." "The best thing you can do with Mana is probably to get a wide array of perspectives. I don''t use it myself but I know that it''s heavily influenced by your understanding of yourself and the world." "Hoh..."


    Gol Dhee sits in contemplation, her words ringing within his mind. Crack! "Ah... It broke." "That''s fine, just keep going. The pot breaking was probably to be expected. I doubt my master wanted us to use a pot made of adamant." The mixture glows red, then white, the entire mixture melting into a puddle and even mixing with some of the floor. "Keep going?" "Keep going. I think..." The light grows more intense, the heat building up to a peak as even the bright one looks away. The entire group step back, the emissary grabbing the bright one as she retreats. "Is this supposed to happen?" "I think so. Either that, or we used too much bone powder." "What happens if you do that?" "Small-scale nuclear explosion." Everyone turns to glare at the warrior, the bright one mumbling incoherently from the dragon''s mouth. "What? I said small scale. I''m sure it''s fine."


    The light grows, forming a bubble of pure white and saturating the cavern in a uniformly bright light before... Pop! The light vanishes, leaving behind a small puddle of liquid emitting luminant rays of spectral light. "See? Everything worked fine. Now we just need to put it in a vial before it evaporates." Swiftly dashing over, the emissary grips the liquid with her violet essence and pours it into four vials held out by the warrior. "Huh. I guess my opinions on proper vial size carry over. I was kind-of expecting it to only fill one of these tiny things." "Yea, Mana tends to make things weird like that. Guess this means we don''t need this many extra pots."


    The pots in question lay scattered around the nearby pool of boiling water, already weeping tears of rust in their abandonment. "I suppose not. Then that leaves us with just the summoning, right?" "Yep, we can finish off setting the parameters now. Goldy, could you hold Lyly for me?" Gol Dhee hesitantly takes hold of the sticky arachnid form the dragon''s mouth. "Don''t you dare complain." She chitters. "I shan''t." Vocally... The group gather around the array, the emissary once again filling it with violet light.


    "So how strong are we thinking?" "I''m saying this now. We are not summoning anything stronger than us. That''s just asking for the ''enslaved by demons'' ending. Or the ''end of the world'' ending. Or the backstory to an evil demonic cult." "Fair enough. Fluffy, you''re the strongest of us right now. What would you say your limit is?" "By what metric?" "Hmm... Could you destroy a city? Or a mountain? Or a planet?" "Barring outliers like powerful guardians, I think could take down a city, or maybe a small mountain if I really tried. Hard to say really, since I don''t usually go out of my way to do that." "I''d put you at about... the lower bound of rank four then." "Not this trope..." "Hey, the demonic power ranking is actually quite practical you know. Does get a bit confusing because they measure demons differently though... Anyway, I''ll put in a preference for rank three."


    "Okay, next... Do we care about hair colour?" "Why would we care about hair colour? How specific is this?" "As specific as we want. So hair colour can be anything... Do we want hands?" "No, why does it matter?" "No hands then." "That''s not what I..." "Oh right! Does anyone have any religious objections to demonic summoning rituals?" "You ask this now?!" "Well I know you aren''t religious Lyly. I was moreso asking the others." "I know of the existence of gods. I don''t worship though." "I do not know what a demon is. Are they... objectionable?" "Nope!" "Sufficient enough for me."


    "Okay, last stretch. Temperament?" "Something interesting!" The warrior declares. "Someone warlike!" Gol Dhee asserts. "Can''t we just have someone friendly?" The bright one pleads. "Weird but motivated, and wants friends. Got it. I think that''s everything. The payment is pretty good so we can probably do a re-summon if need be." The emissary steps away from the array, the glow once again fading to reveal a far more intricate engraving, speckled with tremendously precise runes and patterns.


    "Goldy, could you do me a favour?" Hoh? Has my time come? I have use in this operation? "Anything!" "We need to instil this thing with a ton of energy and mine doesn''t exactly regenerate. I''ll handle the intent, but can you fill it with your Mana?" "With pleasure!" He asserts, thumping his chest with confidence. The emissary nods and places one vial of ambrosia in the centre of the circle before stepping to the side and gesturing for Gol Dhee to begin.


    Placing his palms to the earth, Gol Dhee pushes his essence forth, directing it to flow within the grooves of the array. A subtle gold glow begins to emanate from each rune, steadily covering the entire array in violet as the emissary instils her own energy over top.


    After a short delay another will takes over the array, pushing away that of Gol Dhee and the emissary. Essence is absorbed into nothingness and replaced with a deep red substance, bereft of flaw. Not quite solid, not quite liquid. Not glowing or reflecting light, yet persisting with an unwavering vibrancy as it encompasses the array. As if the world had declared this point in space to simply be red, and nothing more. And then it explodes.


    A wild tapestry of fire bursts forth from the array, prompting the group to step back and watch as a spiral of multi-coloured flames dances in front of them. The flames linger, never allowing the same colour to grace a single spot twice. Like the red substance before they seem to emit no light, no heat, only the intense song of roaring fire. And then as quickly as they appeared, the flames vanish, leaving behind gently flickering embers wrapped around a small figure.


    Crystal skin wrapped in a silken dress, limbs narrowing into points like that of a doll, and quartz hair which seems to invert the light around it. Two horizontal lines on the figure''s face widen into circles. Gleaming red eyes open themselves to the world.

 Chapter 45: The demon

    Silk curtains flutter under a faint wind, brushing over the lush carpet of a moderately sized bedroom. Cluttered piles of clothes and randomly discarded widgets lay splayed around a chair, sat upon by a figure in possibly the most incorrect manner one could achieve. Pale blue crystal makes up the body, pulling in light and scattering it into small rays which soak into the smooth walls around. Four limbs sprout forth from the body, narrowing into comfortingly dull points like that of a child''s doll. The face holds no contour, no deviation from that of a near perfect sphere, save for two horizontal lines which appear almost painted on.


    To the side of the room the wind picks up, steadily building and swirling as it forms into a revolving vortex with flames sprouting across the wall. The figure adjusts, turning its head to face the vortex as the lines pry apart to reveal a hint of red and white. Adjusting more the lines narrow again slightly, staring directly at the vibrantly coloured maelstrom of fire. Oh shit... Oh shit! The figure jolts, lines bursting into perfect circles before leaping from the chair to gracefully slam face-first into the ground before swiftly hopping up again to stand balanced on two pinpoint feet. It''s happening! It''s happening! It''s actually happening! Ow, fuck... The figure stumbles once again, tripping over a random shirt which lands elegantly atop its head.


    Right! Clothes! Which one is the clean pile? The figure peers at one large pile of clothes, somehow distinguishable as two different piles apparently. This one! Shoving an arm into the pile the blunt tip reforms to clamp around a red dress, which is hastily enveloped over its crystal body. Standing back up and shaking out the wrinkles, the figure sprints across the room to stand before the flames. Surrounding the vortex is a ring of pulsating colours, densely packed with shifting hues as it wraps around. How do I read again? Gah, stupid! Just breathe... breathe... Okay. I am calm. I can do this. Holy shit that''s complicated...


    Peering at the ring of colours the figure drinks in the densely packed information stored within. Okay, let''s see, let''s see... Rank three preference for a body guard type contract... Duration is indefinite on a regular renewal basis with payment and frequency of renewal to be determined? Isn''t that bad for a first contract? I though we were supposed to get fixed payments for a while to avoid being scammed... Hmm... Oh. So it''s a highly trusted contractor? Under what basis? Is that... Is that Ta''s symbol?! Wait wait wait wait, this is too much for me, I can''t handle this kind of bigwig! The figure panics, slumping back and writhing across the floor in abject panic.


    I can''t do this anymore... No! If I wasn''t qualified I wouldn''t be selected for this. I''ve got this. I''ve got this! Rising back to its feet, the figure once again skips over to the vortex. Okay... What else do I need to know? We have one primary contractor under the alias Aleph Null, and three secondary contractors with the true name Lyla, the true name Gol Dhee, and the alias... CoolHuman66... My responsibilities are assistance in combat, assistance in general day to day, and friendship... Was this given to me out of pity? Oh well. I seem to have a good degree of freedom in my decisions at least. And I can always back out if this is a scam... I guess there''s nothing else to it. I just need to make sure I give a good first impression.


    The figure holds an arm forward, allowing the flames to grip and wrap around its body. Gravity ceases, all lingering inertia discarded, and the figure floats within a tranquil sphere of vibrant flames. Patiently awaiting transport, it continues to simply bask in the vivid display until gravity gradually begins to return. A pinpoint foot touches the ground, body straightening and arms held to the side as it stands one legged with pristine control. Elegant pose? Perfected! The flames dissipate, light receding to give way to an enormous cavern filled with steam emitting pools of water and covered in inordinate quantities of moss. In front stand four figures. A golden ape who probably bench presses the entire gym, a green eyed, homeless-looking elf, an actively panicking white and blue spider, and an obsidian dragon currently pinning said spider to its head with an unnaturally dexterous tail. The dragon is my contractor, so that''s the one I need to make the best impression on. Okay D... You''ve practised this... You got this!


    D turns, allowing her arms to flow in front of her as both feet touch the ground to elegantly adjust into a bow. "Greetings dear contractors, my official name is Diavolus Mephicostus Balvinia Amozmoni Belian Andora Durus." Diavolus Mephicostus Balvinia Amozmoni Belian Andora Durus proclaims. "Though most simply call me Diala." Diala clarifies. "It is an honour to make your acquaintance." Fucking nailed it! "Oh wow! How cute! Our names were put in the array, but we may as well introduce ourselves." She talks like my aunties... Makes me think of Aunt Algar in particular. Or maybe Uncle Luca? I think he might even speak the same language...


    "Do you guys want to go first?" Aleph asks her companions. The ape steps up first, the air pulsing as he thumps his chest proudly, his golden fur shimmering in the resulting winds. "I am Gol Dhee! Formerly king to my kin, now simply a warrior who seeks strength." Wow! This human is so cute! I didn''t know they could come with so much fur! Right... The group turn to the elf, furiously combing his abominable beard with his fingers. "Are you going to introduce yourself?" "One moment..." "You still don''t remember your name?" "Hmm... Nope. It''s not coming to me. What is it you always call me? Fluffy? I''ll just go with that." The faintest hint of a sensation can be felt from an infinitesimal waver of the world at his statement. Is it just me or did that actually register as a true name? Surely not...


    Turning once again, the group face the spider resting atop the dragon''s head. "What? If I tell you my true name I''ll probably be cursed or something. Just call me the greatest divine beast." I already know it though... "Well with Lyla''s introduction done," "Hey!" "that just leaves me. I forgot my true name, but I go by Aleph Null." Huh... That translates to the smallest infinity. Such a name could only be held by a grandiose yet humble being. Or she could be like Auntie Evenia who just named herself after the coolest thing she could think of. One of the two.


    "Well, with that out of the way let''s begin the interview!" Yes! I''ve spent months preparing for this! I know all the curve-balls and tricky questions they can throw at me! "What, are we hiring them for a job? What kind of demonic ritual is this?" "Yes. I believe I already told you that''s how this works. We''re literally hiring her to work for us." "Oh... The world of eldritch beings is more boring than I thought..." Did she just liken me to an Ahvi''salThe first one? That''s a first. "Okay, first question..." Right! Do your worst! "What is your favourite colour?" I''m fucked! I didn''t plan for this! Panic surges through her diminutive form, every fibre of her being required to hold back the abject chaos of untamed social anxiety.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    No, wait... It''s fine, this question is easy. Just breathe... "Hm, I would have to say 56Hz. I find it quite soothing." "Oh, how nice. I''m partial to 8e14Hz myself. So-" "What the hell! Those aren''t even colours! And why did I understand the demon''s but not yours?!" "No need to judge someone''s favourite colour. And all demons on contracts get given access to a sophisticated pan-dimensional translation system. It comes packaged in every world with access to the summoning system." "That''s gotta be a joke... All the problems we could''ve solved with something that convenient... Unlearn Englin right now! I want my time back!" Lyla doesn''t seem to know much about demons... I''m pretty sure summoning is supposed to be fairly known in this world too, so I wonder why... Or maybe she''s actually just pretending as part of a good-cop bad-cop routine! She doesn''t have the demon''s curse so she can lie freely. I should keep an eye on her...


    "So anyway. Next question. What is your life goal, if any?" Ah, a question I have an answer for! And I''m pretty sure she''s disclosed on way more classified stuff than I know so I should be free to say anything. "Rank nine. I want to reach the top of the demonic hierarchy." "How ambitious! I think... Which one was nine again? I can only seem to remember up to seven clearly... Oh well, I probably shouldn''t remember it then." Isn''t it usually the other way around? "Next question! What are your abilities?" Hah! Yes! Another question I''m ready for! Diala puffs up her chest, now confident in her ability to sell her capabilities.


    "I am from a clan with close ties to rank, so I gain new abilities at each rank. At rank one I got the standard combat package of Demonic Energy based reinforcement, healing, and sensual enhancement." Aleph nods, evidently satisfied with the first ability. "At rank two I got the ability to teleport!" The group bustles, Gol Dhee and Fluffy regarding her with renewed interest while Lyla holds back a scoff. "A distance of one metre!" Blank stares assail Diala, a mix of confusion and disappointment from all but Aleph who simply provides a satisfied nod. "And finally, at rank three I got body liquefication!" Lyla''s eyes seem to widen at her words. How does that even...


    "You can liquefy people''s bodies?" "Ah, no sorry. I can liquefy my body. Look!" She waves her arm, the appendage wobbling like a limp water balloon. The impressive display does nothing to curb the spider''s disappointment, though does seem to excite Aleph. "Those are quite versatile abilities!" Yes! She likes them! Now I just have to convince the others I''m worth hiring! "I think I''m satisfied with those answers. Do any of you have questions you want to ask?" Gol Dhee immediately steps forward, a wide grin on his face.


    "Are you strong?" I think I figured out his personality... "I am considered to be at the upper-bound of rank three. If you want more detail I am happy to demonstrate." Aleph steps in before he can take her up on the offer. Oh thank fuck. I really didn''t think that one through. "We can save sparring for later. For now do we have any more questions?" Oh... I guess we''re fighting anyway... Fluffy leans back against a rock, shaking his head. "I have many questions, but none that are relevant to the situation." I''ll take it! Now we just have... Lyla squints, her suspicion palpable as red and cyan eyes lock.


    Diala''s eyes strain under the unyielding gaze put forth by Lyla, but she holds strong, not allowing her mental panic to show. Based on gaze alone I''d say she has to be at least as old as the triplet cousins Pherolma, Hya, and Ililya. She squints just like them when they''re angry... I''ve never understood how that can even be done without eyelids. "I have three questions!" Eep! Don''t panic don''t panic! "First! How are you planning on taking over the world?" What kind of question even is that?! "Um... I''m not. I have no plans, or desire for conquest of any kind." "Second!" Eep! "How many have you killed?" How many what?! "I''ve... never killed anything with an awakened soul at least. So anything that would classified as a person." "Third!" Hah! I saw this one comi- "And most important!" Eep! "How do I know you''re not lying?" Um...


    Aleph sighs, thunking the spider on her head with her tail. "Hey! What was that for?! It''s a reasonable question..." "Demons all have a curse of truth applied to them. She physically cannot tell a direct lie. Isn''t this common knowledge?" "I don''t go out of my way to summon demons! The only interactions I''ve had with them is from the business end of their foot as they squish me, every fucking time!" I guess this world only really summons us as mercenaries then. Explains Lyla''s reservations at least. "Well I think everyone is satisfied then." "I''m not." "You''re outvoted. So I guess we now negotiate payment." Right! I''ve gotta know to put my foot down on this one! I can''t let them walk all over me and pay me spare lint for my troubles. Okay, okay... Be assertive, stick to your principles, and always negotiate up.


    "I believe this world measures time in quarts and eightdays, so maybe we can arrange the standing payment for every four eightdays. You can back out at any time but will only be paid after each payday. And there will be a down-payment." Standard stuff so far... Quite generous considering this is my first contract... "And the payment will be one vial of ambrosia, with a down-payment of two-" "I accept!" I have no mouth... But I must drool! Ambrosia?! That''s insane! That stuff could fast track me to rank four! And I''m being offered a standing payment of this? How big of a big shot must you be to afford that! Wait... Shouldn''t the chains of sealing show up now? I said yes!


    Aleph locks her gaze to Diala''s eyes, violet consuming red whole. The world seems to take a backseat, everything vanishing save for two pairs of eyes. Oh shit... I think... she might be older than Uncle Schara... No... Aunt Aeyea? Maybe even old man Othir or Aunt Iseli... No, even still. I think the only person I know with a gaze like this, is Father... The oldest person I know. Who is she? "I need you to be sure. This world has unbound Mana, making it quite dangerous and to my knowledge there is no ceiling on the potential for individual power. We could encounter beings who can level continents, and I may ask you to fight them. Do you still accept?"


    Diala pauses. Taking a moment to break her gaze and consider her words, before looking back up, resolute. "For me this is an opportunity like no other. I accept the risk and responsibilities involved. Also I have really good medical insurance." "Works for me then!" At those words, chains spear up from the ground wrapping around all five individuals. Each chain stands out from the others in a harmonic quintet of lights, bearing a different colour, different shape, different essence catered to the souls of those they bind.


    Around Diala wraps crimson chains, seeming to droop like blood yet flow with a choreographed precision. Green chains burst around Fluffy, wrapping around his arms and seeming to compete with him in a test of strength. Gol Dhee''s chains appear formed of golden stone and flickering with orange fire, snaking around his body and chaining him down like a restrained beast as he stands in staunch defiance. Dozens, if not hundreds, of small cyan chains fire up like threads, giving a wide berth past the dragon''s head before wrapping the panicking Lyla in a cocoon. Finally, as if there from the beginning, a single large violet chain appears around Aleph and rests comfortably in place, neither showing resistance or discomfort to the other.


    "That seals the contract then. Welcome aboard."

 Chapter 46: Group bonding

    "Why are we doing this again?" "Goldy wanted to know how strong Dyly is." "Yes, but why am I involved in this equation?" "Group bonding." "What if I don''t want to group bond?" "All the more evidence that you need a good ol'' group bonding exercise." "But... No, isn''t this unfair to the demon? Fighting all of us one after the other has to be draining!" "She doesn''t seem to have an issue with it. Right Dyly?" "How do you have a nickname for her already?"


    The demon in question stands readied, bouncing in place before Goldy. "All fine by me. I can recover from half dead within a few minutes, so a few consecutive fights is nothing to me." "See? It''s fine." "Ugh... I''m not getting out of this, am I..."


    Through the eyes of contestant number one


    When was my last good battle? My father was illusory, so he does not count. We ran from the fangs of the abyss. The beast of white fur was a good match, yet did not test my limits enough for my liking. The serpentine predator would have been an equal matching for me, but that battle was cut short. This adventure has been strangely lacking in true tests of my physical limits. I look forward to the beast of melted rock below, but this battle now certainly intrigues me. This creature of flames appears weak, yet I can intuit a greater strength from this diminutive form. Perhaps this shall match my duel with the emissary.


    "Ready when you are!" The creature of flames declares. "Then let us begin!" Gol Dhee responds, plunging his palm into the earth to scrape up a boulder and hurl it towards his opponent. Snap! The boulder shatters, the sound of shattering stone overshadowed by the loud crack of air, consequence of the strike that crumbled it. Not letting up, Gol Dhee continues throwing a barrage of stones, each one just as easily dodged, deflected, or shattered with precise motions. Every strike lands her one step closer, as if following the choreographed steps of a dance to close the gap. Good! Gol Dhee grins. Our warm-up is complete!


    Rearing back, Gol Dhee raises his arms high in the air. Thoom! His fists ravage the ground, a shock-wave pulsing outward and filling the air with shrapnel. Heart pounding and eyes focused he grasps the air and pulls the world around them into a vortex of wind and stone. The creature of flame responds by hopping between the stones, weaving through the chaos with ease at an even faster pace. Carefully timing his motions, Gol Dhee releases his control over the wind just as she attempts to land on another stone, causing her to miss the mark and fall. Plunging his fist once again he pulls a pillar of earth from below, aimed to strike as she falls.


    Her body warps, losing form as she winds around the pillar and lands safely on the ground. Her approach nearing, she picks up the pace to a sprint. Thoom! Gol Dhee slams his chest, the shock-wave of air nearly enough to push her back. Gold fur turns white and amber eyes turn pale. Around him flame coated winds pick up, forming a stable network of vortices as he prepares to meet the creature of flames head on. He strikes, a cascade of fire bursting forth from his fist. Unable to withstand the strong winds, the creature of flames stumbles back, performing a series of acrobatic flips and cartwheels to regain her balance. Hoh! A showoff after my own heart!


    The creature of flames takes a sprinter''s pose, her legs seeming to squeeze into themselves like a spring before, snap! She launches forward, cutting through the winds as she charges straight for Gol Dhee. Feet planted in the ground, he prepares to meet the charge head on, yet a crushing feeling in his gut commands him to defend. A harsh instinct which declares that he not allow himself to be struck by this attack. The creature of flames vanishes before him, and his palms raise to his skull. A loud snap resounds by his ear, no physical blow landing yet enough of a shock-wave to rupture his eardrum had he not beckoned the winds directly.


    Landing nearby, the creature of flames lets out an audible "Tch!" before preparing to charge again, only to be halted by Gol Dhee''s palm. "I am satisfied. It is clear to me now where I lack strength. Though next time we spar I expect to give you more of a challenge." "Ah, I''ll look forward to it." She responds with a courteous bow. Thumping the ground, Gol Dhee presses the arena down to match its former state, crevasses closing and loose stone pulling back into place as he leaves.


    Through the eyes of contestant number two


    "I suppose I''ll go next." Fluffy stands, stretching his arms as he makes his way over. How strong was rank three again? Did they even say? Oh well, I''ll see soon. "You ready?" "Of course! Like I said, I recover quick." "Great. Though... What say we make this more interesting? Make it a game. Each of us takes turns striking the other, but the defender can''t move their feet. You lose if your feet move." "I love games! Let''s do it!" "Excellent! You can have the first strike." Show me what you can do, Tiny.


    The pair stand within arms reach, Fluffy''s feet rooted into the ground. Tiny hops into the air, her leg slackening into a whip as she spins to land a heavy swipe to Fluffy''s chest. Snap! Her leg connects, the sound barrier shattering under the force of her blow and a wave of wind smashing past him, yet he doesn''t budge. Giving her leg a confused shake as she lands, Tiny steps back and readies herself to defend. Based on that strike I''d say she''s as strong as I was when I first came here. I doubt that''s all she can do though. Fluffy widens his stance, holding his fist to his hip and, thoom! A pulse of wind fires out from his strike, his eyes widening as it lands.


    "Nice dodge." He states, returning to a defensive stance. "Nihihi, thanks." She replies, leaping once again. Her crystalline body shimmers crimson as her leg rears to strike again. Just as her blow is about to land she vanishes and, snap! The strike hits from behind, the unexpected force on his neck enough to make him hunch over but not enough to disturb his footing. Clever... But you''ll have to do better. He cracks his neck, shifting stance as she returns to place. It''s a bit mean, but... This is well within the rules. Fluffy ducks, swiping his foot  in a wide arc at her legs with enough force to leave a crater behind his strike. As his foot nears its target, Tiny''s body warps, everything but her feet flattening and bending around his attack before snapping back into place.


    "Gotta say, I wasn''t expecting that." He compliments. "Like I said, liquid body!" She responds, wibbling her body like jelly to show off. "Well, it''s your turn. Don''t keep me waiting." He chuckles, rooting his feet again. With a nod she leaps once more, raising her arm high. At the apex of her jump her arm turns bright red before swiping down by his ear. Snap! A brief flash of light erupts from the crack of her whip-like arm, the explosion of sound resounding through the cave. As she lands her eyes widen before leading into a sigh. "Ah, I was expecting that to work..."


    "I can see what you were going for. Rupturing my cochlea would have taken me out of the match. The loss of balance would have been too much for anyone to withstand." "Yep. That''s pretty common for sound based organisms like you guys." Sound based? What is that supposed to mean? "Say... Could I ask a favour?" Fluffy raises an eyebrow, stroking his beard as he listens. "Shoot." "I''m out of tricks. I don''t think anything I can do would work on you unless I did something petty like attack the ground you''re standing on." Ah... That was my next idea... "So would you mind finishing this with your strongest attack? I''m curious to see where I stand."


    Fluffy takes a moment to think, to consider her request. "Hmm... I''m afraid not." "Ah..." "It would threaten the structural integrity of the cavern." "Oh..." "I''m still probably stronger." Fluffy shakes his head, ignoring the chittering behind him. "Still, I''ll give you the best I can without causing a cave-in." "Great!" Fluffy breathes in deep, his body relaxing as he exhales. Calm your nerves, your breathing, your thoughts. Focus on your body. Every bone, every muscle, every nerve.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Tense the left flexors and abductors, leading into the soleus and gastrocnemius. Next, the quadriceps and hamstrings, and twist with the vastus lateralis and psoases. Finally with this angular momentum I can activate the pectoralis, push forward with my biceps, tense with my wrist extensors, and...


    Thoom!


    Aether surges through his body, every muscle brought beyond its peak and leading to a catastrophic strike which carves into the dense stone like a knife through flour. A veritable tempest erupts around the nexus of the blast, the air practically burning from the intense friction as the air repeatedly oscillates between explosions and implosions in an attempt to regain some semblance of stability. Dust and molten rock scatter across the cavern, the fallout obscuring any view of the pair before being pulled away by Muscles from behind.


    "Wow! That would''ve hurt!" Tiny announces, observing the crater of boiling rock from behind Fluffy. "When did you get there?" "I have a good reaction time. The moment I saw you break the sound barrier with your toe I decided to get out of there. I suppose that means you win then!" I suppose I should''ve asked how she got here so fast instead. "Then it''ll be Lil'' Blue''s turn." "No way! I''m not taking part in this!"


    Through the eyes of contestant number three


    I''m sure of it! This is some evil ploy by the demon to trick us in some way! I can tell she''s putting on a face by the look in her... Are those even eyes? Even they look fake! "Aw come on Lyly, it''ll be fun!" "Nope! Leave me out of it!" The demon turns her eyes to Lyla''s, tapping the tip of her arm to the side of her face before her eyes turn crescent. I knew it! She''s grinning! This demon has something up her sleeve for sure! "That''s a shame." The demon sighs. Eh? "I was really looking forward to it too. I suppose I''ll never know how strong you really are. I''ll just have to assume that Fluffy is stronger."


    Is she seriously trying to bait me into this? No, but what if she isn''t? Then I can''t let this slide, but... What if that''s what she wants me to think? She could be trying to triple bluff me. Make me think she''s trying to bait me so I then think she isn''t, or... was it to make me think she was... I''m confused... Wait! What if this is all some distraction from some greater plot! A means to confuse me so I don''t see what she''s scheming! Ooh nice try, slightly taller than me demon. You can''t trick this spider. I''ll accept your taunt, but only because I''m smart enough to know your true plan! Fuehehehe...


    "You''re on!" Lyla declares, swaggering her way over, which for spiders apparently means walking in an extra spindly manner. Noted. "Tell you what! I''ll let you attack me uncontested, and if you can manage to injure me at all it''ll be your win. I''ll even do any one thing you say. But if you can''t put so much as a scratch on me, you have to do one thing I say." How do you like that, huh?! Not so fond of the risk of me exposing your plans, are you?! "Sure! Sounds fun!" Eh? Is she confident I can''t expose her scheme with one request? Or... does she actually think she can injure me? Ooh this can''t do! I''ll show her!


    "Then it''s a deal. Winner gets one request." "Agreed!" Hm? Dozens of chains burst forth from the ground, wrapping around Lyla and the demon. I was tricked! I forgot you should never make a deal with a demon or they''ll eat your soul! Or, wait... Was it desires they ate? Whatever! Stop eating m- Oh, they''re gone. Okay, don''t panic. This is all part of the master plan. Gotta show I''m confident. "Do your worst demon!" Lyla declares, hopping side to side and waving her pedipalps manically.


    Calmly walking over, the demon picks Lyla up by the legs. "Huh?" Carrying her over to a pool of water, the demon wades to the middle and drops her in. "Is there a plan here, or- mfrblrblblrblrbl!" Pressing her into the water the demon holds her in place, cutting off Lyla''s ability to breathe. Ah! Fuck! Devious! Wait, does drowning count as injury? It can cause organ damage if it goes too far so it does! No! I''ve lost! And so fast! Why didn''t I think of this! Lyla''s writhing is interrupted by the return of the chains, seeming to constrict as she''s pulled out from the water. Upon surfacing she spots the crimson chains around the demon fading into nothing.


    "Hey! Why do yours go away?!" "My part of the contract is complete so my chains of sealing aren''t needed for me anymore. Yours stayed because you still need to fulfil your end of the agreement." "Are they going to be here forever? They''re so creepy!" "I mean... They''ll vanish once you stop focusing on them, but the effects stay until you fulfil your end of the deal." Uugh... I forgot... I have to do anything she says right? What happens if I just... don''t? Do I want to know? "Ugh fine! What do you- Hey! Where are you going?!" "I have one more match, right? I''ll think of a request later. Teehee." Did she just fucking teehee me?! I''ll have my revenge on you, trickster...


    Through the eyes of a trickster


    Okay, one match left. I''ve done okay thus far... Maybe I was a little petty with Lyla, but I held my own well enough with the other two I think. Now it''s just Aleph I need to impress. Where is- Holy shit! Diala nearly startles back upon noticing the large dragon behind her, walking around to reach her place. When did she... I didn''t see a thing... "It''s been a while since I last had a good spar. We were on the last layer for a while so I''ve stockpiled a decent amount of Aether too. I don''t think I can quite threaten the structural integrity of this place, but I do have a few old tricks I''d like to try out. Ready when you are." Aleph stands ahead of Diala, her tail slowly wagging behind her as she calmly awaits a response.


    Okay, okay, this is fine. You were just a little startled. You''ve got this. "I''m ready." She responds with a bow. "Then let us begin." Crack! Snap! Aleph launches forward, jaws aimed straight for Diala as she nimbly bends out of the way, firing a kick back at the attacker who snakes around with precise control. Having missed her attack, Diala hops back only to be caught by an oncoming tail swipe just as she''s about to land. Demonic Energy pools into her body and she vanishes, appearing a short distance to the side. Just as she thinks she''s free to safely land gravity seems to mark her an enemy, her limbs straining as she''s pressed into the ground under tremendous force.


    A moment before Aleph''s claw can strike she teleports again, taking the chance to back away. The pair stand a healthy distance apart, staring one another down. What was that?! I can push away Mana just fine... No... Didn''t she mention Aether? Isn''t that stuff criminally obtuse to use? The only Aether users I know of are... Hmm... Well I apparently have some family who use it according to Dad, but I''ve never met them, so... "Having fun there?" Aleph asks from behind. What?! When?! Diala leaps away, straight into an oncoming tail swipe which blows her from her feet. Illusion? A mental attack? No... Is she bending the fucking light?! No wonder she snuck up on me!


    Diala takes a ready stance, her guard raised to react to any semblance of the now hidden dragon. Gol Dhee had versatility. Fluffy had raw strength. Lyla... I should probably apologise to her. So I guess what Aleph excels in is technique. Am I... out of my league? These guys are so strong! No... No! I need to get at least one good hit in. This world doesn''t suppress Aura, so let''s see if you can hide from this! Crimson Aura bursts forth, probing and feeling for any tinge of reciprocal will as she instils the arena with a strong intent to fight. Behind her she feels the wills of the other three members of the group, implicitly pushing back at her own, and to her right a subtle hint of intent makes itself known. There!


    She launches, directing herself straight towards the slight intent and pushing every speck of Demonic Energy into her limbs. Leaping high she winds back her leg, spinning around and letting it lose its shape to form a long, wide sweeping whip. Snap! The air is torn, an explosion of sound bursting forth as her leg slices through. Crack! Aleph''s form snaps back into view, her front leg taking the swipe head-on. Pop! Crunch! Crystal shatters and bones crumble, the earth below caving into a crater as shock-waves from the impact reverberate outward.


    Diala hops back, her shattered leg swiftly knitting itself back together. Aleph looks at her mangled leg with an almost clinical curiosity as it glows violet and proceeds to crunch and crackle its way back into place. "Wanna call it a tie?" Fuck yes! "Perhaps we should."


    The group gather, Gol Dhee prodding Diala to see if she''s okay and Fluffy watching Aleph visibly regenerate with enraptured interest while Lyla stares daggers at the demon from a healthy distance. "Maybe we should avoid sparring from now. We''re lucky that the only injuries are from the two regenerators." Fluffy posits. "Yea, maybe. let''s just stick with games for future group bonding sessions." "Ooh! I know a bunch of games we can play!"

 Chapter 47: Hot spring episode

    "Is this also group bonding?" "Yes." "You know, I''m starting to think you''re using this as an excuse to just mess around." "Your point?" "..." Aleph lays relaxed, her body half submerged in a bubbling spring of clear waters just a layer below where the demon was summoned. The walls bear a solid red, almost glowing from saturation of Mana, while the ground lays splattered with sporadic patches and roads of obsidian. Steam loudly billows from holes in the nearby pillars, bringing with them the thick scent of humidity and filling the ceiling with an ever-wavering fog.


    Lyly floats lethargically in the pool across from Aleph, rhythmically bobbing along with the undulating ripples around her. Despite her apparent reservations she is clearly enjoying herself as she soaks in the spring waters, only occasionally paddling to steer clear of Dyly who seems to be enjoying swimming back and forth in the pool like a child. Goldy sits relaxed at the edge, idly swirling small whirlpools in the water and giving Dyly the occasional boost across the pool. Standing behind the group is Fluffy, caked in sweat as he throws one practice swing after another with his obtusely large sword.


    "Oh well. No complaints from me at least. It''s about time we took things slow." Lyly chitters, flipping upside-down to soak her back. Aleph instead turns her attention to the diminutive demon who swims her way to her side. "So, miss Aleph!" So cute! The way she calls me miss makes me feel like her big sister, or aunt. Hm... I guess I kinda miss having family. Though... isn''t Lyly technically my sister? Or cousin? Hmm... Needs some thought. "How old are you exactly?" "How old? Hm... hmm... hmmmmm..." "You... don''t know?" "Well... I feel like the question doesn''t quite make sense... Are we including past lives?" "Um... I guess? Have you had a lot of those?" "A few hundred. That I recall at least. Don''t know if some of them count though."


    Lyly paddles over to the pair, wiping water from her grinning eyes. "I take it by ''past lives'' you mean ''future lives'' of course." "What?" "Fuehehe, your secret is safe with me!" She declares, cryptically backing away. I feel like there''s been a fundamental misunderstanding here... Thud! Fluffy sinks his blade into the ground behind them, instead of just putting it down like a normal person, and slips into the pool, the steaming waters immediately kneading away the visible fatigue of exercise. "Now that you guys bring it up, which of us is the oldest? I''m forty-two cycles by the way." "Oh! You age well for a human." "I''m an elf..." "Ah, right. What''s the difference again?" "Nevermind..." The elf sighs, turning to Goldy.


    "How about you? How do you even measure age down here?" Goldy scratches his nose, squinting in mild confusion. "My kin do not measure the duration of one''s life. Seniority is ascertained from physical maturity and the lustre of one''s fur. My teeth have all grown in, so I am an adult, and my fur matches with that of my father''s, so I am strong. Beyond that we simply measure health and character. The idea of keeping track of one''s time spent alive is foreign to me. How would you even know the duration of a rest?" "Right! You''ve never seen the sun, and the seasons here are more based on geological activity than surface temperature! How fascinating! What about you Tiny? How do demons measure age?"


    Dyly climbs atop Aleph, seeking dry land upon the willing dragon to relax on. "Well, we do keep track of age. Not sure how this will translate, but I''m around unoleshi''e k''zicsu''unoleshi''e." "Weird... I heard two really specific numbers. Around three-hundred-fourty-one years and some crazy big one I''ve never heard before." Lyly chitters bemused. "Yea, translation can be funny like that sometimes. I guess you measure time differently to me. Being that age makes me quite young in my family, but seniority is more based on rank, at least where I''m from. Being rank zero is basically infancy, and rank one is considered the minimum for being allowed any adult responsibilities. Rank two is the minimum for being eligible for contracts, and being rank three means I might be conscripted if another war breaks out with the angels."


    Aleph perks up, turning her head back to face Dyly. "War with the angels? As in a full on war? I''ve never heard of this... As far as I''m aware angels and demons have always been good terms. What happened?" Dyly slumps across Aleph''s back, her face muzzled into her scales. "That stuff all predates me, and it''s classified to hell and back. All I know is that it''s the reason for our strict, and seriously over the top treaties with the angels, and the intense animosity the older generations seem to have towards them. I think multiple wars may have broken out, but again it''s pretty tight lipped so I really don''t know." "How strange... Well anyway, Lyly, how old are you?"


    Lyly leaps from the water, landing triumphantly atop her perch. "That makes me the oldest! I''m seven-hundred-and-twenty-one this year! Guess I''m clearly the most qualified leader here! Fuahahaha!" "But... If Aleph predates the angel wars that would make her at least five times older." "That''s not how time travel works! And besides, she probably the type to just not pay attention and miss the fact that angels and demons have been natural enemies for eons or something. I can totally imagine her doing that." "Hey..." When did time travel get involved here? Is Lyly a time traveller? Could make for a neat plot... Hmm... Oh well. I think I''m done here anyway.


    Aleph stands, water rushing from her scales as the pair atop her cling to avoid sliding off. "I''ve finished my DNA manipulations now. I''m ready to move on." She announces, stepping out from the spring. "You were manipulating your DNA? Why?" Dyly asks, adjusting to sit by Aleph''s neck. "For better natural healing mostly. But also to replace my blood with ichor and fix some inefficiencies in my design. At this point, I''m fairly confident I can hold my own against Lyly''s dragon." "Is this why you''ve been so relaxed lately? We aren''t going to start speedrunning our way down again... are we?" "Yes, well you said there was a dangerous dragon. I wanted to make sure I was ready."The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Fluffy extracts himself from the pool alongside Goldy, the pair flexing and pulling the water from their bodies. "Is this an advanced Aether technique? How does it work?" "If you have enough Aether to see DNA, you can pull it." "Thats... it? You pull each strand of DNA individually? How absurd..." "The hard part is knowing what to change. Took me ages to trial and error my way into changing the right stuff. Then I had to make the same changes to all of my DNA, which was tedious." "You guys see what I mean, right? She''s clearly some kind of eldritch freak in disguise!" Lyly jests, lightly thwacking Aleph''s skull. "Understandable." "I concur." "I don''t know... Among us demons, there are a bunch of shape-shifters who can do just that on a daily basis, albeit less manually. Doesn''t really seem too out of the ordinary to me." Dyly steps in to Aleph''s defence, poking the spider back for her assault.


    "See? She''s on my side. You guys are just mean." "Eh. Demons are just eldritch abominations with extra steps, so of course she agrees with you." Aleph shakes her head, the spider almost falling off from the sudden momentum. "Let''s get going. It was a straight shot down, right? Shouldn''t take us long to get there." She sets off, Goldy and Fluffy following shortly behind as they head towards the nearest pillar. "Wanna play a game in the meantime?" Aleph offers, prompting Dyly to hop excitedly atop her back. "Oh, I know a good game! It''s called liars. We each say an outlandish statement and the others have to figure out how we said it through the curse." I think I might have heard of this one? Sounds fun either way!


    "Well, you''re the only one here with the curse, so why don''t you go first?" "Oh, right. Hmm... Let''s start with an easy one. I''ve never said my name." Oh, that one is easy. Lyly scratches her fuzz, narrowing her eyes at the demon. "That''s clearly a lie... You told us when we met." "She can''t lie though. You mentioned that was your official name, so... not your true name?" Fluffy posits, gracefully grooming his endless scraggle. "Maaaybe. No hints from me." "Perhaps... you changed your name? And are yet to announce this?" Goldy suggests, rubbing his nose as he thinks. "Nope! I''ve had the same name since birth." Aleph shakes her head before speaking up. "You can''t pronounce your true name. Something common in some families to prevent a forced summoning." "Ah, you got me. Yea, my Dad always gives his kids impossible names. He''s kinda paranoid about that stuff. Not sure what you mean by some though. Nearly every family I''ve met does this."


    "I guess it''s my turn then? Hmm... My memories are scattered so this is a bit tricky, but how about... I know exactly how many adjudicators are in this dimension." Dyly turns stiff, the other three shooting a confused glance Aleph''s way. "You don''t know what that is? Okay, I''ll pick something else. I know where the nearest Ahvi-The fir-" "How about we play something else." Lyly interjects, whacking Aleph on the eyes. "What? Why?" "Because I''m afraid you''ll summon something if you keep talking about weird things and strange names." "Spoilsport..."


    The group reach a tunnel leading downward around a large pillar. Small drips of water stream into the world-encompassing darkness below, some pooling into tiny streams and following the winding path. Stepping in, they begin their descent. "We could play eye spy?" "You suggest that now?"


    <hr>


    Besides Mana, the most well understood pure energy is that of Demonic Energy. Though still considered taboo in many places, the act of summoning demons has become far more common in recent years, allowing us a much better understanding of the energy than before. Before the advent of modern summoning rituals, most records date back to historic wars, particularly that of the fourth battle of the gods.


    In the past it was believed that demons were entirely combat focused, with all of their abilities boiling down to some form of wide area destruction. These abilities are well documented from their use in war, for example the demon Vandir''s ability to pull energy from the deceased to fuel more and more attacks, or the demon Angl''tok''s ability to freeze all momentum within a wide area. It is also theorised that the silent war ended due to the summoning of an exceptionally powerful demon. Wealthy countries would summon these demons for use in key battles during war, often pouring large portions of their national fortune as a toll for the summoning. There is one known case of two countries summoning powerful demons for the same battle, resulting in a widespread battle between the two and immense collateral, largely attributed to poor assignment of conditions in the contracts.


    What we know now, is that the abilities granted by Demonic Energy are far more varied than once believed and not necessarily tailored for use in battle. The abilities appear to be uniquely tailored to the individual and often, but not always, closely matching their personality in some form. One case was a demon capable of transmuting water into various forms of alcohol, something they reportedly took extreme pride in doing.


    The process of summoning a demon is time consuming, expensive, and still poorly understood. As a result it is still considered dangerous to summon demons without significant amounts of caution and preparation, so only countries or extremely wealthy individuals are capable. Despite this, testimony from some demons indicates that there are safer methods of summoning used in other worlds which would allow the process to become far more commonplace, and perhaps even useful for more mundane tasks.


    This book is primarily focused on the nature of the pure energies, so I will not go into detail on what is known of demon society. Though it is worth noting their consistent silence on all matters relating to their society and biology, seldom ever willing to elaborate any details, and notably aggressive when one attempts to trick them into speaking of it. Many have been known to entirely abandon contracts on these grounds which, by the claim of most demons queried on the topic, may hold significant penalties for them.


    Suffice to say, the actual capabilities of Demonic Energy are considered to be equal to that of Mana, though its use differs greatly. Most demons summoned have been extremely powerful, sometimes matching the strength of entire nations. It is unknown if there are more powerful demons than these, and even less is known about those weaker.


    - Excerpt from chapter 11 of Eyva Poe''s ''Analysis of the Pure Energies''

 Chapter 48: Encounter

    Magma bubbles within the basin of an enormous lake, heat oozing outward and baking the entire cavern. Black glass coats the walls, ceiling, and floor, shimmering in the harsh glow of the boiling rock. The air runs thick with heat, convection currents billowing forth from the lake and carrying the potent stench of sulphur. In the centre of the lake lies a small landmass, obscured by the shimmering warping of air from the intense heat and protruding from the magma, bending inward to a sheer drop. The group stands by the lake edge discussing ways across, save for two.


    "You said it yourself. The only way down is on that island in the centre of the lake. Why are you being stubborn about this?" Aleph asks Lyly, staring bemused at the arachnid swarming with a random assortment of tiny insects and critters. "I''m telling you, the moment I get too close, that bastard of a dragon, no offence, is going to come bursting out and attack us like he always does! If it weren''t for my disguise he would already be here, I''m sure of it!" "None taken. And by disguise, I take it you mean those insects you''ve got all over yourself?" "I''m blending in. I''d like to see you do any better."


    Aleph sighs, Aether spreading out, thin and focused to push at the very light around her flaring her. Arcing the photons around her body, she renders herself functionally invisible to all outward observers. "Huh... Forgot you could do that." Dispelling the cloak, Aleph nudges Lyly atop her head. "I''ll keep us hidden from sight. We shouldn''t keep the others waiting. Get rid of those bugs though, I''m surprised they can even withstand this much heat, but they''ll surely burn up closer to the lake." Lyly shakes herself free from the clinging centipedes and beetles, skittering to her rightful perch with renewed confidence. "All of them." A single butterfly remains atop the spider, fluttering in its glimmering glory. "Aww, but it''s cute! I think I''m taking a liking to butterflies. I have an affinity for them!" One can almost see a faint blush gracing the insect''s face. Granted, that is probably just its natural pattern, but one can always imagine. "Fine, but if it dies it''s on you."


    As soon as she stands, the butterfly flutters away, leaving behind a dejected arachnid. "Ah... No... My friend..." Ignoring the depressed mumblings of the spider, Aleph flares her Aether and begins bending the light once again as she walks, bathing their view in a pitch blackness, all light failing to reach their eyes. "I can''t see..." "Well... Yeah. I''m bending the light away from us, what did you expect?" "Then how are we supposed to see where we''re going?" "Ae''othas." "What was that again?" "Aether sense..." "So how am I supposed to see?" "Mana sense?" "Best I can do with this body is sense that there is in fact, Mana." "Huh. Maybe do that, but harder?" "Sure..."


    Aleph walks a straight path towards the rest of the group, who turn at her approach. Ambient sound begins to pick up, the heavy pops of bubbling magma gaining frequency as a low rumble steadily grows. The ground trembles, the oppressive heat turning hostile as it bears against tough scales and hard chitin. Stone around them begins to glow and melt, prompting the three by the lake to sprint back and regroup. With Fluffy in the lead they approach Aleph, who drops her cloak. "Hey! Why are we visible again?! We''re not even at the lake!" "I''m guessing we''ve already been seen." The group gather, watching as the lake expands and consumes the terrain around it. Tremendous heat warps the atmosphere, distorting the cavern around them as each member is battered by scorching winds.


    Goldy grips the wind, spinning a small tempest of cool winds around them to curb the intense heat. Fluffy and Dyly stand on guard, prepared for whatever may come while Lyly waggles her pedipalps with unfiltered hostility. "Come at me fool! See if you can beat me this time! I''m not scared of you!" "Perhaps we should try talking first? They clearly never had any issue with me coming through before, so we might be able to get by without a fight." Fluffy offers, his scraggly hair flowing through the wind in all of its untamed glory. "This guy has been blocking me without a decent explanation for centuries. But if you think you can talk him down then be my guest. But when he attacks anyway, I''m getting the first hit!" Fluffy nods, lowering his arms to appear less hostile.


    In the centre of the lake the magma stirs, bubbling over and appearing to consume the island whole before bursting into a column and reaching the ceiling. The geyser sprays into the earth above, running down grooves in the walls to coat the cavern in endlessly flowing rivers of boiling rock. The rivers weave together, forming a mesh of white, red, and gold before merging back into the central lake. The geyser steadily expands from the base to the tip, a spiral forming from within and wrapping around. And the magma opens its eyes.


    "Behold!"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    A thunderous voice declares, the surface of the pillar bursting in sync to reveal the serpentine form within. Wrapped in a neatly formed spiral around the spire of bubbling rock is a crimson scaled serpent, adorned with a mane of glistening gold fur which traces back across the beast''s spine. Claws grip at the magma, taming it in place as the figure regards the intruders with harsh, yellow eyes and bared fangs dripping with hostility. "I am Mekrotok, king of flame, champion of the eternal inferno, and guardian of this land. None shall pass without my blessing." He proclaims, licks of flame coating his tongue and dancing in harmony with each word. "Who dares to- What the fuck is that?!"


    Yellow eyes bear down on the group, one dragon in particular the recipient of a direct glare. Aleph is taken aback, looking down at herself, then back to the impolite lizard who stares wide-eyed at her. "Rude." "No, seriously! What the fuck?!" His serpentine body winds around the pillar, sliding its way atop the lake and over to the group where he towers over them, a low hum emanating from his body whi h seems to command the ebb and flow of the liquid rock around them. "Your proportions are all wrong! You look like an adult-sized child and you have no Mana! I''ve heard horror stories that look less uncanny than you! You bear the mark of a divine beast, yet you were clearly not made like that! What even are you?!"


    Choosing to take offence, because who wouldn''t, Aleph stares him down. His yellow eyes meet her own violet ones and hold strong, a faint tremble in his gaze yet he doesn''t back down. Taking the silence as an opportunity, Fluffy steps forward with arms folded behind to appear more passive. "Divine beast Mekrotok, was it?" Mekrotok''s eyes dart over to the elf, who doesn''t even bother trying to meet them directly. Another win for me! "I discarded that title a long time ago, fool." "I see. Then Mekrotok it is." "That is lord Mekrotok, king of flames to you, insect." "Mekrotok it is." Fluffy smiles, clearly already beginning to be as done with his shit as Lyly.


    "See what I mean? He just has such a way with words." Lyly chitters, barely holding back an ''I told you so''. "Don''t think I haven''t seen you, Lyla. You just don''t give up. And now you have four others roped into this madness." Lyly squints and raises three legs, making sure to emphasise the extended middle leg. "Why don''t you want us to pass?" "I care not for you, human. Nor the ape, or that... thing." "Hey!" "I''m an elf..." "It is the children of the Progenitor I refuse passage to." "Why?" Aleph steps forward, her gaze focused on the dragon before them. "What have we done to you?" "Child. You know nothing of the path you seek. You should head for the surface and live your life, as Lyla once did, lest you be swept up in the most pointless waiting game this world has to offer."


    "What waiting game? If you''re going to block our way the least you can do is tell us why." "Though I disagree with their methods, I am bound by contract to provide no interference to the divine beasts, and they cannot interfere with me." "You''re interfering with us. "You are not divine beasts. And you will fair better if you remain as such. I warn you for your own sakes as a fellow child of the Progenitor, even if you make it past me, you will not find the future you seek in this labyrinth. Do not seek part in this war that predates us all." His words rumble within the atmosphere, an ambient hum as the group consider his words. Aleph turns to her companions, not a single expression of doubt or distrust present.


    "I have answers I need from the Progenitor. This is not something I intend to negotiate on." "Yea! What she said! What''s it to you if I wanna join in on whatever they''re-" "Fools You and them alike!!" He bellows, the cavern walls cowering under the tremors of his words. "Nila! Avilar! Matra! All of them! They wait for an eternity and prepare for a war which will never come, doing nothing in the face of wars and travesties that do arrive! All in the name of revenge, a meaningless hope, or loyalty to some old fool who has been gone for aeons!" Mekrotok rises, yellow eyes warped in fury and quartz fangs dripping with hostility. "If you intend to join them, then you are my enemy. Proceed, and perish."


    Stone melts. Magma vaporises. Air turns plasma. The former divine beast stands coated in flame and electricity, the very atmosphere buzzing with heat and vitality in his presence. And so he roars.


    <hr>


    "Father. Lyla''s group have reached Mekrotok." "I see. Do you think they can make it past? Unsealed, Lyla would have made it here long ago, yet I cannot imagine that form of hers succeeding, even with assistance from the young dragon." "The heat there is too much for my eyes to handle, so I cannot watch the battle. I believe they will succeed though." "How optimistic. What do you base this on?" "The elf is likely strong enough to tip the tides on his own. Not to mention the dragon is something of a wildcard with their strength being difficult to measure. Additionally, they summoned a demon to assist, so they have clearly prepared." "Fine points. Though, is there nothing more to your reasoning?" "No, that... is all." "I see. Do tell us how it turns out." "Yes mother. Incidentally... I have developed something of a fondness for Lyla. Perhaps she and I might get along, once we meet." "Ah, I see. You and her do share a similar nature after all."

 Chapter 49: King of flame

    Violet


    The cavern walls shatter, layers of obsidian scattering and melting under the intense resonance emanating from the roar of the beast who rules the land. Aleph pools Aether around herself, gripping the atmosphere and forming a small safe zone around the group. Though able to halt the tempest bearing upon them, this does nothing to tame the intense heat eating away at their surroundings. Everywhere is equally as hot, so I can''t just offload the heat with convection. I can bend the light, but that would blind the others, and I can''t do much else alongside that. If it''s just me I can manage, but what about the others?


    Her gaze drifts to her companions. Lyly and Dyly stand completely unbothered by the heat, guard raised and pedipalps waggling. Makes sense. Fire resistance is common among demons and Lyly is basically invincible. Fluffy stands coated in sweat, steam obscuring his body, yet largely unperturbed all things considered. I hope he''s not putting up a front. He''s a tough cookie though, I''m sure he''ll be fine. I''m more worried about Goldy. How is he... Goldy''s fur shimmers with white frost, the monkey clearly the least bothered out of anyone here. Guess he''s fine.


    "Lyly, you distract him. Dyly and I can go for the attack while Goldy supports. And Fluffy can wait for opportunities to strike. Go!"


    Cyan


    "Boost me!" Lyla declares, hopping from her perch to allow the dragon''s tail to swipe her into the air. Fuehehe! What''ll be the best way to piss this bastard off? Splat! She lands directly in his eye, even the pupil of which dwarfs her in size. Hell yea! Go dragon! Best aim ever! Now I can just... Chomp! Her fangs dig into the surface, injecting the mild but still very much toxic venom directly into his eye. "Take that, asshole! See how you like- Iiiii!" The eye darts to the side, the momentum tossing her away. Latching a thread to his lid, she manages to swing her way back onto his face. "Fuahahaha! Can''t get rid of me that easily!"


    Gold


    Golden fur shimmers white, amber eyes fading to pale as Gol Dhee stirs up frigid winds around his body to curb the overwhelming inferno assaulting him. I must provide support. Let us begin with this. He grips the earth, evicting the essence infused within to establish his own dominance, and flips it like a cloth. The emissary and the creature of flames are launched into the air towards their foe, and Gol Dhee turns his attention to the warrior of green. He is strong... To endure this heat with naught but his body is a remarkable feat. I would last but a moment in his place.


    Red


    This is my first real fight! Ever... I have to make a good impression! Diala soars through the air beside Aleph, who spreads her wings to glide up. Narrowing her body, she dives into the magma below and begins pushing her way through the viscous fluid towards the dragon. Her body turns thin and aerodynamic, weaving through the boiling rock like a snake until she surfaces by the dragon''s tail. Leaping from the lake she lands atop the serpentine back and begins scaling her way along its hide, each footfall light as a feather.


    Green


    Damn. It''s hot. Fluffy watches patiently for an opportunity to strike, steam from his sweat slightly obscuring his vision. Teacher vanishes from view, shortly followed by an impact on the fire dragon''s side while Tiny lands a kick on his spine, arching his back. The dragon winds, spinning and coiling to be rid of the parasites clinging to him before raising itself from the ground and glowing bright red. Lightning erupts from its scales, stunning Tiny and throwing Teacher back to shore. Electricity coagulates before washing over his body, Lil'' Blue taking the full brunt in stride and throwing more insults towards the beast.


    He stopped moving. This is a chance. Fluffy takes stance, tenses his muscles in sequence, and throws a punch.


    Violet


    Aleph leaps, just in time to avoid the magma spewing from the horizontal eruption directed towards Mekrotok. The larger dragon is thrown from its place, flying into the pillar of magma in the centre of the lake. Bursting out, the dragon makes to roar, only to be thrown back by another eruption of wind from Fluffy who is now running full sprint across the magma, and another, and another, and-


    Thoom!


    A slice of the lake is carved from existence, stone vaporised and a ravine newly formed and steadily filling with magma once again, the island once gracing the centre of the lake now vanished. Aleph dives towards the source of the blast, building up momentum to strike the beast with the blade of her tail, carving into the scales on its neck. Not enough! Dammit!


    Green


    Fluffy strains his body, arms held in front with skin scorched black from the blast. He pries himself from the back wall of the cavern, dizziness threatening to throw him to the ground. I must... His vision steadily darkens, dancing with the threat of unconsciousness. Hyperthermia... I was... complacent... His eyes turn to the side, drawn to a gold and white figure, and his equipment beside him. One agonising step at a time he stumbles forward, Muscles rushing over to assist only to be pushed aside as he staggers straight towards his sword.


    "Muscles!" He shouts, arresting the ape''s attention. "Watch closely! You must finish this fight!" He raises the blade high, muscles tightened into steel and Aether surging through his form. And he swings.


    Gold


    Gol Dhee stares in rapt awe. The cavern, once melted apart by the king of flames, now severed once again as a deep gouge bores through the ceiling and floor, carving deep to the point of even reaching the layers above and below. Stone crumbles and magma rains, the world falling apart around them. The king of flames stands at the opposed point of the cavern, his form obscured by layers of fire and lightning, save for the vertical slice carved through his scales and burrowing into his flesh. The look of shock quickly wears off as the king of flame darts into the air, flames spewing forth and vaporising the falling stone as he melts and solidifies the ceiling to prevent a cave-in.


    Thud! Snapping himself from his stupor, Gol Dhee rushes over to the warrior of green, brushing his collapsed form with cool winds. Was the heat too much? I should have offered to cool him! I''m a fool! Shaking his head, he hoists the warrior upon his shoulder and returns his attention to the battle. It is no matter. For now I must prioritise my role in this fight.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Cyan


    Huh... I guess he''s stronger than I thought. I wonder if... Is that a way down? Dangling from a hair on Mekrotok''s mane, Lyla''s eyes are drawn to the deep ravine poking into the layer below. It''s been so long... Can I finally... Her eyes shift, drawn to her companions. The demon clings to the mane like her, disrupting Mekrotok''s flight and bruising his scales with whip-like strikes. Not too far from them is the dragon, eyes filled with unreadable emotion as she glides towards the beast. At the other end of the cavern stands the monkey, carrying the injured elf with a much more readable expression of steeled resolve. I could just... Oh fuck it. Even I know I''m too soft for this shit. Time to commit some war crimes.


    "Hey Mekkabitch! Prepare your ass for my secret technique!" Lyla darts around the dragon, weaving along his scales and through his hair to dive into his ear. "Lyla you parasite! What are you-" Zooming around his ear canal she sticks thread all over, stuffing it full of unbreakable fibres before leaping out and winding more threads into a muzzle around his snout.


    Red


    Ew... Mekrotok writhes in frustration, and probably disgust as the spider continues sticking and stuffing threads everywhere you seriously do not want threads to be stuffed. I hate it, but... that does actually give me an idea. Diala scampers her way across the dragon''s back, reaching and standing just outside his other ear. "Another pest?!" He booms, throwing his head to the side to eject the invader. With a swipe of her arm, crack! The sound barrier breaks, and his eardrum along with it. According to at least a dozen books I''ve read on flesh-based organisms, this should completely take him out of the fi- Diala''s body is thrown by a sudden force, leaving her barely able to catch onto a whisker before being flung away. The books lied!


    Violet


    Focus... Focus... Focus! Aleph''s vision grows clouded, her thoughts distracted by concern. Should we retreat? Fluffy is injured and Goldy will be occupied caring for him. Lyly is... ew... And Dyly is all the way down there now... They aren''t backing down though. I might have to aim at killing him. I''m no good at taking down big opponents like this without killing them, that''s what Fluffy was supposed to do with his wide area attacks. But... This isn''t some animal. As far as I''m concerned he''s a person. Do we have the luxury of a clean fight? She nears the larger dragon, one eye glazed pale, threads coating his face, and several cuts and gashes across his body, yet he holds firm with a gaze soaked in resolve. Why is he so determined?


    "Enough!"


    Flames burst forth from the dragon, his wounds burning shut and scales growing back as two tiny attackers are ejected from him with intense force. Aleph dives down, pressing Aether into the magma below to gain solid footing as a wave of flames pushes past her. The flames expand, obscuring his body before condensing to a point. Thoom! He erupts from the flames, his body reduced to match Aleph in size and his injuries closed in to mere scratches. This actually works way better.


    She leaps, a crater forming in the magma and slowly filling back up as she soars upwards to her foe. A blinding light disrupts her flight as she bends to dodge the condensed ray of plasma directed her way, setting the air on fire and burning through her scales even after dodging. Fuck! I''m jealous! He gets cool laser-beam attacks and I''m stuck with melee for anything real-time! A trail of light begins to form behind him, his motions that of a dance as his claws grip at the air, walking through the sky to form a mesh of light. A spell? What is he... Flicking his tail he sends the array careening towards Aleph, building itself into a sphere of patterns and symbols around her. "Begone."


    Whatever he''s trying to do is not going to be good for me. I need to figure this out before it casts. A dense layer of Aether spreads out from her body, nearly everything she has warping to wrap around the array and peer inward to observe the very Mana forming it. Space wobbles and oscillates, atoms skewing and redirecting as if influenced by an ever growing gravitational pull. Is this forming a wormhole? He''s trying to teleport me! Shit! I don''t know how fast the spell is, and I can''t directly counter something like this yet! But... Yes, I can make it too expensive to cast. Aether shifts, conforming to the shape of the Mana, yet acting in contrast. Where Mana pulls, Aether pushes, where one expands space, the other contracts it. Go ahead. Just see how much Mana this will take to cast now. I dare you.


    The fire dragon snarls, the array falling apart and scattering into nothing as he prepares his next attack. Capitalising on the moment, Aleph flaps her wings, surging through the air and closing the gap. Contorting her body beyond what should be natural, she dodges the next ray of plasma, ignoring the burning of her scales as she lunges into him. Fangs burrow into scales and she twists her body to throw him down, plunging after him to slam into the magma below.


    Gold


    He seems stable... I know too little of medicine to heal him, but I can at least keep him cool. Turning his eyes to the battle, Gol Dhee watches the spray of boiling rock bursting forth from each strike. Even from where he stands the heat is oppressive, his coat of frigid wind barely enough to curb it as the stone around him melts and cracks. Does he truly believe I can match his strength enough to end this fight? I feel this is beyond me...


    Gripping the earth, he raises a wall to block oncoming spray from the fight before pushing it away to continue watching. What does he always see in me... Does it even matter? Gol Dhee grips his hand, holding tight to a small pendant, simple in design and bearing no essence or profound aura, yet significant nonetheless. Technique is vital... His eyes turn to the warrior of green. To stand on equal ground, one must seek to surpass... His gaze focuses back on the battle.


    Within the chaos of fire and stone, visions of the emissary and the king of flame can be seen matching strikes as claws, fangs, and flames battle for every slight edge. Gol Dhee watches, eyes trained on the dragon for any chance, any moment for him to strike. The lake explodes, pushed back by a sudden air pressure as the king of flames returns to his normal size, firing down with his breath of light. And for a moment, he is still. Recoil from his own attack binding him in place. It must be now!


    Gol Dhee pools his essence, focuses his mind, and narrows his gaze. I cannot form a strike like the warrior of green, nor build vines as tight as the bright one''s. But I can pull the earth, bend the ocean, and hold the air. And so I shall. He grips the world, his essence enforcing dominance over every stone, every flame, every speck of air. And he pulls. For a moment, his eyes flicker lime, the entire cavern warping and closing in towards the king of flame until...


    Krakoom!


    Red


    Diala''s body warps and bends, slithering around flying magma and hopping across soaring rocks as she carries a pale spider through the storm of stone and fire. Holy shit! Remind me to never piss any of these guys off! What kind of world is this where this is the first real fight I see?! Layer after layer of stone surges towards Mekrotok, who in turn bursts forth from his coffin of earth again and again, only to continue being encased.


    Weaving through the rocks towards the pair comes Aleph, swooping down to pick them up. Hopping on top, Diala releases Lyla to allow her return to her rightful perch. "Is this Gol Dhee''s doing?" "Yep!" "How long do you think he can hold out?" "He''s already stopped." The last layer of stone shoots past, allowing the trio a smooth flight towards the rest of the group. As soon as they land, Aleph takes over the job of keeping them cool by pushing away the heat, causing vision to be obscured as the ape collapses, completely spent.


    "Is it over? Is he dead?" Diala asks, her eyes trained on the ball of melting earth behind them. "He''s not dead." We''re not done?! "He''ll probably break out soon, but he''s stuck under a ton of rock so we should get out while we can" Oh thank fuck. "Are you sure? How can you see?" "Aether perception sphere." What language is she actually speaking? It sounds familiar-ish, but the translation system makes it hard to tell. "I guess we should go then. Those two aren''t looking so good." "Agreed. I''d like to get them out of the heat sooner rather than later."


    Gathering atop the dragon, the group set off, gliding down the hole carved into the layer below.

 Chapter 50: The spider?

    Interlude from the surface. Through the eyes of a familiar spider.


    Pylon one is a success! A minuscule spider, barely the size of a grain of rice and covered in a thick coat of spiky, white fuzz, clings to the tip of a grey stone spire, engraved with a series of glowing runes and shapes saturated with an almost visible density of Mana. Looking even closer, one might miss the microscopic threads wound around the pylon, nestled within the runes in an intensely fine nest of exponentially more complex patterns. Ready to connect the array to caster!


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    "Mungroot soup?" "Boo! We want pie!" "Give us pie! Give us pie!" Three white spiders skitter across a pristine kitchen counter, spouting off complaints as they block the possibility of any cooking with their fuzzy bodies. "Lyla... We had pie last week. One must not be too greedy." An elderly maolas replies. His white fur shimmers with tips of silver, his eyes glazed pale as if blind, yet still able to see and track the three miscreants with ea- "And I can hear as well."


    ...


    """Huh?""" "Nothing. Don''t mind it. Now please let me cook." "No way!" "We know you want it too!" "Pleeease!" All three stand together, giving their best puppy dog eyes. Which of course means somehow making their eyes extra shiny. "Perhaps if you tell me what you heard from Nila, I''ll consider making some." """No fair!""" "You know we can''t!" "They told us to wait until reaching the surface to start telling people..." The maolas shakes his head, nose twitching in humour. "Then mungroot soup it is." """Noooooooo!"""


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    Pylon two... being delayed. Some weird blond guy with a sword keeps distracting me. The tiny spider atop another stone spire waggles her stubby pedipalps, shooing away the nuisance of a human boring a hole into her with his gaze. "You are a divine beast, yes?" "What''s it to you?! Leave me be! I''m busy!" "Well, I''m just curious you see. What manner of ability do you possess?" "I''m super strong. And once my true form is unlea- uh... Scratch that last bit. I''m super strong. Now go away." The man''s head takes a slight angle, his brows furrowing and lips pressing into a form of disappointment. "Stop with the painted on expression. I wasn''t born yesterday." "Painted expression?" His face morphs back, lips and eyes curving into a friendly smile. Ugh... Hate this type... Just like the demon. You can never tell how much is a lie with them.


    "How about this? If I tell you one of my abilities will you tell me one of yours?" "Will it make you go away if I do?" "Yes." "Fine..." She sighs, skittering up to meet him at eye level. "Observe! Cower in fear before my ultimate laser-beam attack!" Her tiny pedipalps wave, streams of light drawn in the air at their tips before coalescing and firing out an intense beam of light... the width of a hair. "Fuehehe, bet you''re impressed now!" "Indeed... Anyway, I''ll be off." "Huh? Right... Hey, wait! You didn''t show me your..." And he''s gone... And I''m out of Mana... This counter rune is going to take forever...


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    "What if I call the dragon Bahamut?" A ball-shaped spider offers, disproportionately small limbs almost hidden between dense layers of fur. "None of the names you''ve suggested even count as nicknames! She''s called Aleph, right? Just call her Ali!" Pleads the young maolas girl holding her, kicking up loose twigs and leaves from the forest around them in irritation. "Honestly... Kids these days have no creativity. How about the elf then? What if I called him King Arthur?" "I thought the monkey was the king." "No, he has a sword you see. And he''s kinda strong, just like the real King Arthur. I''m still stronger of course." "Who is King Arthur?!" The girl complains, almost throwing the spider in frustration.


    "So uncultured... Bet you don''t even know what Anime is..." "Uuuugh..." The pair collapse back into the brush, the spider proceeding to snuggle comfortably atop the girl''s belly. "You said you were going to cause chaos at this year''s reverence festival, right?" "Yes! And it shall be glorious! Fuehehehe..." She declares pridefully. "Ah, I am going to need this body for it though. You''re fun to hang out with though, so I''ll send you a mini-me to keep you company." "Can''t I go with?" "No. In fact, I bet you''re gonna try anyway, so change of plans. I''m sending you one of the mini-mes with venom to stop you doing anything stupid." "Hey!" "Don''t feel bad. Half the people I hang out with have asked the same thing."


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    Pylon three, requesting radio silence... You realise that''s physically impossible, right? Yes, but it seems appropriate given this situation. A near-microscopic spider, barely visible to the naked eye hides within the grooves of a stone spire, scarcely allowing a single breath as she sits under a light warping cloak and suppresses her presence from the beast circling her. Why is he here? Does he know? A grey lion prowls the area, muscles toned to perfection and its mane flowing as if underwater. Is he trying to seal the rest of me? Navy eyes burn into the pylon, a stalwart scrutinising every detail in search of even a pebble out of place. Will he see the threads? They should be too small, but...


    As if beckoned by her concerns, one of her threads breaks loose, reflecting in the sunlight as it sways from its place. The lion''s eyes immediately latch on to the thread, tracing it along to find the source. Shit! I didn''t have time to fix it in place! Okay, emergency backup is a go! Sorry buddy... Tugging one of her threads, she disrupts another spider. The black and spindly critter skitters from its nook, waving its legs at whoever deigned to disturb its mighty slumber. Clack! A claw pierces through the critter''s abdomen, pulling away to observe it before the lion huffs and walks away. Rest in more than one piece. I''ll never acknowledge something so gross and spindly as kin, but your sacrifice will be remembered. Now... Should I bother getting another spider?


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    "And then, she makes her wish! To destroy all witches, future and past, overwriting causality itself and making her into a functionally omnipotent guardian who protects all magical girls throughout eternity!" "Wooah! Time travel stories are crazy! Do you think I can time travel?" Asks the thumb-sized spider skittering excitedly around the hand of a bedridden human girl. "Well, magic is real so I don''t see why not." "Awesome! I''ll try it now with my caster form! So what''s next? What''s next?! Can we finish that one about the brothers trying to restore their bodies with funky alchemy magic?" "Lyla... It''s midnight... We''ve been at it for hours. And I still don''t know which ending to tell you first." "Aww, okay... G''night." "Goodnight."Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    Hunter reporting. I can confirm that blightlynx does in fact taste like chicken. The likelihood that whatever a chicken is, it''s actually some kind of cat, has been increased. A man-sized spider stands over her prey, happily sinking her sharp fangs into the large predatory cat below her. Pale fur coats the white carapace of the spider, petering out at the blue tips of each javelin-like leg. This is almost every large predator in the vicinity of the city. I''ll need to do a few sweeps to be sure though. Maybe I should get the faster mes to help with that?


    Having eaten her fill, she stands. Legs raise and trace through the air, moving almost mechanically as they follow a rigid path within the air. Lights follow behind the tips of each limb, swiftly forming an array around the spider. As she finishes her motions, the array glows red, coating her in flames and leaving the spider surrounded by ash. Shaking off the soot, she sets off in search of her next prey. The next target will be those cream bears. They''re skittish so I can probably just drive them out. I wonder what they taste like though...


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    "In order to cast magic, you must first form a spell. To do this, most draw runes infused with will and intent, each describing an aspect of the spell." I already know this... but it''s always good to brush up on my basics. Maybe this year they''ll have some more new insights. A small jumping spider rests upon a web in the corner of a lecture theatre, naturally blending in from a perfect vantage point to attentively listen to the old human at the podium. "The runes can be tailored to the individual, so long as you understand that rune to mean something specific. For example..." He raises his hand to the marble board behind and scribbles two sharp looking symbols atop it. Placing his hand at the tip, he infuses it with Mana, causing it to glow red and spew a small stream of threads, much to the excitement of the class. Hmph! Of course when he casts a tiny ember, it''s cool and exciting. but when I cast an epic inferno people freak out.


    "This is my rune for fire, and my rune for spewing forth. Without the latter, the flame would peter out too quickly to see." That just sounds like a skill issue to me. "If any of you have taken the combat courses you may find they recommend learning multiple runes for each concept. One for common use, and one or more for use in battle to avoid prediction from your opponents. To begin with though, we will be teaching you to cast without runes, so you can get a feel for the intent. Once comfortable with this you can begin associating the spell with runes to allow much greater consistency and reliability in your casting."


    An enthusiastic student in the centre raises his hand, the bright light of untainted youthful optimism blazing with the undying radiance of a star within his beady eyes. Seems like we have a participating audience this year. I always feel bad for the poor bastards stuck with a silent crowd for a whole year. "What about incantations and instant casting? Are they not possible?" "Ah, yes. Incantations are a good alternative to runes, depending on what you use them for. You don''t need to carry around sigils or spend time drawing them, but in turn you are always limited to how fast you can clearly speak and can easily be interrupted. To begin with though, we will be teaching you with runes since they are generally more stable and easier to learn than incantations. As for instant casting, while we do always start without using runes or spoken words, it is impractical for any spell you aren''t intensely familiar with. A rogue thought is all it takes to disrupt the spell."


    Pretty basic stuff as usual. Nice to have a reminder of the basics though. "Now, time for practical lessons. I would like each of you to try manipulating the cup of water you have been provided with." Hell yea! My favourite part! Time to fuck with some students! Did that guy already drink his water? Well, there''s always one of those.


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    Giga-me disguise is a success! Phew... This is hard work. A large spider with thick legs and a robust torso wipes her nonexistent brow, satisfied with the large pile of grass-covered dirt in front of her. Now to hide this me! Atop her pile sits a lady frowning at her failed spell-cast. The spider gives her a salute before sticking her forelegs into the ground and lifting a layer of earth atop herself, forming a small and very out of place mound. Perfect!


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    "Okay, so what else you got? Any names for fire-based attacks?" A melon-sized, and shaped, spider asks, rolling around with her stubby legs tucked in. "Well, how about something simple like heat wave or fire blast?" A criminally pale man offers with an almost weary grin, his jet black hair covering one eye as he leans down to watch the tumbling critter. "Boo! Boring! Come on, I know you''re holding out on me." "Hmm, how about... Inferno overdrive?" "Hell yea! That''s more like it! Where you come up with these I have no idea, but damn they''re good! Okay, how about a lightning attack? I''m thinking of one where I coat everything around me in electricity." "Discharge?"


    The spider halts her rolling to give him a look. What look, even I don''t know, because she lacks any capacity for actual facial expression, but give it she does. "Um... Gigavolt havok?" "Fuahaha! Perfect! I knew you had it in you! Wow, this is going great! People are going to think I''m so cool! Now, laser-beam from the moon?"


    Through the eyes of a familiar spider


    A lady sits atop a mound of dirt and ruggedly placed grass which barely passes as a hill, swinging her legs idly. Her white dress and silver hair hold still, as if undisturbed by the blowing winds. Her cyan eyes flicker to the side, focusing on an approaching speck of white. "Hiya caster-me!" "Hiya mini-me!" "I bring you a thread to the first pylon!" "Ah, of course, all according to plan!" ""... Fuehehehe!"" Is someone coming this way? The tiny spider skitters along her arm to hide under a veil of hair as she turns to face the approaching disturbance in the ambient Mana, she stands.


    "Are you sure it''s this way?" "I''m sure." "Are you suuuure?" "Yes! Stop asking!" Hmm... They are coming this way. Hopefully they don''t notice anything. "Was this hill always here?" Fuck. "Hey, who''s that creep on top?" Double fuck. And what do they mean creep?! I''m fucking beautiful thank-you very much! "Hey you! What are you doing up there?!" Damn, he''s talking to me... I wonder if any of the people I''m talking to have suggestions... Kick them? Maybe, but I''m not there yet. Hug them? You precious soul... No. Gigavolt havok? Hmm... May- "Hey! Are you listening to me?!" Oh right. Conversations are a time sensitive matter.


    "Uh... None of your business. Go away." "Do you know where the lake is from here?" Hmm... I think this is where I need to use human body language to emphasise my point. Her head snaps unnaturally to the side, hair seemingly forgetting to obey gravity as she brings a hand up and smooshes it to her chin and stares down wide-eyed at the pair. "No clue. Go away." "What the fu... Uh, let''s just go." "Y-yea..." The pair scamper off, the occasional worried, or possibly traumatised, look thrown back before they vanish from sight. Great! They''re gone! I think I''m getting better at this human thing.


    Though now I guess I have to relocate... And it took so long to find this place too... Oh well! Her feet lift from the ground, her body displacing through the air as she turns to peer at the hill. Mana bursts forth from her form, wrapping around the hill and the out of place mound beside it like a net, and with a snap of her fingers it is all pulled into itself, vanishing within the span of a blink. Waving her hand, she smooths over the cratered ground, pulling grass over to leave it in a natural state. Maybe this time I should just replace an existing hill?

 Chapter 51: Aftermath

    The group descend the recently formed crevice, gliding down atop Aleph as the heat begins to recede, turning from absurdly deadly to just very deadly. Lyly sits upon her perch, impatiently jittering with the occasional glance downward. Dyly sits by Goldy and Fluffy, keeping them from falling. While they descend the heat begins to increase again, prompting Aleph to redirect and fly to the nearest stable nook on the wall. As they land, they settle the downed pair against the wall and gather.


    "How are they doing?" Dyly asks, checking their temperature... for some reason. "Goldy seems fine. Just exhausted." Said monkey wearily raises his arm with a strained grin, before allowing his body to go limp again. "Fluffy on the other hand is tricky. I can''t look at his body to see what''s wrong because of how dense his Aether is. A safe bet though, is heat stroke. We need to get him somewhere cool as soon as possible, and all our supplies have been burned away, so we need to find water as well. Either of you have ideas?" Lyly skitters up, waving her pedipalps impatiently. "We should just go down! Waiting here does nothing for us." Aleph squints at the spider. "Hey! I''ll admit I''m a little on edge because I''ve been waiting centuries for this. But I''m not being completely callous! We can''t help them by staying still."


    Aleph nods, turning to Dyly. "How about you? Any ideas?" "I know less about this place than you. The only person who knows more is out of commission so I''m with Lyla on this one. We should just hurry and hope we find a way down." "Centre... Two floors... down..." Fluffy strains, prying his uncooperative body from the ground. "There is-" "Idiot! You should know your own body better than this! Why didn''t you tell us?! We could have retreated!" "I thought I would... be fine..." "You thought wrong! And you''re half-dead because of it!" "I... You''re right..." "Good. Now go back to sleep before I make you." "I-" "I''m not bluffing." Aleph raises a threatening tail his way, prompting him to comply with a nod.


    "It''s settled then, we get through the next two floors as fast as we can, aiming for a way down in the centre. Hop on, let''s g-" The thought is halted by the pitch black figure behind her. A large feline silhouette which defies any attempt at depth perception as it appears to stare at the group with its eyeless face. I couldn''t sense it coming... No soul either... A machine? With an anchor? Is that even possible? The creature scampers away, climbing upward to join several others as they pull at the rock, causing it to extrude outward. "What was that?" "No clue. And no time. They''re not a threat at least, so let''s hurry."


    Hoisting the patients to her back, she dives into the crevasse, the steadily solidifying walls giving way to smooth obsidian as they pass through the opening to the next layer. Near the centre... Aleph scours the terrain as she glides, searching for anything resembling an exit. The outer walls of this layer, smaller than any other before it, glow a vibrant red, oozing with enough heat to make the air dance. A tempest of boiling air brushes past the group, Aleph''s insulative cloak of Aether barely able to keep them from warming up within the furnace of an environment.


    Finding nothing from the skies, she dives down to a low glide and begins scouring the terrain with her Aether, shortly finding the way down plugged by magma dripping from above. Landing atop the growing pile of basalt, she spreads Aether into the earth, gripping it tightly before sending a shock-wave through the Aether, and by proxy the earth. Allowing herself to slide down with the crumbling and powderising stone she falls through the sheer drop, coming out at another much cooler layer. Granted, it''s still much too hot for anything barring extremophiles to survive without Mana, but at least the walls aren''t melting.


    Aleph doesn''t stick around to see the sights though, opting to instead glide straight down to one of the series of tunnels scattered below her. Threading the needle, she swoops into a random tunnel, sliding to a stop down a wall before taking off into a sprint through the winding tunnel. Heat steadily gives way, turning from inhospitable, to deadly, to tropical until Aleph halts her stride. The tunnel wanes into a small cavern, tiny holes dotting the walls. Aleph spreads her Aether, squeezing it through the holes to map out the area for any alternate routes. "We''ve hit a dead end. I can''t tell if this place is tolerable enough, but at least it''s colder than what I was able to insulate for us."


    Dyly drags the two wounded off Aleph''s back to lay them against the wall while Lyly hops off to face the dragon. "Don''t mind me, I just have seven hundred years of celebration to get out of my system over that way." She calmly states, skittering off to a corner while everyone else politely ignores the ensuing squeals and unholy cries of joy. "Do you think it''s cold enough for him to recover? He still doesn''t look too good." Dyly asks, poking the elf like a child with roadkill. "I''ve had heatstroke a few times before, granted I was a different species each time. He needs to cool down a lot more than this to heal. Do you know any cooling techniques?" "I can fan him really fast."


    Aleph shakes her head, moving to sit by the group. "That only works if the air is cooler than your body. In this case the air is the source of most of the heat here, so it would only warm them more. I think I have another method, but I''ll have to mess with my memories to access it." "That sounds unpleasant..." The demon tilts her head, her eyes fluttering with intrigue. "Not really. But it comes with risk. If I remember my true name something bad will happen, so I have to be really finicky with it." "What happens?" Dyly leans forward, entranced by the thickening of the plot. "I forgot." The disappointment in her eyes denies measurement, rejects quantisation, fails to be bounded by the mere mortal limits of disappointment. "Maybe I''ll remember after some fiddling though."


    I need to focus. The world vanishes, nothing left but five souls within a blank void, steadily fading one by one until left with a single violet soul. I am an osa. Sphere. Perfect. The soul is a perfect sphere, without blemish, and scattered everywhere. Pieces orbit the broken orb, the kernel in the centre refusing their proximity. One at a time, a piece is drawn close, barely touching its place in the sphere before being returned to orbit. My favourite frequency of light? I already remember that... The ending of my favourite Anime? What''s Anime again? The Spanish Inquisition? Wasn''t expecting that... No... Look somewhere else... fragment of the absolute... Not that... What about... No, that memory is too big... Is it even finite? My best friend... Right, I should hurry. My name is- No! I''m close though... I am... Right! That''s the one!


    Through the eyes of a curious demon


    I wonder what crazy power she''ll show off. A freeze beam? Summon a portal to an ice dimension? Maybe she''s just looking for the name of an Ahvi''salThe first one? Ugh... Since when does just thinking that feel creepy? What about- The cavern flashes violet for a brief moment, pulling Diala from her thoughts. Her eyes turn to meet the dragon''s, staring back quizzically. "Uh... Did it work?" "Did what work?" Did she mess with the wrong memories? "You were trying to cool the room down." "Was I? Oh yea! I changed something about the nitrogen here." "Changed what?" "Don''t know!"


    Diala squints her eyes, regarding the dragon with suspicion. "Do you remember my name?" "Nope! I assume I should though." No wonder she didn''t default to this... Wait... Is it... "This isn''t permanent is it? Have you just forgotten everything?" "Nope. I started in this world with less and have been steadily remembering more over time. I expect I''ll remember things faster this time." Diala sighs, relieving tension she didn''t realise she had. "Well I''m... Most people just call me Diala. Nice to meet you again?" "Likewise? Mind if I call you Didi?" "Uh, sure. Why not?" Does she just pick these randomly?This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Say, I''ve noticed... You''re not speaking the same language as before." "Am I? I''m speaking chromatic infernal. Just like you. What was I speaking before?" How does a dragon even learn a light-based language? Or, wait... Reincarnation. Was she a demon in a past life? Also what language was she speaking? Translation makes this stuff hard... "I''m not sure. Same as her I think." She points over to the manic spider, still going wild with celebration in her now thread-coated corner of the cavern. "Aoan? Makes sense. That''s my preferred language." Aoan! I have no idea what that is... Pretty sure I have family who speak it though.


    "Still though... Is she okay? She has a strange soul, and that''s coming from me." Diala turns to face the manic spider, now wound and bundled in her own threads but still too excited to care. "She''s fine. How did you say that last word in bold though? And why does that make sense to me?" "Demonic translation is a funny thing. It uses a mixture of direct meaning, context, and intent to derive meaning. This means you can do s0m3 pr3tty w31rd st0ff." Huh... So that''s how Dad always does it.


    Through the eyes of an elated spider


    "Fuck yeaaaa! Best day ever! Who cares if it''s actually midnight right now?! Today is the day where divine beast Lyla takes her biggest step to becoming an actual divine beast Lyla! Hell yea! Is it getting cold? Who cares?! I''ve been waiting seven hundred years for this! Okay, maybe two of those hundreds I spent completely ignoring this place... And another three or so half-assing it... But still! It''s cold! I mean, it''s great! Why is it so cold?" Lyla takes a moment away from her screaming to regain some semblance of her surroundings. Why is the ground covered in mist? Wasn''t this place a furnace or something?


    Lyla skitters her way to the dragon and the demon, hopping atop a rock to exit the growing mist on the ground. "What''s going on? Why is there mist?" "Oh! It''s working!" "What''s working?" "I forgot exactly." Are you fucking serious? "But I seem to have made diatomic nitrogen in this room require more energy to form a bond. Once the ambient radiation has dissipated it should get pretty cold." A blank stare is all Lyla can be bothered with in the face of that nonsense. "I don''t speak rocket science. Simplify." A blank stare is all the dragon can be bothered with in the face of this nonsense. "I make air go cold." "Ah, that makes sense now. Why not just start with that?" "..." "Fuehehe."


    "So... Is that mist mostly just nitrogen?" The demon interjects. "Most air is mostly nitrogen here. But yea, the mist has a higher concentration. Why?" "Won''t they suffocate?" She points to the two patients, cloaked under the growing mist. "Shit." Hoisting them on her back again, the dragon shifts to the cave edge, resting with them above the mist. "Hey Lyly. What time is it?" "Basically midnight." "This is going to be a long night..."


    <hr>


    Record 1


    Hypothesis: An awakened soul will remain awakened indefinitely if emplaced in an ordinarily unsuitable vessel.


    Method: Acquire twelve awakened souls to be emplaced into the developing embryos within the eggs of a basilisk from the earthen boundary layer. Souls will be acquired from terminal patients from the silent wool clan of the haven layers.


    Control 1: A batch of twelve untampered basilisk eggs, to be acquired from the same nest as the primary group during the same season.


    Control 2: A batch of twelve eggs to be manually emplaced with unawakened souls, to be acquired from the same nest as the primary group during the same season.


    This will be difficult, and will test the limits of La''s medical abilities. We can not afford any imprecision, so Aether will be used for all operations in this first experiment.


    Record 7


    The souls have been emplaced. All from control group 1 have taken their souls without issue. Three from the primary group have died. It is unknown whether this is from complications in emplacing awakened souls or in a technical failing during the procedure. Autopsy has ruled out natural causes. See addendum 7A.


    Record 28


    All control group eggs have hatched now. Only three primary group eggs have hatched. Two more have died leaving one still incubating. It is unlikely it will survive.


    Record 33


    Both surviving primary group subjects, seven and nine, have shown regained sapience, granted the lack of viable communication methods has made it difficult to converse. Subject seven is believed to be the individual Makho, though nine has proven indiscernible.


    Record 79


    Subject nine has died. Makho is in great distress because of this. It is still unclear which soul subject nine emplaced with. Regardless, the burial rites have been performed, and their names all etched upon the reverence pillar.


    Record 93


    The control group are no longer deemed necessary, and have been released to their natural habitat. All control subjects survived, ruling out natural causes as the cause of the other subjects'' deaths. Makho has expressed concerns about his mental well-being.


    Record 234


    Makho has completely lost all semblance of a sentient organism. Communication has proven impossible, and his behaviour has become akin to that of a wild basilisk, albeit a particularly aggressive one. He will be sent to the earthen boundary to live with the other basilisk, and his name is to be etched upon the reverence pillar.


    Record 235 - Post Mortem


    The experiment proved a partial success. We were able to infuse at least one soul into an unsuitable vessel, though it seems the mind of the basilisk eventually imprinted onto the soul, reverse to what ordinarily happens. Whether this symptom is caused by the use of a basilisk as the vessel or simply a consequence of applying an aged soul to a young vessel is unknown.


    The next experiment will make use of a soul that has been recently awakened. We will also be using an earth drake as the vessel, due to their comparable constitution to that of a basilisk and their much tamer temperament.


    Addendum 235C


    Makho has died. It is imperative to remind all who have worked on this experiment that this is not the fault of the individual who slew him. By this time, Makho as he was once known was no more.


    -Extract from the Progenitor''s notes

 Chapter 52: Bugged

    Crack! Crumble. "Are you sure this is the right way?" "Pretty sure." Crack! Crumble. "Are you sure you''re sure? I''m getting dust all over my trichobrothia." Crack! Crumble. "Is that what spider hair is called?" "Yes, but nobody ever calls it that. So annoying... Just like people who call my pedipalps arms! Heathens, the lot of them!" "Both words translate to the same thing to me. Though, one of them does feel a bit more specific at least." Crack! Crumble. "Demon translation is weird. And stupid. I learned five languages and here you are just cheating and knowing all of them." "Give her a break. Demons have to interact with the languages of countless dimensions, each with entirely different concepts of communication. Even Didi''s language is based on light instead of sound." "What? I can hear her perfectly fine though!" "Yea, if you''re unaware of it I''ll just sound like a natural speaker to you. Even translates puns and idioms to an extent. What do you hear when I say kikokikyom?" Crack! Crumble. "I hear reverence festival. An end of cycle festival, every other year." "I just heard kikokikyom. I think it''s a demon thing?" "Lyla heard this world''s version of an end of year festival. You seem to have a confusing distinction between calendar year and orbital year though. Aleph''s, I believe, is from a different branch of infernal. A sound based one, though I''m not sure which." "Huh... Neat..."


    Crack! Crumble. Whoosh! Wind bursts into the tunnel carved from Aether, kicking up a torrent of powderised stone and pulling it into the open. Stepping forward, Aleph carries the group past the smokescreen into the open air, a dense concoction of musty and leafy scents assailing them. Goldy and Didi sit comfortably on her back, holding down Fluffy who already seems moments away from bursting free out of boredom. Lyly stands proudly atop her perch, staring down at the world past the veil of dust. "Fuahahaha! Finally! I, divine beast Lyla have taken my first steps forward in- Holy shit that''s a lot of bugs..."


    The ground writhes in an ever shifting mass of vibrant insects. Rivers of murky white ants stream forth, winding through the terrain and past the horizon as they walk under larger pill bugs and step over smaller worms. Swarms of moth-like critters float around, carried along by the ambient winds with their spinning disk wings. In the distance, a giant creature which can only be described as tumbleweed with a brain rolls around, spearing insects with its thorny appendages and pulling them to its core.


    "How lucky! It seems we''ve arrived during one of the great migrations!" Fluffy announces, pushing his head up to see, only to be kept firmly in place by a golden palm. "I take it you''ve been here a lot then..." Lyly mumbles, still cringing at the sight. "Quite! The sheer diversity of life here is staggering!" "Sheer diversity... of bugs..." "You don''t like bugs?" "Common misconception number one. Spiders are not bugs." "True. The classification that encompasses both would be the phylum arthropoda. Very important distinction." "Oh, hey! We agree on something!" "Indeed! And yet both insects and arachnids are equally fascinating!" "Oh, hey! I disagree with you again..."


    "Which way?" Aleph interrupts before they can begin arguing between the superiority of insects and arachnids. "Just follow the swarms." "Gross! We''re not following that!" Lyly asserts, drawing confused glances from the rest of the group. "What? Same phylum or not bugs are gross. Just look at all their spindly legs! The flying ones are kinda cute though." Aleph shakes her head, sliding down the pillar she broke through. "Which way is fastest?" Fluffy habitually raises a hand to comb his scraggle, only to be vetoed by Aleph''s tail. "Heading opposite is probably fastest then. Though we will run into a few roadblocks." "Like what?" "Lack of food mostly. Almost everything we could hunt follows this same migration pattern, and as far as I''m aware, the plants only bear fruit in synchronicity with the migration as well."


    Looking over the horizon of bugs, Aleph considers her options. We can probably just stock up and be frugal. I don''t need to eat much, and I don''t think Didi eats anything. Everything here looks edible to me too, so we''re not in short supply for now. "Goldy and Didi, you go collect food while Lyly and I figure out containers for it." "And me?" "If you move I''ll get Lyly to bind you like the unruly medical patient you are." "Ooh! Please move! Please move!" "..."


    Through the eyes of a sluggish monkey


    Gol Dhee leaps from the emissary''s back, the dull ache of muscle overexertion echoing throughout his body. I still ache from the battle... A fine test of my limits indeed. This stretch should assist the matter though. "Come, creature of flames. I am curious of your hunting methods." "Do you have to call me creature?" "Would you prefer the fiery one?" "Oh, that has a nice ring to it!" The fiery one responds with a twirl, skipping ahead as they approach the nearest swarm. "Do you suppose these to be edible?" Gol Dhee asks, grabbing a pill shaped critter which curls into a ball on contact. "No idea. I don''t eat, so I''ll have to trust you on this." He stares at her bemused, scritching his nose in confusion. "How can you sustain without food?"


    Skipping over to one of the critters, the fiery one picks it up in imitation, a fascinated glint in her eyes as she playfully spins it within her grasp. "I think something might have been lost in translation there. When I was younger I was sustained by light. After reaching rank three I haven''t needed to eat, since I have enough demonic essence to substitute. It''s still nice to eat now and then, but the light from those orbs doesn''t really do much for me. Tastes a bit stale." This must be the most foreign being I have met yet... Is she perhaps related to the great trees of my homeland, which greed after the orbs of light with their ever-growing tendrils of green? "Light can be tasty?" "Very! You should try it!" The cogs within his mind spin wildly as he ponders the logic behind eating light. One can almost even smell the bacon cooking, perhaps this is what she meant? I shall do my best!This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Through the eyes of a restrained patient


    She really wasn''t bluffing. Fluffy lays bound and gagged to Teacher''s back, staring upward, the only direction he was permitted. Was the gag really necessary though? I feel like Lil'' Blue had a bit too much fun. These threads are extremely tough though, I wonder if I can break them... Muscles twitch beneath the fibres, just begging to try tear through them. I''d best not. Not worth finding out what Teacher would threaten me with next. And besides, I am still recovering from hyperthermia, so rest is a must. But still...


    Through the eyes of an intrigued demon


    "So, do you think this is edible?" Diala asks from atop a giant rolling mass of spines and thorns. Spikes twist and snap, slowly bending their way to intercept the pest clinging to them, only for her to deftly wind around them without a care. "It... Doesn''t look appetising." Gol Dhee responds from the ground, looking up bemused by the display. "You sure? I would figure this big thing has a lot of Mana. Is this not one of the worlds where Mana arbitrarily makes things tastier?" She curves around another spike, leaving herself dangling from one hand, just to show off. "Perhaps so, but it must have a fine taste to begin with for it to be enhanced."


    Hmm, too bad. Loosening her grip, Diala allows herself to fall back to the ground, skipping over to Gol Dhee''s side. "Do you think this will be enough then?" She gestures to the large beast sat beside them. A smooth exoskeleton coats its frame, four thin legs leading into keratin hooves, and a pair of elegant horns atop its head. Granted, having its head spun backwards puts a heavy inhibitor on the amount of elegance it can hold. "More would be difficult to preserve for long. Without the emissary eating, this should last us many rests." "Neat. Let''s take it back then."


    Through the eyes of a mischievous spider


    "Fuehehehe..." Maybe I should stick his eyes closed? Or his nose? Hmm, no that might be too far. I can''t mess with him if he dies from asphyxiation. "Lyly, can you please just stop thinking of ways to screw with Fluffy and sew properly." Gah! She knew! How?! Is she a time-travelling eldritch abomination who can read minds too?! "You''ve been snickering this whole time. It''s obvious what you''re thinking about." Ah, that makes more sense. She would''ve been way too overpowered otherwise. I need to work on my poker face though... "Hey, gimme a break. I''m almost done." Lyla chides, snipping the thread wound into the carapace she''s sewing together.


    "There! Complete! Bet you''ve never seen such a perfect... box?" Lyla steps back from the haphazardly bound together clump of chitin and thread, somehow serviceable as a container despite all appearances to the contrary. "I mean... Technically you''re right. I''ve never seen something quite like this." "Yea, okay. Not my best work. When are the other two getting back?" "Already here." The demon playfully responds from behind. "Agh! What? Since when?" Lyla hops away, skittering behind the dragon''s head to hide. "Just now. I''m guessing my lack of Mana is what made you miss me." Yea right. I bet she used one of her evil demon tricks to sneak up on me. I''m on to you, devil.


    "Let''s set off then. Oh, and please remove Fluffy''s gag. He''s our guide after all."


    <hr>


    Esfa, the divine canid, one of the ancients and progenitor to the esfins. A being said to be draped in lustrous white fur which can cure the sick and bearing fangs with venom corrosive enough to devour steel. Legends tell of a their immense speed and acute battle prowess, how they circled the world within a day, defeated seven great war era generals in a battle of wits, and out-manoeuvred the ten-thousand palms of Caxhaniel.


    Centuries ago during the fourth battle of the gods, Esfa was said to be among the vanguard once the war struck their home territory in the western plateaus of aoleu''lothas. Single-handedly, they fended off an army of beings of incomprehensible and impossible form, and tremendous powers, as well as even defeating an archangel in battle. It is believed this war was the cause of the many craters in the western tundras, and there is much evidence supporting this.


    In the time before the first battle of the gods, when the age after the great calamity was still young, Esfa is said to have raced their sister divine beast O''ovani around the dome shielding our world. Reasons for this vary between tellings from a mortal conflict settled through sport to a contest for territory, but in all iterations Esfa is able to circle the world in less than a day, completely eclipsing O''ovani and winning the race.


    Modern sightings of Esfa occasionally liken them to the Earth myth of Fenrir, a being of immense power sealed by the gods until the end days. Despite frequent sightings, little is actually known about them, virtue of their fickle nature. Occasionally though, people report sightings of Esfa to the east near the territories of other divine beasts. What they do there, only they know.


    -Excerpt from Shinya Mon Lale''s ''Myths, Legends, and Divine Beasts''

 Chapter 53: Inquisition

    Through the eyes of an inquisitive spider


    "Now that I think of it... How come you haven''t mistaken the demon for a human yet? Or a monkey for that matter, given your inability to distinguish basic facial features." Lyla asks, dangling from one of the myriad hanging vines surrounding the group, light blue moss poking through the fibrous ropes and clinging to her fuzz as she skitters and swings ahead. "Hey, I''m not that bad. And besides, it''s hard to miss the demonic energy pouring off her." Demonic energy... Lyla glares at the demon, swinging her legs as she strides by the dragon. "I see nothing." "Can you see Mana?" "I can feel it." "That''s because you''re attuned to it. You''re not attuned to demonic energy, so you can''t directly sense it." "But you can?" "I know what to look for. The energies tend to nudge each other in different ways." I bet she''s cheating.


    "You know, calling me human might not be as far off as you think." The demon chimes in, walking backwards through the foliage to face Lyla. "The details tend to get lost in the chaos of family heritage, but my mother''s side has a large variety of species, some of which may have been human or similar. Pretty common for us humanoid ones actually." "Please explain how a human and a solid crystal being can possibly have a child. I am genuinely baffled." "You and me both." Seriously?! I need answers! "But some races can find a way to make it work with anything. How do you think stone-golem type demons came around?" This doesn''t help! I have more questions!


    "Why is it so quiet?" The dragon asks, peering around and through the dense curtain of vines. "What do you mean? Seems fine to me. You''re plenty noisy as is." Violet eyes squint at the rude spider, who waggles her pedipalps tauntingly in response. No idea what that expression means, but I''m pretty sure it''s funny. "There''s no animal life. No birds, no insects, nothing. Not even in hiding. This place is empty of anything but plants." Huh. Now that you mention it... "Now you see why I always follow the migration. Always so boring this way." The elf mumbles, still tightly bound to the dragon''s back.


    "You don''t sound very asleep to me." The dragon chides, raising her tail for a thwack. "If I sleep any more I''m pretty sure I''ll pull a muscle. Let me be awake for at least a few minutes in a day." "Fine..." The dragon concedes, making sure to turn her squint his way as she does. "Why do they migrate anyway? Weather?" "I assume so. I''ve never really checked. Again, this route is much more boring." "Does the plant-life not do anything for you?" "Not my area. I have a sister who would die to learn even a speck of new information about moss, but I''m far more interested in things that move. The way they behave, what they eat, how they react to change, it''s all so fascinating. Plants on the other hand mostly just sit there and look pretty." Wow. This guy is as opinionated as me.


    Through the eyes of an inquisitive demon


    "Hey, Gol Dhee?" "You call?" "What does your name mean? I see the names you give everyone else have a direct translation, but not yours." The ape tilts his head in thought as he matches his stride to Diala''s. "I believe it means one who is golden. It was granted by the emissary, so she will know best on the matter." "You never asked?" "Names are an intriguing concept to me, though I find more interest in learning how others view it rather than the literal intent. What of you? You have many names, no?"


    Ah... How embarrassing... I introduced myself with my full name thinking these guys would have fancy names just as long. I probably look so pretentious now... I''m pretty sure Aleph is the only one here who actually knows demon culture to begin with. "Well, names have a lot of meaning to demons. There is a long history of true names being abused to assassinate high ranking demons, especially on my father''s side of the family. Because of this it has become tradition to obscure and hide our true names, and to use official names in public. Or in my father''s case he just named me something impossible to say so I can''t even screw up and tell someone by mistake."


    Gol Dhee slows his gait, confusion evident on his face. "How does one name themselves something impossible?" "He did tell me my name once, so it would register as a true name. I barely heard it because of the barrier he put around me though. Either way, I can''t speak that bright." "Hoh... A strange people you are." "I won''t deny that."


    Through the eyes of a frustrated dragon


    Flutter, flutter. "So any idea..." Flutter, flutter. "Any idea where..." Flutter, flutter. "Okay, seriously! Why does this thing have to fly right in my face like this?!" Aleph swipes at the small bird-like creature, devoid of all depth and colour, as it flits and flaps, assaulting the dragon with an uninhibited curiosity. "Let me see." Fluffy asks, probably just looking for an excuse to sit up. "Ah, those. I call them shadow forms. They''re a common but harmless nuisance this deep. I tend to just ignore them." That would be much easier if it didn''t keep pecking my eye...


    Following his advice she ignores the pest... to the best of her ability. Steadily, the vines grow sparse, opening up and allowing light to filter in from above. Lyly hops to her perch as her footing dissipates, the group now stepping into an open world of crags and spires, reaching above and below yet never allowing the ceiling to touch the floor. Blue cores slowly weave through the stalactites above, casting ever-changing shadows across the horizon. Moss covered rocks bloom white in the light with soft petal like protrusions which bustle in the winds, fading into a solid black, glass-like surface in the shade, amplifying the contrast in the lighting. "Ow!"This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Aleph snaps her tail at the shadowy pest flittering away, having poached one of her scales. Her tail cleaves dead centre through the critter, only for it to deform and wrap around the blade like ink in a pond before regaining shape and flying away. "Huh... They never did that to me. Just a lot of pecking usually." "Fuehehe, maybe it likes you." Shaking her head in frustration, and a particular spider along with it, Aleph huffs and continues forward, letting her paws sink into the thick layer of fluffy white moss as they head towards the crags. The group follow a path within the sinusoidal terrain, trodden low and flat from millennia of migrations and passers-by.


    Chomp! "Well this seems familiar." Aleph peers down at the pale amalgam of vines and petals wrapped harmlessly around her leg, trying its darnedest to eat well above its weight class. "They''re actually kinda cute when you''re not panicking about the neurotoxin spreading through your system." "Oh, these ones don''t have any toxins. They just bind you in place." "Huh... Then how do they-" Tear! Crumble! Chomp! "Oh..." "You guys okay in there?" Didi asks from outside the bulging mass of earth now encompassing them. Dirt and pebbles crumble away from the mass, revealing a pale white shell of pulsating vines and petals wound tightly into a bulbous dome. "Yea, it''s just trying to constrict us. Nothing too concer-" Pshhhh! "This just really isn''t my day."


    Deciding that having her feet coated in rancid smelling acid is a good time to try escape the mass of carnivorous vines, Aleph unsheathes her bladed tail and separates the plant from its roots. The scent of expired vinegar wafts outward, practically wilting the surrounding moss as the floor is coated in colourless liquid. "Hop on, we''re flying over this." With a shrug, Goldy leaps atop her back, catching Didi in a piggyback shortly after. Crack! Aleph leaps, bubbles of violet dissipating from her feet, and reforming at her wings as she soars up and over the mossy bluffs.


    As she flies higher, the world seems to push against her, rejecting her ascent and causing substantial turbulence. "Can you not fly smoother?!" "Something is weird! I keep feeling resistance!" At this rate I''ll just fall. I need to push up... more... mo- The world inverts. One flap of her wings sends them flying upwards as gravity switches to launch them higher. Quickly turning her body, Aleph manages to land on her feet, the course earth grating against her scales as a crater forms from her landing, and startling a strange crab-like critter with gloriously flamboyant feathers which proceeds to engage Lyly in some kind of hostile pedipalp waggie-off which can only be understood by those of the anthropoda phylum.


    "Muscles, pass me my journal. I have something to mark off my bucket list." What even... Oh, whatever. Aleph slumps down, ignoring the nonsense around her as she decides to just check out for the day. "Goodnight." "Huh?" Lyly pauses her engaging conflict to address the dragon. "But it''s only-" "Goodnight." "Ah, yes... Goodnight..."


    Through the eyes of an intrigued ape


    Gol Dhee lifts the small satchel hooked to the emissary''s harness, peering inquisitively at the charred-black leather as he brings it to the warrior of green. "How has this endured the heat where none of our other equipment could?" He asks, handing the bag to the warrior, who wriggles his arms free of his bindings. "I bought it from a trusty merchant on the lower floors. Seems like she undersold it since it took that blast head on along with me. Drake leather is really something else." Pulling out a notebook and crudely made pen, the warrior begins scribbling something completely illegible to Gol Dhee.


    Starting from a circle in the centre of the page, lines are drawn and joined together by symbols wrapping and webbing into a spiral of patterns. "A drawing?" The warrior glances at Gol Dhee, nibbling at his pen. "Guess nobody''s taught you how to read Aoan. I can teach you later if you want." "Hoh?" Turning his eyes back to the satchel he glances the contents. A set of ornate vials winding up to form a helical dome with vividly bright ambrosia held within, a perfectly round stone seemingly dripping in crimson which oozes essence, and a strange eye-like orb with mechanically patterned veins pointing towards an iris which seems to always be peering back.


    "You keep strange things..." "You mean the eye? It''s a memento from my master. They give the strangest gifts..." "So I see..." His eyes catch on a familiar golden glint within the bag, pulling it out to see the pendant given by the illusion of his father. I had thought this lost... "Is that yours? Why was it in my bag?" "I am unsure..." "What''s inside it?" Inside? It can open? Gol Dhee examines the pendant, eyes fixed on the subtle groove along its seam. Pressing in a nail he attempts to pry it open, only to be met by a piercing gaze from an imperceptible direction and a silent yet comprehensible message. You are not the one to open this locket.


    Gol Dhee and the warrior of green share a worried glance before he stuffs it back in the bag. "You may keep hold of it." "Hey..."


    <hr>


    "What manner of critter might this be?" "It looks similar to the Progenitor''s homunculi, but... I''ve never heard of one this small." "Nor I. It seems they are indeed keeping secrets from us. And that object it''s holding... it bears Aether." "Collecting Aether like this would be a violation of the treaty. We should inform-" "Not too hasty, young apostle. Remember who we''re dealing with. We will inform our superiors during our regular reports without alerting the locals. For now we keep quiet. After all, it''s not like they can just send an adjudicator to solve this for us, we have to give them something to work with. We should at least gather more evidence of any further violations. In the mean time, why don''t you see about following this critter home. We cannot leave this layer yet, but I would still like to see the the source of this scale dealt with." "Understood."

 Chapter 54: Hive

    The group traverse the glistening terrain, sticking to the gravity-defying ceiling for a better view. Weight oscillates as they travel, waxing and waning each time they approach and grow distant from the light cores slowly shifting above... below? If down is upside down is it up or still down? Hm... Food for thought. Anyway. The journey drags on, hours peeling away into days as their food supply steadily dwindles. Passing over windy grasslands, or rather mosslands, and dense jungle-scapes, snacking on the occasional fruit and the rare straggling bug which clearly overslept on migration day.


    "Whad''ya think?" Lyly asks peering up at the ground as she nibbles the last piece of meat left. "Could work. Hard to say from down... up here. At the very least there might be food." Above, or below, them lies a large sinkhole, coated in a layer of hard, bubble shaped stone and leading deep into the ground. One can almost feel the prickle of acid in the air emanating from the sinkhole below... no above them. "So should we send someone to scout it, or..." Lyly hops atop her perch, nibbling her fuzz clean from her meal. "Is there a point? I can just fly in and check with Aether. If there''s nothing we leave. No need to split up." Aleph stands, stretches, and leaps, soaring up from the ceiling, and gliding down to the ground.


    "We should be careful. This cave is clearly not naturally formed." Fluffy warns as they land, his complexion having returned to normal these past few days despite still not being allowed to walk. Taking his warning, Aleph pulls at the surrounding light and renders the group invisible. "I can''t see..." "We''ve been over this. Neither can anything else." "Ah yes, the tried and true method of ''if we can''t see them, they can''t see us''. How could I ever have doubts." Ignoring the sardonic chitters atop her head, Aleph makes her way into the sinkhole, immediately being struck by an intense, vinegar-like pungence and the low hum of life.


    Hopping in and sliding down the walls she comes to a stop at the base and flares her Aether wide. The cave winds and diverges, splits, joins, and loops in a chaotic matrix of tunnels and caverns. Within the endless array of passages, strange chitinous creatures seemingly composed of only legs cartwheel through the maze, several of which already barrelling straight for the intruding group. "Hey! Why are we visible again?" "Nothing here seems to have eyes. We were seen the moment I landed, so they probably sense vibrations. Or Mana. Or sound... Okay there''s a lot of things they could be sensing. This place is a maze though. It goes deep, so it probably reaches the next layer, but we''ll probably have to fight our way through."


    Goldy hops to the ground, stretching as he readies for a fight. Didi steps just behind him, Fluffy resisting the urge to join them while Lyly just stays in place. "Guess I don''t need to ask. Let''s head this-" Krakoom! A shock-wave, seemingly from nowhere, cuts her off, the pulse of sound barrelling through the ground and shattering the stone around them. Sections of cave crumble the whole way down as the group fall through the floor.


    Through the eyes of a panicked demon


    Oh fuck! We''re doomed! What''s happening?! Am I still falling? Fwap! Crumble! Okay, I''m not falling anymore. Diala wriggles, liquefying her body to slither out from the veritable mountain of rubble dumped on top of her. Popping out into a narrow tunnel, she pats off the dust clung to her form and takes in her surroundings. Guess we''ve been separated. I should regroup. Her gaze is drawn to a writhing creature wedged under the heavy rocks and oozing white liquid. Seems a bit nuclear of a defence mechanism to cave in your own home, no?


    Shaking her head she steps towards the pile. What should I do from here? Regroup? Where though? I don''t know if they''re above or below me. Aleph can see through walls, right? Maybe I should wait for her to find me? A slight tremble fills the earth, distant footsteps now approaching her. Waiting sounds tedious. We''re heading down anyway, so I''ll just go as far down as I can and hope the rest meet me there. Her body melts once again, weaving back into the rocks as she winds her way down, ignoring the rumblings around her.


    Through the eyes of an agitated spider


    "Holy shit! Think fast!" Lyla pulls herself from the shock and vertigo of the sudden strike and fall to cling to the nearest body she can find. Stone jettisons past and falls alongside them as they tumble and slide deeper and deeper, until they come to a rest. Stable. Great! Now I can use my incredible martial prowess to blow away these stones covering me. Flexing her muscles as tight as she can, she presses her legs against the rough stones, powder falling into the grooves between her fuzz as the earth is nudged... and they explode outward, crashing against the nearby walls. Wait, that worked?! The ground she clings to stands up, dusting itself off before peering down to meet Lyla''s eyes. Ah, never mind. "Hey Lil'' Blue. Guess we fell together, huh."


    "Ah, yes. Good to see you too and all that." Lyla responds, hopping off of the elf''s face and skittering a healthy distance away. "Great. Well. Which way now?" "Well, normally I would have chosen to just dig through these loose rocks. Seems more reliable than aimlessly wandering at least." Lyla stares at him for a moment before turning around. "You have fun with that. I''ll head this way."


    Through the eyes of a stunned monkey


    Gol Dhee stumbles back from the collapsing tunnel, the only one far enough from the apex to dodge the shock-wave. Gripping the earth he stabilises the buckling walls and steps back toward the caved in rubble with a small flame held in his palm. They fell below... I should find them. The walls begin to tremble once again, and Gol Dhee turns to meet the source. A stream of cross-shaped beasts dart his way, coated in a shell and gripping the stone with fangs at the end of each foot. I do not need the distraction. His flame snuffs out, and his palms grasp at the walls, shattering stone and closing the tunnel in a crashing wave. Despite the force, the creatures continue to stubbornly writhe their way out from the stone, dead set on their target.


    Through the eyes of a confused dragon


    Ugh... How deep did I fall? Aleph pushes out from the rubble, grasping the stones around her with Aether to burst herself free. Where is everyone? Aether flares again, pushing through the stone and stretching into every opening within the spaghettified concoction of tunnels around her. I can see Fluffy above me... but nobody else. Are they further up? I should go meet them. As she takes a step forward her gaze drifts below to the source of the shock-wave. Whatever it is, it looks like it got itself stuck. I can barely sense it under the rubble though... What exactly is it? Shaking her head, she maps out the quickest route back up to her companions, darting onward once she finds her route.


    A blur of violet charges through the endless tunnels, claws carving through stone as it surges around bends and soars over any creatures attempting to provide obstruction. Her advance continues uncontested as she winds through corridors, dashes up pitfalls, and around the knotted paths, until, "Ow!" Her charge grinds to a stop, a small wave of air from her halted motion pushing back some of her would-be obstructors, and she swipes at the shadowy pest now pecking at her scales. The creature deforms around her claws, continuing unfettered by her attack. "Ow!" Another appears, near unseen to her Aether as it begins to peck in tandem with the other. "What the hell?!" And another. And another. And another, until an entire swarm of shadows begin to assault her.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Aleph flares her Aether, preparing for a strike, prompting the swarm to grow more vigorous in their assault. What? I wonder... Doubling back, she instead pulls her Aether inside, focusing it to a point. In response the critters grow confused, fluttering around her lost and almost lifeless compared to before. What are these things?


    Through the eyes of a ragged elf


    "Fuu..." Fluffy pants, his stance held strong against the ravenous creatures mounting an organised attack in waves. "I knew it! You still haven''t recovered. Seriously, you need to learn your limits, dumbass!" "Funny... My master... says the same thing..." His stance widens, another wave charging in strong ahead of them. As the beasts bound near, he steps in and swipes his fists, systematically dismantling each one with ruthless efficiency. Each strike snakes around their limbs and plows through the joints holding them together, one after another, again and again, until none remain in-tact and the next wave make their approach.


    "You''re going to collapse at this rate. Let me take over." "I''m... fine..." He declares between laboured breaths, taking a step forward to prepare. "Maybe if... I give it one big strike..." "Idiot! And cause another cave in?!" "Ah... Right... I''m not... thinking straight..." Lil'' Blue puffs herself up in front of him, waving her pedipalps like a bodybuilder showing off their sick gains. "Leave it to me! I''ve got this!"


    Through the eyes of a cramped demon


    Pulled thin and squeezed flat, Diala wedges her way between the recently formed pillar of abrasive rubble running down the hive. This is going great! I can''t even be attacked from in here. Crunch... Munch... Crunch! Crumble! I shouldn''t have thought anything! To her side a long worm-like face protrudes, chewing through the stone as it tunnels straight for the demon. Swiftly slithering away, Diala squeezes her way out into open air, landing on a floor of intensely sticky webs. Unfettered by the stickiness due to her smooth, crystalline body, she skips onward in search of the source of the webs.


    Around her lay dozens of creatures incapacitated within the tough bindings carpeted across the floor, their bizarre concoctions of legs making it indiscernible whether they''re in terribly awkward poses or just look like this. As she hops around them they snap at her, impotently striking towards the only thing able to move here. I feel kinda bad for these things... Pebbles fall from above, signalling the oncoming strike of a creature burrowing in from above. Snap! Not that bad though. No amount of legs can save you from having your body snapped in twain by immense force. This thing is no exception.


    She continues onward, crushing several more would-be attackers before shortly arriving at a tightly wound cocoon of webs, within which a distinctive yell can be heard. "What the hell?! They''re eating the ceiling now?! That''s gotta be cheating!" Having evidently decided they can''t force their way through the wall of thread, the creatures have instead begun to chew away at the stone they''re attached to, strategically ruining the structural integrity of the cocoon. Diala sprints up the webs, quickly disposing of the dozen or so creatures munching at the ceiling, leaving piles of goo and chitin in her wake.


    "Demon? Is that you?" Diala pokes her head through the webs, her gaze meeting with eight cyan eyes and two exhausted green eyes. "Is Fluffy okay?" "Oh sure. You ask about him and not me." "Aren''t you invincible?" "Ah..." Lyla pauses for a moment, stepping back in genuine thought, before puffing up with an almost palpable pride. "Fuehehe, I suppose I am! Hmph. You''re forgiven. Oh, and the idiot is okay. He''s just an idiot." "Hey... I''ll be fine. Just need a quick rest and I''ll be back in the fight." "This idiot..."


    Through the eyes of a focused ape


    Earth crumbles away, pushed aside by the tense grip of Gol Dhee''s essence. Stepping out from the rubble his fingers pull at the air, arms littered with small cuts and bruises beneath his golden fur, and coated in thick splodges of white goo. The bright one''s essence is near. He steps forward, a creature spiralling at him with untamable hostility, only to be grabbed from the air and crushed. More make the attempt as he strides down the tunnel, only to be met by a similar fate of being crushed, burned, or used as footing over the mess of webs caked across the floor. As he comes across a large cocoon, filling the hallway ceiling to floor, he spots a small figure similarly coated in white goop. "Fiery one. I see you handle this well."


    Turning away from the hulking mass of legs she just bisected, the Fiery One waves to Gol Dhee, small droplets of white splashing around her. "Hey! They''re not all that strong so I could do this all day if I wanted." "Indeed. A few showed promise, though this ordeal has been fairly boring of a challenge." From within the cocoon a tiny set of eyes poke out, glaring at Gol Dhee. "Don''t say that! You''ll jinx it!" She chides, evidently having jinxed it harder than he did, considering the wave of hulking creatures only now streaming forth from behind, gripping the walls and stepping over their fallen brethren to avoid the webs. "I knew it!"


    Gol Dhee takes a stance, a wide grin on his face as he readies himself to wage battle against the oncoming behemoths. Barely able to fit in the tunnels as they march forth, stone crumbling beneath the grip of their jaws as they bare their fangs back, dripping with acid and hostility. Yet in spite of their intimidating demeanour... Krakoom! They crush just as easily under the weight of another shock-wave induced cave-in, the walls once again tremouring and shaking under the harsh impact. Feeling the air begin to waver, Gol Dhee''s fur grows and turns white, his palms tearing at the air to form a small storm in counter to the next shock-wave aimed straight down the tunnel. Krakoom!


    Through the eyes of a dragon on the run


    Aleph hurls herself through the winding tunnels, coated in a vibrant cowl of violet as she beelines straight for the gathering group. As soon as the first speck of light from Lyly''s fur comes into view, she yells. "Run!" The group turn to see Aleph bolting towards them, followed by a sizeable swarm of shadow forms voraciously charging after. Crashing in behind those, appears a writhing amalgam of formless shadow, a visage of pure malice as it gouges into the surrounding stone to launch itself ever faster.


    The amalgam warps, wrapping around the air then condensing into a perfect sphere of pure void. And it bursts.


    <hr>


    The fourth great battle of the gods. A catastrophic war, the after-effects of which still linger even now, almost a millennium later. Unlike the previous great wars, what this battle lacked in magnitude it more than made up for in scale, its reach encompassing every corner of Magnus Mundus and even spilling into the other domains. Records indicate that it was after this war that Utopia was founded, replacing an older domain now lost to time.


    Being the most recent of the great wars, it is also the one with the most surviving records. Several significant battles were documented in great detail and preserved by the Record Keeper. Of these, I''m sure we all know the story of the shadow of the labyrinth, one of the most pivotal events which led to the eventual retreat of the angels. A being which coated Avilar''s dome and crippled the enemy forces. In a passage written by the Record Keeper themself, it is stated "Day turned night. Stars formed and bore their gazes upon us. Where the archangels had formerly brought havok upon the gods of Mana, they now stood impotent, their powers diminished and unruly."


    Of course, we cannot discuss the fourth great war without also discussing its most significant event. The revival of Aoi, creator of Ao, mother to the Maolas, and her role in ending the war. It is said that in the time of greatest despair, where even Avilar''s dome wavered and cracked under the ceaseless strain of battle, Aoi opened her eyes once more and struck down the army of angels, before forming her home island of Shasoleus''aoi.

 Chapter 55: Chasing Shadows

    Gold


    Krakoom! Stone is torn apart and air is shattered by the narrowly aimed burst of sound blasting forth from the amalgam of shadow. Gol Dhee wrestles the air, matching the shock-wave with a storm of his own as the emissary passes by him. Grabbing onto an outstretched wing, he hoists himself upon her back and pulls the others up as they sprint away. "Why do we not fight back?!" He yells through the oppressive winds born from drag. "Not here! This thing''s stronger than it looks!" She responds, carving her way around a bend.


    Green


    Fluffy drags himself upon Teacher''s back, still fatigued from overexertion of his injured body. Each muscle screams in displeasure, bathing him in a numbing pain across his body as his chest scrapes away every drip of oxygen from the air it can manage. Straining himself he pulls his back to sit up, a wave of relief surging through as the burden is lessened by a familiar golden hand. Peering back at the bizarre cacophony of writhing shadows, barely attempting to imitate a coherent form, he furrows his brows in confusion.


    "What is that thing? A shadow form?" "I was hoping you''d tell me." Fluffy shifts, preparing to stand and fight, only for a palm-sized ball of white fuzz to skitter up to his face and stare him in the eyes. "Don''t make me bind you again." I really need to work on my patience...


    Cyan


    This idiot needs a fucking leash... Actually... Lyla rubs her pedipalps deviously before skittering around the idio- the elf''s neck and wrapping it in thick threads attached to a lead. "There, perfect." "Seriously...?" "You''ve earned it." Skittering over to the dragon''s head she takes her place in her perch, winding a thread around a horn to stay in place. "What''s the plan? Run forever?" Lyla mumbles sarcastically. "There''s an open space ahead. We can fight there." Turning around, Lyla stares at the creature with boredom. Freaky...


    The dragon leaps between the legs of another group of chitinous beasts, a wake of wind nearly blowing them into the walls. Instead of giving chase, the creatures continue their heading, charging in unison towards the destructive mass of shadows. For a moment the amalgam is obscured, its visage lost behind a wall of chitin and legs. Yet an equally short moment later the creatures are torn apart, ripped, shattered, and scattered from the inside by unavoidable black fangs. Maybe we should just run...


    Red


    It''s... kinda cute. Diala stares, almost entranced by the elegant formlessness of the being chasing them. Parts appear and vanish, rewriting its shape like paint splattered on a hydrophobic canvas. The textureless form expands, once again consuming a large volume of air to compress as they traverse through a straight tunnel. "Brace!" Diala yells, turning to address the rest of the group.


    Violet


    This should be close enough. "Hold tight!" Aether bursts ahead of Aleph''s form to press into the Mana rich earth below. Seeping in like ground water and pushing hard at every flaw in the rock, before gripping firmly and firing a pulse of force through, she powderises the ground into sand and lets herself sink into it as a piercing shock-wave surges past her former position. The floor flows into itself, breaching into a wide cavity below which Aleph glides her way down. "Now we can fight."


    A swarm of pests stream from the opening, followed by an explosion of black flickering towards them. "What are we up against?" Didi asks, hopping off alongside Goldy to face the creature. "It has an anchor." "A pirate!" Lyly proudly declares. How am I supposed to explain this... "A soul anchor. Hard to hit. Dodge!" Another pulse of wind eats into the earth, directed straight towards Aleph and Fluffy as the group leaps away. Goldy plunges his fist into the ground as he lands, flinging a spray of rocks back at it, only for them to pass through and exit as a puff of sand. "Monkey! Fling me! See how it likes threads in the eyes!" "No, wait!"


    Cyan


    Lyla leaps graciously from her perch, allowing herself to be caught and launched in a burst of wind by the monkey, careening straight towards the freakish mass of void. "Special technique, thread... bomb? Fuck this is so hard to remember without a connection!" Spinning in the air, she forms a meshed bundle of threads around her to wrap around and bind her target. Wait... Does it even have eyes? Oh whatever... "See how you like-" Every fragment of her body, from her chitin to her hemolymph is placed under a rapid and chaotic array of forces, clawing at her inside and out and throwing her into an intense state of vertigo before-


    Red


    "Is she okay?!" Diala thrusts her feet to sprint towards her collapsed companion, only to be burdened by a sudden weight. "Hold this!" Aleph declares as she dumps Fluffy on top of Diala to sprint herself. "Did she just call me a ''this''?" Fluffy asks, almost dejectedly. "Uh... Sorry?" Diala consoles, doing nothing to hide the pity in her eyes.


    Her eyes turn to the blur of violet streaming towards a collision course with an equal blur of pure black. As the two abstract visages make contact there is a brief moment of pause, a palpable atmosphere of building tension as the creature of void grows in size and opacity while the environment rapidly begins to glow an intense violet, before...


    Thoom!


    Both parties are ejected to opposing ends of the room in conjunction with a near visible pulse of wind tearing through the stone. A line is gouged into the stone leading back towards the group, carved by a violet glowing dragon, gritting her teeth. On the opposite ceiling a twitching mass bulges from a crater, hints of violet clung to its diminished form like restraints woven through and around its body. Taking the lull in combat as an opportunity, Diala sprints over to Lyla to pick her up to carry back to the others.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Cyan


    Wake up... Wake up! Awake awake awake! "Gah! What''s happening?!" Lyla bolts back to consciousness, Wake up! Are you awake yet? I''m awake! Stop it! her mind filled with an unending barrage of Why aren''t I waking up?! I said I''m awake! Get up already! Think of chocolate! Mmm, sweet... I''m already awake though! Fuck this latency! Oh... It stopped. noise... "Um... Are you okay up there?" Why am I on the demon''s head? This is the wrong perch. Is this where we start our emotional and character building unlikely bonding experience or something? Fuck that! I''m way to petty for this shit! Wriggling around in the most uncomfortable manner possible, and making sure to tap the demon''s eyes a few times, Lyla slides her way off and to the ground.


    "I''m back! What happened? Why do I always end up wet after these things?" Invisible liquid, refusing to even reflect or refract, runs up her body, weaving rivers between her fuzz, and dripping to the ceiling. Pulling herself from a nearby crater, the dragon turns to Lyla, seeming dazed herself. "Looks like a concentrated form of unbound energy. It''s harmless." Turning now to face the beast, she squints. "I''ve stunned it for a bit. How long depends on which energy it uses." "Great! Because you keep using words nobody understands! Now explain!"


    Violet


    My memories are scrambled again... What exactly did I do to it? It has an anchor, so... Right. I should tell them what that is. "It has a soul anchor. Which is weird because it doesn''t have a pure heart." "Words. That. Make. Sense." "A soul anchor binds you to a location or dimension, and allows you to traverse the space between them. A pure heart lets you take energy from this space and convert it to a pure energy like Mana or Aether. The fact it has an anchor means it should have a heart, but it doesn''t." Lyly looks herself down, self-consciously wiping away the transparent fluid. "So I''m covered in dimension juice? Eww..." "It''ll probably turn to Mana here after a bit. Like I said, harmless."


    A low rumble resounds from the tunnel walls, the asynchronous march of ten thousand feet which begin streaming into the cavern. Giant bundles of urchin-like limbs tumble ahead, leading packs of smaller but faster creatures. Claws grip into the rough stone walls as they clamber their way up the wall in unison to a common target, still writhing in a crater on the ceiling. Only a few smaller stragglers make their way towards the group, where they are ignored or tossed back to the larger swarm by Goldy. "They won''t make a difference." Aleph comments, turning back to the group. "I think I can get rid of it for good, but it''ll be risky."


    Cyan


    "Where did the smaller ones go?" Lyla asks, scanning the cavern for any sign of the pests. "I''m not sure what I did, but I got them stuck between dimensions. The big one is only half stuck, but I can make that more permanent. It all depends on which pure energy it uses." "How?" "I''m about to remember. You guys need to stall it as much as you can. Fiddling with memories is messy business." The dragon closes her eyes, the air turning still as a faint presence washes over the group.


    The rest of the group face each other, a collective shrug proving a sufficient means of communication. The monkey sinks his fists into the earth, coating the cavern floor in Mana while the demon and Lyla stand readied in front. The elf of course sits still like a good medical patient for once. So do we just wait, or- Krakoom!


    Gold


    Spears of condensed earth burst from the ground, intersecting and dispersing the oncoming shock-wave enough for Gol Dhee to push back with an air pulse of his own. Thoom! His palms slam together and the air cracks, a small whirlwind forming at the point of collision which marginally pushes against the oncoming beast. More. The cavern floor shatters and is flung high, each boulder and stone providing a slight delay as the beast is forced to shred or evade it. More! Essence soaks the air, a pillar of flame devouring the atmosphere around the beast before petering out, his energy spent. No... I can still- His gaze catches on the warrior of green, shooting a casual wave as their eyes meet. I should know my limits. We don''t need more injured. "I leave the rest to you."


    Red


    "You heard him demon! Time to put our plan into action!" This is such a bad idea... "If you insist..." "Operation: Blunt Force Lyla, is a go!" Diala grips tight to the thread in her arms, at the end of which stand bound an unusually giddy spider. With a stomp, she hoists the thread into the air and begins spinning, swiftly turning Lyla into a blur of white. "Faster!" Is she... enjoying this? The blur turns uniform, a tempest forming at its radius. "Fast... Faster!" Is she even going to be conscious after this? The tempest becomes a storm, the sound of each revolution alone grating into the stone and even just the wind pressure proving enough to slightly slow the beast.


    The distance narrows, and Diala steps forward, launching a barrage of probably unconscious Lyla towards the being. An ear-scraping sound reverberates through the cavern, the beast slowing to a crawl as it gnaws and gashes at the impossibly tough hide before splitting apart and warping around the attack. Crystal shatters as Diala''s outer layers are scraped apart, swiftly regenerating before it can reach any deeper. The beast pushes past, devouring the earth as it lunges, metres from its target, and... Something opens its eyes.


    For the briefest moment, without any fanfare, the world comes to a stop, as if time for all but thought is denied presence. And the amalgam is gone. In its place stands a being in the shape of a dragon, holding nothing behind its gaze. Red eyes meet violet, an emptiness filled with intrigue staring back. "Are you... okay?" The dragon inclines its head, a hint of depth entering its eyes. "Who are you?" It asks, a voice which feels as if matching her own, even in spite of what should be a differing medium of communication. Right... I guess this is why messing with memories is a bad idea... "You don''t remember?"


    The dragon turns to inspect their surroundings, the motions of its body unnatural, like a doll underwater being pulled by unseen strings. "So I have something to remember. How interesting. I didn''t even think of that." Even looking away its gaze holds firm yet hollow, the unnerving sensation of being watched from all sides pressing into Diala''s shell. She''s like an entirely different person. This didn''t happen last time... Is this maybe what she means by something bad will happen if she remembers her name? Diala turns to the others, Lyla still unconscious again, and Gol Dhee watching in confusion beside Fluffy.


    Gold


    Gol Dhee walks over to the hollowed emissary, each faint rustle of air pricking at his fur under the palpable mix of caution and concern. Before he can speak, the rumble of an approaching swarm pulls his thoughts away, the larger creatures seeming to stay back and watch while a few smaller ones bundle towards the group. The moment they approach with their fangs wide and dripping with malice, they fall, unceremoniously clattering to the floor without a hint of resistance nor signs of injury. "Are creatures like this common? Seems strange to bear such hostility out of nowhere." The hollow emissary steps towards Gol Dhee, her eyes meeting his with a pointless feeling stare. "Do I know you too?"

 Chapter 56: Enemy

    Through shallow eyes


    Strange place. Strange locals too. Or am I the strange one? Nah. Pretty sure I''m perfect. A body coated in smooth notches stands suspended in the air, a pale imitation of a natural organism''s motions using Aether- Ah, right! Aether! That''s what it''s called.


    ...


    Strange. I thought I heard a voice. So is Aether my name or something? Hmm... Doesn''t seem quite right. Do I even need a name? Maybe these guys know. "Hey, you with the funny fluff." The being in front returns the gaze with hesitation, a hint of fear in its Aura. "Me?" It asks, pointing selfwards. "Yes. Do you know if I have a name?" Confused, the being turns to the other three who provide a mix of confusion and resignation of their own, aside from the unconscious one. Who is unconscious. "You call yourself Aleph Null..." It replies, carefully gauging any response.


    "Aleph..." A flurry of thoughts surge in, tiny pieces of a violet soul snapping together with understanding of words and language. "First letter of the Hebrew alphabet... And Null? Derived from the Latin nullus, meaning nothing. An English term I believe. Together though... Right, yes. The cardinality of all integers. Such a small infinite though? Wouldn''t Oe make more sense for me?" A shiver runs through the short being at the word, the others showing no understanding. "Don''t know that one? I''ll just take your word for it then."


    "Uugh... I feel sick..." The smallest one stirs, drunkenly pushing its eight legs to stand only to be met by curious eyes in a point blank stare. "You have a strange soul. Scattered and yet unified all at once. Looks... cute?" "Uh, hello to you too?" Eight eyes turn away, seeking assistance from the others. "What exactly did I miss? Was Operation: Blunt Force Lyla a success?" The eight-legged one queries. "Aleph seems to have forgotten everything. Either way, we shouldn''t linger for long. Even the creatures here are getting scared." The one with Aether responds.


    A presence. A memory. An obligation. "I have to hide." Aether wraps around in layers and cascades. All forms of change denied in a spherical shield, surrounded by a layer of bent light and air obscuring all semblance of existence.


    Through the eyes of a stunned elf


    The dragon before him, vanished without a trace, leaves Fluffy flummoxed. "From what?" Seemingly in response to his query, a line of light is drawn in the cavern centre. White and yellow drench the formerly dark walls, painting the stone gold in a spectral display of grandeur, as if elevating the world around to a more refined existence. And the light opens its eyes.


    Fluffy grinds his teeth and furrows his brow, a harsh Aura spilling forth in greeting to the interloper, who in turn bathes the world in a diamond crushing Aura of its own. The surrounding inhabitants, once showing unfiltered hostility, now flee in terror, the smaller ones burning apart under the intense radiance. Countless wings sprout forth from the light, overwriting the humanoid silhouette in an ever changing pattern of fractal feathers. Fluffy stomps a foot forward, sand forming from the pulse of energy reverberating through the ground, and green eyes meet white mere inches apart.


    "Angel." He bites, his rage dripping from his teeth. "Human." The angel replies, no hint of emotion in its eyes as it circles him, analysing every detail of his form. "You mean elf." He grits, stepping even closer with fists itching to be thrown. "Not from this world." It fires back with nearly a drip of a grin. "What do you want here?" "Hmm... Nothing from you." It turns away, briefly scrutinising the others. Lil'' Blue waves her pedipalps in a uniquely flamboyant display of arachnid aggression, even when compared to other spiders. Muscles simply stands his ground, poised ready to fight. Tiny on the other hand remains still, a callous stare the only thing she graces it with. Demons have a history of bad blood with the angels. Maybe I should leave this one to her.


    Through the eyes of a demon who really doesn''t know what the fuck to do


    I wanna go home. Diala stands stalwart, meeting the angel''s gaze head on in stark contrast with her waterfalls of mental tears. "Strange... Truly strange... I thought it might be you, but..." The angel stands tall in the air, its gaze turned dismissively towards Fluffy. "Where you excel in quantity, you are clearly lacking in any form of ability." "Oh, I can show you just how much ability I lack." Green orbs saturate the floor in a lime glow, a low rumble of fury emanating from the elf. This is bad. I need to diffuse this somehow. Come on, I didn''t memorise the entire contract guideline for nothing.


    Diala steps forward, forming a barrier between the elf and the angel. Or at least she tries, but their gazes remain locked on each other, skipping over like she isn''t there. I hate attracting attention like this... but you give me no choice. Crimson Aura cuts outward, slicing through the wedge between the clashing white and green, and pushing back like daggers to the throat. Both turn to face Diala, her body never having felt smaller than it does beneath the combined force of will of two powerful beings, dripping with hate. A white gaze bears into red eyes, threatening to consume the smaller creature whole. Oh fuck, oh fuck... Okay, no, you''ve held much more intense gazes before. This is just like practice. Just like practice...


    "You are at risk violation of the fifth charter for the treaty between demons and angels. Further interference with myself and my contractors may lead to punitive action." Perfect! "And which clause am I in violation of? I have provided no direct interference to any of you." What do I say now?! I didn''t memorise the entire treaty! Do you have any idea how long that thing is?! "You are providing the risk of obstruction to the terms of my contract by taking hostile action in the vicinity, as well as threatening one of my contractors." Take that! I don''t know if you''ve actually violated something, but you''re sure as hell close! "Those creatures were hostile to begin with, and if anything I expect getting rid of them to have been helpful to you considering their blatant aggression. As for the ''elf'', I have done nothing to him that he has not done first. Do I not have the right to provide myself a proportional response to any potential threat to myself?" Fuck. He''s good.


    "The demon''s treaty isn''t the only one you''re bound to. You just being here is already in violation of the fourth great war''s peace time treaty. Do you think being an archangel gives you exemption to that?" Fluffy asserts with a snarl. This is an archangel?! I''m so fucked! Before Diala can begin to waver, another presence joins the fray, a corrosive Aura which eats away at the world and seems to melt the surrounding stone with presence alone burrows through the ground to encompass everything.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Dozens of pale, chitinous limbs flow in from every corner, becoming hundreds, becoming thousands, becoming countless. The cavern walls vanish behind a maelstrom of ever-shifting, ever-writhing bodies interlocking together into a maddeningly convoluted web of strings and joints. Light from the angel is seemingly devoured by the wall of bodies as it moulds and swells into an emergent form, several hollows forming within to gaze below. And the walls open their eyes.


    """Your observations are not welcome here angel. State your purpose.""" Ten thousand voices declare. The walls ceaselessly squirm, vibrating in harmony with each sound to form a grating hymn, weaponized against all within earshot. "So this was the domain of a divine beast? No matter. I am not here for any of you. Rather, I would like to know about a certain escaped homonculus which I believe was wreaking havoc here not so long ago. And I would be very interested in the one who eliminated it. To thank them of course. You see it was a mistake from a dear friend of mine that led to its escape."


    """I do not care for your errors. You are trespassing, and I lack reasons to not simply kill you.""" "Oh? By all means, you are welcome to try." The air grows thick with hostility, green, white, and acidic Auras battling for dominance with an unmoving crimson wedged between. "A wounded Aether bearer and a washed up divine beast. This one should be interesting." Teeth grind, feathers flutter, and claws scrape as the three stand on the precipice of conflict, until...


    Fwoosh! All eyes turn to Diala, or rather the vibrant spiral of flame coating her arm. Huh? I think my brain fried a bit there. What''s happening? Ooh! A message. Diala lifts her arm, washing her gaze over the embers. "Well demon? What does it say?" The angel asks, impatiently tapping its arm. "Let me read!" So rude... Hmm... Oh... "Do you want the long version or the short version?" "The unfiltered one." What? Does he think I''ll bend the truth? Fine... "Haah... The following is a word for word repetition of the message currently burning on my arm in its complete form, spoken in the temporal format of chromatic infernal to be translated by the standard demonic language interface." Happy? The angel twitches in irritation but doesn''t interrupt, nodding for her to continue. I think he''s happy.


    Here goes... "Angelic entity, identified by the official name Izakhel Montaravia Lestus Vonrikia, is to be informed of their imminent violation of charters two, three, and five of the Demon-Angel Reductive Non-Interference Treaty in relation to several clauses including, but not limited to, clause 0x97''AC31 on non-interference with the safety of a demon''s active sub-contractor, clause 0x100''CB8L on aggressive action taken by rank four analogue angels within neutral territory, and clause 0x76 on threatening behaviour directed towards contracted demons and their contractors. Further violations will result in the dispatch of rank nine puni-" "That will do. I will take my leave. Interesting though, that a demon of your rank is permitted disclosure on rank nines. I will keep that in mind."


    With that, as swiftly as it arrived the angel dismisses itself, feathers folding back in on themselves and glowing body pressing into a line before closing away, leaving the cavern beneath the presence of an abominable mass of writhing legs, now shrouded in an all consuming darkness save for the tiny white glow of a spider which reflects off the bodies of equally dazed companions.


    Through the eyes of an almost stunned spider


    Boy am I glad I have dozens of minds to offload all that bullshit to. """Pests. Begone.""" The piercing voices spit out, its crushing Aura now receding. "Hey, wait!" Lyla yells back to the divine beast, pausing its eit. "We''re both divine beasts right? Can''t you help us get down? Or at least give us a tip?" Thousands of gazes permeate her form, Aura pressing into her in a blatant display of seniority. """Lyla? Dearest sister? Fuck off. You must be a record setter for slowest to complete the pilgrimage, among those who actually tried. Your indecisiveness has caused undue stress to those I care for. Still, I cannot interfere. Even moreso because you are a divine beast."""


    "You see the shit I have to put up with from my own family? Can''t even get so much as a friendly hello from them. At least the dragon is nice to me. Where is she anyway?" The demon remains calm, too little motion to indicate any reaction, while the monkey flits his eyes between the two divine beasts, probably trying to figure out what manner of creature can give birth to both a spider and some kind of unknowable megalith of the abyss. Cracking his neck to relieve the stress, the elf pipes up. "Can you at least tell us how far we are from the labyrinth''s deepest layer?"


    A moment of silence, of calm, of contemplation before the response. """Of the hundred distinct layers to traverse, you stand in the boundary before the eightieth. Looking at your state I would assume you defeated Mekrotok in combat. With that, there should only really be one hurdle for you to pass, though the journey to get there could be a hurdle in itself, even for me.""" Of course you answer him and not me... Asswad.


    Through deepened eyes


    "Oh, hey! It''s gone!" Aleph appears from nowhere without a single hint or tell, as if she simply decided to exist. """What even... I don''t want to know. Just leave.""" The strange mass of interlocking and interweaving legs swiftly drains from the cavern, draining the environment of ambience and leaving the group in a deathly, uncomfortable silence. "Aww, where''d it go? It was cute!" Everyone but her seems to collapse, if not from physical exhaustion, then from mental fatigue. "Your weird standards for cuteness aside, where were you? You just vanished on us."


    Aleph tilts her head, regarding her fuzzy, white companion with renewed familiarity. "I was right here, in this exact spot. In fact, I couldn''t move and I could barely see. I was worried, because if that angel moved into the wrong spot it would''ve seen me, which is about as worst case of a scenario as could happen." "What''s the worst that could happen? They have heavy restrictions placed on their actions. The situation was tense, but I don''t think it would''ve ever attacked us without an excuse." "I don''t think those restrictions would matter. All I know is that being found by the angels means something seriously bad happens."


    Aleph nudges the spider to her perch, gesturing for the demon and the two humans to do the same. "You know, even if you''re so eldritch you spooked away a literal unthinkable mass of limbs, if you''re an enemy of the angels that''s fine by me." "Glad we have something in common! I think?"


    <hr>


    So they''ve made another attempt to reach me. Their devotion is strangely cute, though I expect that to be but a fabrication too. What is it that motivates them to reach my island, so far above them? Do they believe I would reward them? That my wards are but a test of their will? Or perhaps they covet my power. I cannot know, I suppose.


    What of those other ones? Those that covet nilasuun? I cannot see them from here. The Aurus mountains block my view at this stage of the cycle. Did they play a part in this latest attempt I wonder? They have long since been ally to the Loaoaoi, as they so pretentiously call themselves. Truly, a pathetic name... An arrogant name! How dare they declare themselves as my-


    No... I should calm myself. I am not a wrathful god. To crush the weak would be unbecoming of me. Would it change who I am though? Can anything change who I am? I still don''t know what I...


    Is that another? This one is much closer, enough to reach my barrier. Will they finally leave me be once they realise I have rejected their ascent? Doubtful. The formation of this island is a testament to that fact. It fell. As expected. I hope they don''t try again.


    Enough of this. I should get back to tending to my garden.


    - Musings of a lonely god

 Chapter 57: Orb

    A world of white stone in all directions, perspiration dripping from stalactites into rivers and pools held in basins of vibrantly coloured earth. The group sit atop a tall spire, the occasional drop of pungent liquid gracing them from above. "I don''t think we can just ignore this. Everyone here, except Muscles, seems to be an enemy of the angels. And especially Teacher, you seem to have some important history with them. Have your memories come back yet?" Aleph regards Fluffy, giving her soul a quick spin to gauge its state. "Should be back to usual for the most part. I still can''t remember the things I shouldn''t though."


    "Then let''s start with you. What history do you have with angels?" "I have no memory of enmity with them. If anything, they kind-of just feel... there. A neutral party I don''t have any real opinion of, despite the intense dread I feel about being discovered by them now." "Strange... And you don''t know anything else about them?" Aleph perks up, her tail lightly wagging in excitement. "Oh, I know a bunch! A pan-dimensional collective spanning an infinitely larger territory than even the demons. Their ranks are split based on how much power is granted by... Hmmm... A bit hazy on that one. They also have access to the most versatile pure energy I know of."


    The group face Aleph, taken aback by her uncharacteristically wide array of facts on the reclusive beings. Lyly steps forward, still combing her fuzz to try groom away the unbound energy which has almost certainly faded away by now. "You aren''t an angel yourself are you? You seem to know an awful lot about them." Me? An angel? There was that one time I reincarnated as a demon... But you can''t really be born an angel. What about my original life then? I know nothing about it... Still though... "If I was an angel, several things would no longer make sense. The demon summoning would have been rejected on principle for one. And Fluffy can vouch that he and I don''t have the same energy as the archangel we met. Past lives aside, because I genuinely don''t know, I am not an angel."


    Lyly shrugs her... legs? The rest don''t react, evidently unbothered to begin with. "How about you Lyly? Do you have history with angels?" "Nah. Just conforming to peer pressure." Blank stares assail the arachnid, mercilessly bearing down on her without refrain. "I''m kidding. Laugh at my funny joke idiots. Anyway, angels have killed me just as many times as demons. If not more! There was one weirdly ambiguous case..." The continuation of the stares elicits a blank stare of her own. Luckily she has a pair of eyes for each of them, or she wouldn''t be able to keep up.


    "What now?" "You don''t look very dead." "Oh we want to get into technicalities, huh? Well too bad! You''re not prying any secrets from me!" I think I have an idea about her secret. "What about you, elf? You seemed pretty damn pissed to me." "I lost family to the war with Osalaleus." "Oh..." Silence cloaks the group, sympathy melding with lingering resentment to form an awkward atmosphere only enhanced by the ever droning drips from the ceiling. "After driving back the invaders I stepped through the portal to their capital. Not a wise decision, but I was young and wasn''t exactly thinking straight at the time. It was then that I encountered an archangel for the first time. I barely made it out alive."


    "You''re lucky." Aleph asserts, her expression turned serious to Fluffy''s surprise. "It''s rare for a mortal to come out of an actual fight with an archangel alive, let alone in one piece." Fluffy shakes his head, leaning back in resignation. "It wasn''t a fight. It toyed with me, beating me senseless without hope of resistance just to prove a point to its followers and boost morale. It let me live so I could return with a message." "What was the message?" Didi asks, her eyes gleaming with with childlike curiosity. "I forgot. Hard to remember such a convoluted message through the delirium of near death injuries and fatigue from a week long battle." The sheer disappointment in her eyes cannot be quantified, seeming to drain the world of colour and leaving behind naught but a desaturated gloom whereupon hopes and dreams could once be held. "Wow. You really can compete with the dragon on memory issues."


    "Pffft!" A series of chuckles spurt forth in sequence, directed at the forgetful fool who simply stares back as the group burst into laughter. Though it seems he isn''t immune to it either, joining his companions in a harmony of giggles and roars. It takes a minute of teasing remarks and back thumps for things to die down, returning to the tranquil melody of ambient drips. "I guess we should set off soon." Aleph concedes, her paws pressing into the pale earth to stand. "Aww, are we not going to ask about Gol Dhee and I''s relationship with the angels?" "I''d wager that neither of you have even seen one until today." "I''ve... seen them..." "In person?" "In books..."


    A palm plants itself on Aleph''s shoulder, golden eyes meeting hers with fatigue. "Perhaps we shall take rest first. Most of us are weary from battle." I tend to forget how exhausting things are now that I have this much Aether... I should keep perspective in mind. "You''re right. Let''s sleep, then figure things out in the morning." "It''ll be midnight when we wake up, but sure." Lyly lightheartedly complains, skittering to her perch. Aleph nudges the rest of the group to rest upon her, without choice of course, before allowing herself to slip away as well.


    <hr>


    I... eyes... need Aether... stronger... memories... name... my name... I must not... I must... I... so many... my fault...Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    <hr>


    "Hey! You good? You don''t usually sleep in like this." "Hm? I''m fine. Just a weird dream." Aleph stretches and shakes herself awake, the rest of the group already up and getting ready. "You still get those, huh..." "Nah, I got used to those ones. This one was just weird. I can''t remember it clearly, like I''m playing with fire just thinking about it." "So... More creepy eldritch stuff?" "Yea, pretty much."


    Her eyes turn to Fluffy and Didi, sorting through the group''s equipment to take stock and prepare. Goldy performs some form of morning routine, stretching with uncharacteristic supplety for someone of his build. Lyly of course stands tall and proud above the entire group, from her perch upon the tallest member of said group. Aleph flares her wings, the crackling sounds probably just from stretching her joints... probably...


    Gripping the rough stone surface with sharp claws, Aleph begins her descent from the spire, steadily pacing herself towards a small lake as the others hop and slide down beside her. The air grows thick and humid, the scent of sulphur and burnt matches beginning to overwhelm and push away any earthiness or life within the wind. Before they can reach the foot of the spire, Goldy leaps in front with arms held wide to stop them, eyes narrowed and focused downward towards the pool. "The air turns hostile." He asserts, an underlying uncertainty in his voice.


    "Let me take a look." Aleph steps beside him, spreading her Aether wide. A faint flash of violet surrounds her before spreading too thin to see, settling into a stable bubble to sense all motion iin the air. The air below us is slightly more dense. Poison gas? Her Aether grips at the heavy air, spinning and twisting it, forming a small vortex as she kneads it like clay. From her manipulations, small drips of fluid form, having cooled and compressed just enough to condensate. Pulling it towards herself she looks it over, the rest of the group following suit.


    "Water?" Lyly asks, poking at the clear drops of fluid floating in front of her. "No, it''s about twice as heavy. Probably acid." The arachnid immediately pulls away her probing leg, glaring at the danger juice like her worst enemy. "How do you know it''s acid? Could be the other thing." "Alkaline? Maybe? But I think the offgas would be harmless to breathe, which this clearly isn''t. Either way, this route clearly isn''t safe. Fluffy, is this normally an issue for you?" Said elf stands open-jawed, staring blankly as if the worlds mysteries have just been solved for him. "So that''s why I keep getting sore throats here!" Well, he''s useless.


    "If we want to take the same approach as that ocean layer I''ll need more Aether. Creating an air bubble is way more difficult than with water." "Is there even any wooshoo here? I haven''t seen a single living thing since I got here." "There''s an ocean of it way below us. Beside that..." Aleph looks up towards the cores of light floating in place, their forms seemingly a wall of Aether in her eyes. "Those cores have a lot. More than the ones above." Fluffy looks up to the same orb, a curious glint in his eyes. "Why haven''t you been sapping them dry thus far then?"


    "Because it''s harder than it looks, and I don''t know who I''ll be pissing off. Especially now that I know angels are involved, I''m even more hesitant. Not to mention, I''m not too big into damaging entire ecosystems. Seems like a bad idea." "Those things use Mana, don''t they? What''s this about athuu?" "Hmm... Gimme a second." Crack! Aleph leaps, soaring up to the nearest core and gripping her claws around the smooth surface. The heat is barely kept at bay by her own Aether as she drags it down, the orb resisting her every motion in an attempt to return to its former place.


    Crashing into the ground, she presses the orb down, holding it back as the stone melts around it. The group gather around the struggling orb, watching as it jerks and tugs beneath Aleph''s claws. "This definitely uses Aether. It''s some kind of device for creating light and a strong pushing force." "I had always wondered why I sensed a presence in these. So you can instil Aether into objects like this?" Fluffy runs a finger along the surface of the unruly ball, mapping out the faint grooves and rune-like symbols with rapt intrigue. "With enough Aether and a strong enough intent you can make it do something like this pretty much indefinitely. Not sure what the symbols are for though."


    Lyly hops down, skittering over for a closer look. "Some of these are actually pretty common spell runes, most of them less so. Like I said, this thing uses Mana like crazy. I''m still better at it though." "It even seems to have a bit of demonic energy in it too. Strange, since you seldom see it used in technology like this, but I suppose it could help prevent either of the other energies from interfering with each other. I''ve seen similar ideas used, but never to combine energies like this." Didi adds, her eyes fused into one orb as she peers closely. Goldy meanwhile sits in a corner, his faced scrunched in a manner clearly asking ''Orb of light make light. Why so complicate?''


    "So what''s the risk?" Fluffy asks, his interest in the device having faded. "Pissing off whoever put it here. We don''t need enemies capable of building a place like this." "Then why not ignore it? If we just brute force our way fast enough there won''t be an issue." "Goldy doesn''t have the kind of all-round durability we do, and I don''t know how Didi''s body reacts to acid. Not to mention, these rivers of acid have to be going somewhere. What''s on the next layer?" "Ah, right. I guess that would also explain why the lakes below us keep giving me a rash. I always thought it was a weird infection." When he''s distracted by wildlife he becomes a raging moron. Noted.


    "Well, I''m going to take the Aether. It''s a lot, so I shouldn''t need to mess with many to get what I need for filtering air." The orb flickers, its light dimming and the stone cooling as every speck of Aether is torn from it. Releasing the core, she watches as it lethargically wobbles its way upward, slowly floating to its place in the sky. Pretty robust design if it still works after losing one of its core energies.


    "Say, if the orb thingies made by the creator of the labyrinth use the same eldritch voodoo as your athuthathi stuff... Does that mean the Progenitor is also an eldritch abomination like you?" "Yes, probably."

 Chapter 58: On notice

    Humid winds flow between obsidian scales, brushing by harmlessly as Aleph soars over the polychromatic landscape with Goldy in tow. Terrain shifts between sparse clusters of acidic ponds and lakes, and jaw-like forests of stone spires with vibrant rivers tumbling into deep ravines below. In the distance, the rich glow of a light core steadily gains intensity as the pair approach their sparsely positioned target.


    Upon her back, Goldy sits in a near meditative contemplation, eyes narrowed and body clung still and tight to her scales. "Watcha thinking about?" Aleph asks, her head twisting back to face him, the distraction adjourning him from his thoughts. "Strength." Does he ever think about anything else? "I don''t suppose you have a hobby, do you?" "Many." Since when? He doesn''t count training as a hobby does he? "Lately I have taken great interest in carving. Maho has taught me much of the skill." Actually... that''s a really nice hobby. Guess I should''ve thought better of him. "And I train before every rest." There it is. "What of you, Hinya? Do you take upon yourself any tasks of enjoyment?" "Ah..." "Hm?" "I don''t have any..."


    Through the eyes of a frustrated spider


    Why do I have to be stuck with her? Lyla clings to a ravine wall, descending at a calm pace while mumbling incoherently, even to herself, let alone the demon gracefully skating down the wall behind her. The world turns dark, only the soft glow of her pale fur and slight fluctuations in the surrounding Mana to guide her way to the base of the crevice. "Hey demon, can you even see in this darkness? Maybe you should head back up and leave this to me." Take the hint! Take the hint! "Darkness? I didn''t even notice. The light you give off alone is enough for me to see everything here. Thanks for asking though." She didn''t take the hint!


    Or wait! Maybe she did, but is just pretending so she can torture me further! I see through your plans, devil. "Say, Lyla..." "Hmm?" "No, nevermind." Don''t toy with me demon! "Oh, a fork. Which way do you think we should go?" Huh... So there is. At the base of the crevice a pair of tunnels diverge from each side, the one ahead humming with the faint rumble of trickling motion while the other holds a deathly silence. "Well, this one sounds like it has running water, which is usually a good sign and probably does lead to the next layer, but... I wanna see what happens if we diverge from conventional wisdom and go the spooky way."


    "Are you sure? We don''t know when the others will get back. It might be best to take the more efficient route." "Oh, live a little. What''s the worst that could happen? And I''m keeping a thread so we won''t get lost." "What if we split up? If I follow the water I won''t get lo-" "Are you crazy?!" Lyla practically leaps in disgust of the suggestion, instinct not even needed in this repulsion. "Splitting up in a dark and scary cave is the worst thing you can do! That''s how you get picked off by some haunting monster or nerdowell! And the good-looking ones always get taken first! That''s me!" The demon looks at her, a little taken aback by the outburst before pondering. "I thought it was the chipped skin ones that always go first." Do demons have horror Anime too?


    "Whatever. We''re going this way." Skittering down the more dank of the two tunnels, Lyla lays her line of thread behind her with the demon skipping lackadaisically in tow.


    Through the eyes of a meditating elf


    A faint green saturates pale stone immediately around Fluffy, small lime orbs spontaneously popping in and fading out around his body. The porous stone pushes back at the Aether, a slight resistance, enough to feel his immediate surroundings and no more. Pulling the energy back in, he lets out a sigh. I''ve been sitting still for so long... His eyes drift down the ravine, and off to the horizon. Maybe I can get some exercise in while waiting. Standing tall he stretches, twisting his hips and pulling his arms back tight. What should I do first?


    Through the eyes of an introspective ape


    Gol Dhee sits within his own thoughts, clung tight to the emissary''s back as they soar towards an orb of fire and light. The sharp winds, seemingly eating away at his fur, serve to provide no inspiration in his search for self-improvement. Turning his eyes instead to the approaching orb he drinks in the blinding radiance it emits. The emissary can handle such heat with ease. How does she manage? "Hinya." "Hmm?" "What is the source of your strength?" "Aether." "..." How succinct... "Maho''s strength comes from magnitude. Yet you stand comparable with less, by your own admission. How is this?" "Hmmm... Aether is still the first thought that comes to mind, but I think I get what you''re asking. Gimme a sec."


    The world inverts as the emissary lands on the orb, gripping her claws around it tight. One thrust at a time, they descend, the orb resisting with all its might until they reach the ground. Hopping off, Gol Dhee turns to face her, rays of light spilling from between her claws. "If you ask me, your greatest area for improvement is defence." "Defence? What of my white fur technique? I can deflect all before I am struck. Is there no better defence?" "You can''t deflect air, can you? Not without suffocating at least." "..." "An important thing to understand about Mana, is that no technique is ever complete. No form is final. You can always do more."


    "If you''re looking for inspiration, look to Lyly. She uses Mana just like you, and has made her body all but invulnerable. Even acid doesn''t seem to affect her." The orb grows dim, the stone turns black as it hardens, and the emissary releases her grip. "Once you get your vitality up, there''s a couple Mana techniques I do happen to know, but you''re still better off asking from people with experience." "I see!" I should ask the emissary her advice more often! Gol Dhee''s attention is snatched to the side, a presence which had slipped through both guards and now stands mere steps away from the pair, seemingly staring them down despite the almost feline silhouette lacking any eyes, or shape for that matter.


    Through the eyes of a bored elf


    Fluffy suspends from his thumbs, slowly pressing his body up and down as he exercises in waiting. Beads of sweat hang from his forehead, begging to meet the ground as they waver and shake with each motion. Fifty-eight more of these and I should be warmed up.


    Through the eyes of a lost demon


    "Are you sure there''s a way down here? Every direction just seems to loop back to somewhere we''ve been." Diala skips behind the focused spider, who skitters ahead determined to find the way out. "Oh hey! Another one of your threads. Wonder where we looped to this time?" "Gah! I swear, this makes no sense! There hasn''t been a single branching path this whole way so how do we keep looping! And in a different place each time!" She seems stressed. Maybe I should take over for a bit. "These passages are narrow and awkward, it''s easy to miss a tunnel here or there."


    Stepping to Lyla''s side, she picks the arachnid up, too frustrated to even resist at this point. "Come on, I''ll lead the way for a bit. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes is all we need." Planting the white fuzzball upon her head, she sets off down the tunnel with a march. "Whatever..."


    Through the eyes of an on-edge dragon


    The pair stand in direct opposition to the creature of pure black before them, claws out and fists clenched. If it had eyes, they would be meeting her own as it mirrors Aleph''s stance. This thing has an anchor too... What are these? At least it''s not hostile like the last one. Aleph moves her tail, and the creature moves its own in response, her paws shift, and its paws shift in an exact imitation of her every motion. Tap. Tap. Tap. She closes the gap. Pat. Pat. Pat. It reciprocates. Both face each other mere inches apart, the ever warping silhouette of black seeming as if a distant image, even from this proximity.


    Pushing her claw forward, it does the same, stopping just shy of contact before pulling back, breaking the symmetry. Stepping towards it again, the creature backs away, keeping an exact distance between the two. What does it want? Goldy steps close as well, completely ignored as he places a palm on its faux fur. A visible shiver runs across him, clearly unsettled by the unnatural texture of the creature as he backs away to Aleph''s side. "Hop on. I don''t know what it wants, but it doesn''t seem hostile at least. Let''s see if it can follow us in the air."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    With a tilt of his head, he complies, pulling himself atop her back. The creature almost seems to expand in response, but with the way its body warps and bends it''s hard to tell. Crack! Aleph leaps, gliding away as the creature stares up at her from behind. No wings at least. Hopefully it leaves us alone.


    Through the eyes of a very bored elf


    Green orbs dance around the elf''s legs as he appears suspended in the air, legs crossed in the lotus position. Or at least he would, save for the very noticeable and periodically spaced cracks of the air as his leg shoots down within the span of a blink before recoiling back in place to keep himself suspended. The winds visibly erode the rocks around him, a small crater of smooth stone forming by his feet. Almost done with this leg. What should I exercise after this?


    Through the eyes of an intrigued spider


    "So you guys actually have Anime?" "I''m telling you. That word translates weird for me. We definitely have stories like you described, but the word seems to have some extra meaning or context for you. In fact, it almost feels like your saying someone''s name!" "Name? Don''t be ridiculous. Anime is just Anime. Not like that avestigal thing the dragon keeps bringing up." The pair traverse a dead straight tunnel, laying a line of thread as they go. Lyla lays comfortably atop the crystalline hair of the demon, probably not even realising how relaxed she''s become.


    "So... What kind of stories do demons have? Any good ones?" "If quantity is all you want, we come second to none. If quality is what you''re after, then we also have a ton. You just have to sift through a nigh infinite pile of trash to get to it. A skill I have perfected as a matter of fact!" The demon proudly declares, a few faint rays of light leaking out from her shell. Whelp. I''ve figured out her hobby. In-between whatever evil demon activities she does at least. "How about you? Any interesting stories from your world?" "From this world, no. It''s all boring derivations of myths and historical events, several of which I''ve actually lived through! The white shadow is pretty good though. But the real stories are the ones from other worlds! The sheer insanity of laser swords and incarnations of abstract concepts like death is wild! Way better than the real ones!"


    "You know... I feel like this tunnel has been going for a while." "Not so. Look down." Lyla skitters to the side, turning to peer at the thread distinctly not joined with her current one. "What the hell! This tunnel was straight!" Hopping off, she picks up the thread to compare. "This is definitely my thread... How did we loop?" "Maybe the bend was too slight for us to notice?" "Ah, screw it. This tunnel sucks. Let''s go back and check the other one." With a shrug, the demon complies stepping back the way they came with Lyla by her side.


    Through the eyes of a calm monkey


    What manner of creature was that? Is it of the same ilk as the beast of void we had just encountered? It was not so hostile though... The next orb comes into sight, the emissary grasping onto it like the others. As they turn to face the ground, their eyes come to meet a familiar visage of pure black, pulling itself from nothing and gripping at the air to stand. "Do you think that counts as flying?" "Perhaps? Is it hostile?" "No intent in its Aura. It has a soul, but it feels almost blank or mindless. It''s definitely focused on us though. Hopefully it doesn''t mind if I-"


    The beast lunges, Gol Dhee barely able to discern the motion from to its shapeless appearance. Void-like claws rend through scales with ease as the emissary leaps back, drops of gold-tinged ichor flung from her wound then blasted by a torrent of air spurred on by golden fists. The creature seems to lose a sense of existence, becoming hard to keep focus upon while passing through the blast unharmed and landing atop the orb. With a wave of his palm, Gol Dhee throws a stream of flames which pass through just the same while the emissary stabilises into a circular glide.


    As they circle the beast it remains still, a vague sense of its eyes never leaving them despite a total lack of movement. "Do we fight?" "No. We don''t know what we''re up against or how many there are. These clearly aren''t your standard wild animal, I think they have some relation to the labyrinth itself." "Hmm, seems wise." Gol Dhee eyes down the unmoving creature as they begin to glide away, no action taken to close the growing distance.


    Through the eyes of an extremely bored elf


    Fluffy stands balancing broken pieces of giant stalactites in each hand while simultaneously standing upon the tip of a crudely broken spire which in turn wobbles atop a weirdly round boulder. I feel like I''m running out of ideas here...


    Through the eyes of a confounded demon


    "Okay, something is definitely wrong here." "You only just noticed?" The pair stand in a network of small caverns, dimly lit by glowing lichen lamps and carpeted with soft moss. Each cavern sprawls randomly in a natural yet unnatural form, following no pattern yet instilling a sense of distinct familiarity and unease. "Okay, I admit it. We should have just followed conventional wisdom. The spooky tunnel was a bad idea." Lyla slumps within Diala''s arms, a look of tired defeat clear to anyone who can distinguish the facial expressions of spiders. Diala looks around the fractal cavernscape around them, spins, and heads in a random direction, immediately coming out at the ravine base where they began. "Are you fucking kidding me."


    Through the eyes of an unsettled dragon


    Is it still following us? The fact it can hide between dimensions makes it really hard to keep track of. Well... as long as we don''t mess with any more cores it should hopefully leave us alone. Weaving through a cluster of spiked plateaus, Aleph comes upon the rendezvous point for the group, littered with stone debris and craters. Was there a fight? Landing by a large pile of nearly powderised stone, she comes upon Fluffy, buried neck-deep in the earth. "Do I want to know?" "You really don''t."


    Through the eyes of a rejuvenated spider


    "See, it''s like I said. We should have just followed the river from the start. That always leads us to the next layer." "Hey... Actually wait, you kind-of did say that. Huh..." Lyla strides out of the crevice, her pride in finding a route down ''first try'' palpable in her gait. As they crest the surface, they come upon the war-zone of terrestrial destruction, and a sweaty elf stuck in a hole. "I don''t want to know." Lyla declares. "Wise choice." The elf assures, calmly crumbling his way through the stone to step out with a truly uncomfortable amount of sweat pouring down. Seriously, gross...


    Oh hey, the dragon''s here. I should head to my- Hey! Since when was the demon holding me! Wriggling free from the comfortable yet clearly malicious grip of the demon, Lyla skitters her way back to her rightful perch, the only place the universe makes any real sense. How devious... I won''t fall for your evil temptations that easily, devil. "You guys find a way down?" The dragon asks as she settles in place. "Eventually. You get enough of your aythie?" "Nope!" "Hey..." "One of those bigger shadow form things stopped us. Wasn''t overtly hostile, but clearly didn''t want me breaking the local architecture." "You mean that weird shadow form thing?"


    A pitch black figure flickers in the distance, silently observing from atop a hill. "I really don''t like those things... They''re really cute, but also super creepy." "Wow. Something scares the eldritch abomination. Must be a truly abominable being." The dragon rolls her eyes back much further than should really be possible to glare at the offending arachnid. "Fuehehe, you''re only proving my point, doing that. Jokes aside though, how should we get down? The next floor really is just acid everywhere. Even I would struggle to stay there long."


    The world moves, pulling Lyla to face the demon, then the elf, and then the monkey as the dragon turns her head. "Sounds like we need a training arc."


    <hr>


    The oldest of the red stars gracing the skies of Ao, Meora is associated with the interloper moon Luna. Those of us native to the lands of Mashulasloyoun all know the tales of its formation in the wake of the calamity, many associating it with the false gods who control the other domains. It is believed that the Record Keeper takes an especially keen interest in this star and its associated god, having once been said to have placed a bounty on any information regarding it, many hundreds of cycles ago. This in turn has led to it being one of the most researched of the red stars.


    Most strange with this star, is its lack of association with the other red stars, having very little in regards to history mythology to link it with any of the others. There are some stories which imply emnity between the gods, such as the tale of the lost sun in which Meora refused to provide any assistance, even preventing the search from exploring Luna.


    Meora is a divisive star, held for many somewhere between disdain and apathy. And yet, no divine beast has ever indicated hostility towards it, the original dragon Farguash once having even shown reverence in his claim "no star deserves to burn bright more than the protector of Luna", recorded seventy-eight cycles ago during the apex of the final boundary war.


    - Excerpt from Oshlas'' ''Atlas of the Skies''

 Chapter 59: Training arc, the sequel

    Through the eyes of a novice Aether user


    Green Aether proliferates outward, forming itself into an oblate and bumpy sphere of energy. From an outside perspective, you would only see what looks like a dense ember of lime bubbles, vigorously dancing around the sphere, melding and splitting apart before fading into nothing. Held by the rough skin of Fluffy''s palm, the sphere slowly grows more dense and unstable as a stream of Aether continues to flow from his core through his arm.


    "This is still my limit. Any more and it will collapse again." The sphere deflates, bubbles fading into nothing as green light returns to its source. Fluffy shakes his palm loose, turning to meet Teacher. "That''s not even a tenth of your capacity. You haven''t been using this little the entire time, have you?" "It''s easier to use internally, though not by much I suppose." Shaking her head, Teacher steps back and flares her own Aether. "You need to work on basic control. Your goal for this training will be to form an Aether cascade. Watch."


    Violet Aether washes forth into a serene sphere of energy, devoid of blemish and perfectly steady. Even the most astute of eyes would only perceive a uniform volume of violet, the encompassed area tamed into absolute submission. Before Fluffy can even blink, half of Teacher''s capacity has already streamed through her tail, above her head, and into the sphere, linked together by a fine thread.


    A tilt of his eyebrows and a cock of his head as he grooms his anarchic scraggle. "Is this a cascade?" Her tail flicks away, the connecting thread of Aether snapping loose, and in the same moment a part of the world stops. No movement, no sound, no light, simply a volume of black nothing, surrounded by a gradating vignette of increasing light barely able to make it past the bubble frozen in time. "This is an Aether cascade. It''s what happens when you gather a sizeable amount of Aether without instilling a will. It returns to its default state of stabilisation and reinforcement to the point of halting all motion." "And you expect me to do this?" "With your capacity, this is supposed to be trivial."


    Swishing her tail, the sphere pools back into her, swiftly pulled in and returning the ability for light to pass through. "First of all, you need to learn how to actively pull Aether from the environment."


    Through the eyes of a somewhat uncertain Mana user


    "Ho''mah." "Why can''t you call me that other name? The translation was way cooler." "Hinya Mur? I can call you that if you prefer, though would it not cause confusion with Hinya Mul?" "Nah, it''s fine. I''ve been called weirder things." "You have?" "Don''t ask." "..." "..." "What is the source of your strength?" "Power." "..." "..." "And... how does one source power?" "Genetic manipulation." "..." "..." "Which is?" "Well, I created this body from scratch to my own specifications, the dragon alters hers manually in real time like the eldritch abomination she is, and the elf is clearly just some kind of freak of nature. Don''t really know about the demon, but she''s able to manipulate her body in some way which is close enough for me. Either way, I''m the strongest and I did it, therefore it''s clearly the best option." "Hoh! I thank you for the advice!"


    I see my mistake. Gol Dhee steps away from the bright one with a bow, leaving her to cackle maniacally in the wake of her ''tremendous advice''. It is not that I must be the element, but rather I must become it! Change my state in stages, rather than a single action! Mind set on a goal, he wraps his body in a coat of essence, allowing the energy to nestle and rest between each fibre of fur. A golden glow patiently gradates to white, each follicle soaking with white light until... Fwoosh! His entire body is set ablaze, the tips of his fur singed black before he is able to pull the flames away. This needs practice...


    Through the eyes of a solitary demon


    Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to use some of this. A palm of crystal wraps gently around a vial of ethereal liquid, vibrantly shimmering together in a blinding kaleidoscope of light. Lightly twisting the cap, rays of light begin to spill out en mass from the seam, baking the world in a wide spectrum of visible radiation. Wow... This much light could feed a small family for a week... Or my family for less than a second. If even.


    The vial tilts, a single drip of shimmering liquid squeezing out to land on an extended palm, the light reflecting and refracting throughout her entire body to produce a chaotic and intense glow from every surface. Now I focus... I''ve read at least five books on doing this and- Ow it''s hot! As soon as the vial is placed on the ground, her palm fractures, lines of light drawing their way up Diala''s arm to cover her shoulder, threatening to shatter at any moment. Crimson Aura rips through her body, demanding control over the building pressure in a fragile dance as each crystal in her body oscillates between the dire need to break apart under immense heat and pressure, and the overwhelming rejection of the outside influence.


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of an adept Aether user


    A glob of turquoise goop oozes snugly within Fluffy''s palm, too viscous to even release droplets yet still somehow making everything marginally more moist than anyone really wants it to be. Clung to the unpleasant gunge is colourless Aether, resting evenly throughout the gelatinous substance. Green Aether spreads out, seeping from his arm to his hand and wrapping around the clump in uneven strands. Once covered, Fluffy''s mind focuses, cancelling all thoughts of the physical world to leave only perception and intent.


    Tiny strands extrude from the bubble, piercing through the chunk to cover as much area as possible in a tight mesh, thinner than the eye can naturally perceive. Once settled, the world stills, nothing but the steady exertion of intent upon unattuned Aether. Piece by piece, the energy gains colour, the turquoise glob beginning to glowing lime as the Aether clinging to it gains will.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Finally opening his eyes, he pulls the energy from the goop and allows it to mingle with the rest of his pool of Aether, the small quantity extracted making no noticeable change when compared to the ocean already present. Even so, a satisfied nod from Teacher proves enough indication of his progress. "We just need to work on speed now. Should be a case of practice and muscle memory, but I might have a hard time getting more of that goo..." "Can we use literally anything else?" "Do you see anything else with this much Aether around here?"


    Through the eyes of a completely certain Mana user


    I have done it. I have mastered the art of creating exact replicas of people with thread! Using this new power, I shall dominate the surface with the mountains of cash I will get from selling my high quality, hand crafted figurines of famous people! Now I just need to figure out who''s famous. And I need a fence to sell them to. Ooh, mabye I can make figurines of that Au- "Ho''mah. I request your advice." Lyla pries all eight of her eyes from the surprisingly accurate plush toy of herself to meet those of the monkey''s. Again? He''s been asking for my advice a lot lately. "Where does essence come from?" Mana? Shit, I don''t actually know. That''s one of the great mysteries of this world that nobody really knows the answer to. Guess there''s no helping it. "Uh... Inner strength." Bullshit deployed. "Hoh! I see!" What he sees I know not. Glad he bought it though.


    With a polite nod the monkey steps away, returning to his training. Okay, now where was I? Right! Colour. Does this place have any blue dye?


    Through the eyes of a probably okay demon


    Tiny fragments of shattered crystal lay scattered across the floor, a thin layer built up around the faintly glowing figure in the middle. Uugh... This is way harder than the textbooks made it seem. I need a break... What are the others doing? Diala sits up, pieces of broken crystal clattering from her body as she rises. Peering over to Gol Dhee, she finds him encompassed by tempests, hurling rocks into the air at mach speeds. He seems busy, I''d best not bother him. Diverting her gaze, her eyes land on Aleph dumping a wad of turquoise slime on Fluffy. I don''t want to know. Finally, she locks eyes with Lyla, clearly procrastinating and doing nothing of value besides playing with her thread. Works for me.


    Lifting herself from the ground she takes a step forward, and Lyla takes a step backward. Another step forward, mirrored by another stepping back. Oh, I see how it is. Diala lowers to a runners start, her legs warping and compressing like strings while Lyla hastily stashes away her doll... somewhere? Hm, I missed that one. Snap! Diala launches, a smokescreen of dust and stones left in the wake of each step as she charges the arachnid. As she lunges for the capture, Lyla provides a well poised salute before bolting to the side, leaving behind a thread positioned to trip the incoming demon. Moments before reaching contact with the tripwire, Diala vanishes, appearing above the elusive arachnid ready to grab.


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of an impromptu judge


    Aleph stands before Goldy, gaze held locked within a shroud of violet. A dome of wind surrounds the white coated monkey, forming an airtight barrier between him and the violet mist. Beads of sweat roll down his brow, periodically dripping in front of his lips, pressed tight in concentration. Aleph flicks a stone to the side with an outstretched claw, landing it squarely on Fluffy''s forehead the moment he starts procrastinating from his own training, glob of icky goop in hand. Turning back to Goldy, she observes as his barrier begins to falter, violet leaking into the tempest and through the barrier to reach his skin.


    The mist dissipates and Goldy''s fur fades back to its natural golden lustre, shortening back to a thick fuzz. "Lyly, how long was that?" The spider in question turns around on her prison atop the demon''s head, a half-made, elf shaped doll between her forelegs. "Uh, lemme check..." Her body slumps down, legs wrapping the circumference of Didi''s head, and moments pass in near silence, only broken by the regular tap of Didi''s sharpened hand against the roughly chiselled stone figure in her grip. "Well?" "Gimme a minute! This latency just gets worse every time..." A few more moments pass before motion returns, her limbs returning to their snug posture atop the totally unwilling prison. "Five hours, give or take. I couldn''t find a working clock at first." "Clock?" "Don''t worry about it."


    "Well, I think that should be enough to reach the next two layers. I''ve been mapping a route while you guys trained. There''s a funny looking slime thing two layers down which seems to be neutralising the acid somehow, so we only need to make it there." "Improving this much in five days... My advice is better than I thought. Maybe I should become a teacher?" Fluffy looks at the goop in his hand, back to Aleph, and back to the goop. "Tell me this isn''t slime poop." Aleph gives him a disgruntled squint. "I have at least that much sense. It''s just discarded slime, like what a snail leaves behind." "I feel like that doesn''t really help..."


    <hr>


    Date: 35th day, 3rd rising quart, 12th cycle since the calamity. A coalition of 83 individuals congregated around nilasuun under the unified goal of reaching the base-most layer and seeking help from the Progenitor. It seems their primary concern was with the growing everstorm to the south. I suppose they are not content with Avilar''s solution, though I cannot claim differently.


    Having begun their dive at the third quartile between dusk and dawn, by the crux of dusk a mere thirteen had surfaced, having failed the expedition catastrophically. Two later died from exposure to a deadly neurotoxin, leaving six injured and five unharmed survivors. Reportedly, in spite of their extensive scouting and mapping of the upper 20 layers via Mana tapping, they only managed to reach as deep as the dense forests of the fourth floor before their numbers were reduced to half and a retreat was ordered. From my perspective, their preparations were frankly abysmal, lacking sufficient supplies and individual strength. I even counted 12 individuals who were suffering from the decline as part of the expedition.


    It is a shame. I had high hopes of the Progenitor being able to provide a solution, but it seems we will have to wait for more powerful individuals to gather. I worry however that by the time anyone reaches the base, the decline will have claimed the rest of my kin. I have sufficient resistance to it to survive many thousands of cycles, though I worry precious few others do as well. Perhaps La would survive, though I have not seen them since breaching our firmament. Whether they still live now after so long I do not know.


    The silence of the divine beasts worries me as well. They have never refused interference to such a degree. What knowledge do they possess that they would refuse answers to me, their elder?


    - Personal notes of the eldest being on Ao

 Chapter 60: First day of the festival

    Interlude from the surface.


    Ranker


    Cyclical taps of shoes against paved stone fill the air, the sounds collecting together in a synchronised heartbeat in rhythm with the metallic cries of the steel strings of a cimbalom being struck by cotton wound sticks with masterful precision. Ribbons cascade around the core musician in a river which blocks all view of the performers, save for the occasional wake of arms breaching the surface before sinking back as the pattern of ribbons shifts into to conjoined whirlpools.


    A crowd claps in rhythm with the music, a tame wave forming as they step back and forth in a circle around the play, save for one especially well built individual to the far back practically chewing her lip in impatient seething. I swear these things get longer every year... I''ve been sitting here for hours! Why am I even the one guarding this random spot in the city? I''m clearly way overkill for this! Aeryth''s aggravated thoughts go unnoticed by the crowd, who continue to dance and clap with a unified mirth, though perhaps not completely unnoticed by the large figure watching from a roof across the plaza. What is he doing here? No, wait! This is a perfect excuse! If I have to sit through these guys singing about the big hole in the floor again...


    "Ondune, you take over for a minute. I''m being summoned." She orders her extraordinarily long subordinate, who responds with a giddy salute. "Yes maam! There shall be no nerdowells who escape my watchful eye!" "Sure, great, anyway..." Aeryth leaves the plaza, taking the shortest route to anywhere less noisy before directing herself towards a tall pylon, ululating a dim spectrum of shifting lights.


    Cultivator


    Faux inspects the burgundy gemstone held gently between his fingers, seemingly entranced by the faint white glow casting from its core and the way it seems to disturb the surrounding qi. "Like you said, there is no qi, or Mana as you call it, and yet it still glows." "Of course, of course! I would never tell a lie about my products. So are you buying? I can also offer some nice orichalcum chains to go with it. Their quality has even been praised by the great protector!" His olive eyes briefly study the scraggly shopkeeper in front of him, before returning to the gem, no discernible emotion held within his mannerisms. "Perhaps I will. What price are you offering?"


    Programmer


    We were supposed to meet at twenty-five, right? Where is she? Ghost sits snug within the plush sofa of a newly opened all you can eat buffet, the cosy pillows and mouth-watering scents of deep-fried foods and sizzling meat doing nothing to tame her nerves as she braves the crowded venue alone. Did she forget? No, she''s never forgotten before. And she''d send one of her goons to tell me if something happened... Did I get the time wrong? She gets off work at... thirty... Her hands slip into her pocket, pulling out a small piece of paper, turned grey from the myriad of notes and doodles adorning it. In the corner sits one note in particular, a scribble denoting the note as being for a date today followed by two digits, one of which an indiscernible scribble which could really be seen as both a two and a three. I''m ten hours early. Fuck.


    Transmigrator


    "He''s buying a fancy stone. What do you think he wants with it?" "I''m still against this, Auvic. Even if you were to reveal all of your cards I do not see you winning this fight." A pair of invisible eyes peer through a tinted glass window at the blonde haired cultivator within. "Hey, don''t worry so much. You said yourself that I''ll progress faster through adversity, and what greater adversity is there than facing an unbeatable opponent?" "There is a fine distinction between adversity and delusion. You will gain nothing if he kills you, and I can only interfere so much within this world. In time you will naturally reach the stage of convolution, you need only be patient." As the man leaves the storefront, pocketing his newly acquired fancy stone, Auvic follows behind at a healthy distance, his body hidden somewhere between nothingness and tangibility. "Patience can only go so far you know. Besides, maybe if I go fast enough my title will be something cool like ''the rapid one'' or ''the exponential one''." "Perhaps, ''the impatient one''."


    Spider


    Aah, finally. This time giga should be perfectly hidden. A human-looking girl floats above a normal looking hill, peering down at the seamless surface pridefully with eyes opened unnaturally wide. Shifting her gaze to the horizon, she scans the surrounding forest with fine scrutiny through two overly-complex arrays of light. And there''s nobody to randomly stumble upon me either, this is great! Now I just need to reconnect the threads to this location and I''ll be prepared.


    Ranker


    Aeryth runs a finger along the runes wrapping neatly around the stone pylon before her, light painting the calloused skin of her palm with vibrant hues. A dense energy pulsates through the complex matrix of symbols, brushing against the surrounding air and spreading the rich odour of festival foods and smoke, a faint hint of lemon sneaking through the scents.


    "What do you see?" A distorted voice questions from behind, a soft yet dense hum lacking the sharpness of ordinary speech as if spoken from several quiet mouths. "A bunch of lights." Aeryth dismisses, turning around to face the divine beast addressing her. Thick coats of grey fur flow around his body without obedience towards the confines of gravity, the soft winds combing waves across the shimmering coat save for a sparse few patches across his face which stand alert and vibrate in tune with the voice. "I see a disturbance in the barrier. Something is trying to interfere with the outer pylons, and I cannot find what, where, or how." She turns back to the array, the lights and symbols just as much of an enigma as before.


    "Is this why you called me here yourself? To tell me to keep my guard up? I already have enough on my plate with the psycho prowling the streets in broad daylight who, might I remind you, I can''t observe from this random plaza in the middle of nowhere." "No, I called you here for a separate matter. The area you are guarding is more important than you know. I can see you are dissatisfied with your position, but if something does happen during the festival you must guard the plaza, and guard it well." Aeryth looks down at him from her full height with sceptical eyes, his own bearing an unwavering bastion of confidence in return. "Will you tell me what I''m actually protecting?" "It is a family concern. Your work here is greatly appreciated, but don''t pry into this matter." "Right, a family matter. As always with you bastards. Anything else?" "Nothing. I''ll leave the rats to you."


    The beast vanishes, no spells cast or lingering energy left behind, only a small puff of dust where his feet once stood. "I must be getting old. To not notice the dozen people all breathing in my direction is really unlike me." Her gaze casts around herself, sequentially locking eyes with each of the thirteen people watching her to coax them out of hiding. Their positions compromised, they each step out from their hideaways, some dispelling their invisibility spells, while others climb out from behind doors and inside pots, and one particularly exotic individual unfurling a large parchment, painted to match the wall he steps away from.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "So few of you? You clearly weren''t targeting me then." She taunts, her clenched fists glowing red and bending the air with heat. "Captor of the labyrinth! Your hours are numbered! Once we''re finished crushing you we''ll move on to that false protector, liberate nilasuun and-" The head of the mouthy fool is crushed into the stone paving below, his face branded by the heat of the giant palm tossing him away like a dirty rag. "So you''re from that labyrinth cult I take it? Unfortunately we have a zero tolerance policy on attempted assassinations this year, so I''m going to have to ask you all to politely sit still while I pave the streets with your broken bodies." Doing this without killing them is going to be such a pain. Never thought I''d miss the tower world''s lack of restraint, but here we are.


    Her palm wraps around her fist, the loud cracking of her knuckles signalling her ignition into a state of pure flame. Just as quickly as her ability activates two cultists make their approach, sword and glaive poised to slice through her midsection and neck. Instead of blocking or dodging, she twists, throwing her palms into the steel blades and melting them to the hilt. The force of her strike emits shock-waves of scalding air, throwing the pair back and roasting the flesh on their forearms. The swordsman collapses to the ground, fist still tightly wound around the smouldering hilt of his blade while the glaiveswoman barely manages to catch her fall and stave off unconsciousness. Stubborn bastards.


    "Your guard is down!" Fucking amateur. Without turning to face the attack, her body crackles and boils, flames burning away to leave behind a form of lightning which snakes its way into the torrent of oncoming water to reach its source. Electricity devours the crystal sphere held at the stave tip, the beam of water beginning to fall limp to the ground as it shatters. The wooden stave creaks and burns as she weaves through to the caster, eyes still focused on her former position with naive overconfidence. Pulsing through his body, she leaves behind the fractal brand of lightning burns, reforming to her natural body before the first drop of water graces the ground.


    "Nine of you left. Are you going to make me come to you?" Her taunt seemingly goes unheard, their eyes shifting back and forth between her and each other before three step forward with a nod. They''re analysing me. Even if these guys are weak I shouldn''t risk them learning too much and reporting back. The middle cultist lifts her palms, the magical arrays tattooed into her flesh glowing bright as two needle-shaped bolts of energy burst forth and bend around the other two who charge in with lightning and ice wrapped fists. Aeryth slams her palms to the ground, the resulting shock-wave arresting their balance and throwing several stone slabs into the air. With precise motions she strikes five slabs, launching them towards each attacking cultist and the two energy arrows, crushing their abdomens and prematurely detonating the arrows. "Is that i-" Bang!


    A sharp sting pricks at her neck, lessened as she pries out the bullet from her tough skin, a slight trickle of blood falling from the closing wound. "Should''ve poisoned it." She muses, turning to face the cultist who snuck behind with a rifle, staring dumbfounded at the seemingly invulnerable behemoth. Before anything else can be spoken, Aeryth flicks the bullet back at the cultist''s solar plexus, closing the distance within the span of a breath as they collapse gasping for air and lifting them by the throat well above twice their body height. Pulling the rifle from the loosened grip of the cultist, she inspects the weapon closely. "Maroltin tech? How interesting."


    Stashing away the weapon in her belt and dropping the unconscious shooter, she turns back to the remaining cultists. "Five left? You got any more tricks, or are you just going to give up and let me arrest you in one piece already?" Her query is answered by a puff of smoke and the appearance of a knife at her throat, promptly countered with a bone crushing vice grip on the attacking wrist. Her form becomes a blur as she twists and hurls the body down at the swordsman stepping through a portal behind her. As the bodies are about to collide, the one in her grip vanishes, replaced by a heavy log decorated in talismans which lands with enough force to crumple the swordsman, sword and all. Shit.


    Her eyes cast down at the former swordsman, twitches of irritation tugging at her lip. I killed one. That''ll be a lot of paperwork. Turning back to the remaining four she cracks her neck and steps forward, watching as the forearm of her previous attacker is pieced back to a straight limb, a stunned look in both of their eyes as they glance at their once comrade. "The healer always goes first." She taunts before launching forward. In response, the largest of the cultists summons a tower shield and locks position in front of the others, an intense gravitational push attempting to drive her away.


    Ignoring the headwind of force, Aeryth continues her charge unfettered, landing a heavy punch directly on the tower shield. Tremendous force ripples through the metal wall, splintering the edges as it is redirected and spread through the ground. The entire street, up to a barrier around the pylon, is upturned around them in a cascade of roaring earth. The shield bearer trembles in pain, blood leaking through black robes as a pale light envelopes him from behind and mends his wounds. This guy is from the tower world... His ability will have some trick to it to stop me from just sneaking around and targeting his ward. Well, it''s not like I have to start with the healer.


    Aeryth grips the top of the shield and presses down, the pressure and heat steadily growing, compressing and melting the ground. From behind another puff of smoke flares followed by the singeing of flesh as she once again ignites her body, allowing the knife to pass through and melt while her fist slams down on the shield. The earth erupts once more, magma spilling outward as the shield is crushed in half and melted length-ways. Returning to her normal form she lands a punch on the staggering shield bearer, slamming him into the healer and crashing them both into a wall, followed by an uppercut to the one attacking from behind.


    "And that leaves one. Are you supposed to be the strongest? Or were you expecting those amateurs to actually hurt me." The final cultist looks over the battlefield without expression, showing no reaction to the smouldering stone devouring his feet. "Your reputation precedes you, Aeryth the tower crusher. In fact, your strength may even be understated, given you didn''t kill most of them." The distance closes, light from the sun unable to reach the cultist as he peers up at the behemoth. "What are the loaonila doing here? You''ve been quiet the past few years, so why the change in attitude?"


    "The hour of reckoning nears. We still recall Vector''s prophecy, forgotten by the fools of the central continent. Even those of you who hail from other domains are no better, having never bothered to learn of it to begin with." His arm lifts from behind his robe, reaching towards his chest with a languid tranquillity. Aeryth lunges forward, grasping his arm before anything can be done. "What are you trying to pull?" "Well... it wouldn''t do to leave a mess now, would it?" He sprouts a wide grin.


    Light bursts from the cultist''s chest, vaporising his body near instantly as energy builds up around his position, condensing into a fine sphere as it prepares to burst. Grasping the sphere between both palms, Aeryth crushes it with enough force to crumple a city block, the subsequent explosion rocking the space between her hands with a small tremor leaking out to shake the nearby buildings. Fucking cultists.


    Turning around, she surveys the damage. Walls of the surrounding buildings struggle to remain standing, either having been toppled by force or melted to the ground. The paved roads simply cut off into a cataclysm of rubble and igneous rock, and several injured assailants lay crippled and defeated, if not unconscious then groaning. All things considered, could have been worse. Still, Imma punch Kav in the jugular for this.

 Chapter 61: Surely friendly

    Through the eyes of a stalwart ape


    The world bends behind a veil of turbulent winds, crystal clear lakes resting in vibrantly coloured beds of stone pepper the horizon in all directions, only segmented by narrow strips of stone. More liquid drips in from above and forms ever-pulsating ripples by the lake edges, deep holes formed in the ceiling like inverted stalactites. Pale fur flutters in sync with the small cyclone of wind separating Gol Dhee''s body from the outside world.


    Sitting atop the emissary''s back, he continues to grip and pull the wind around the group, the fiery one providing the occasional silent support from behind while they traverse a thin ridge towards an empty lake bed. "There''s a sheer drop to the next layer up ahead. Once we''re down there you can drop the barrier." Gol Dhee nods to the emissary''s words, his palms unwavering in their grasp of the air as their destination comes into view. The journey was shorter than I had anticipated. I should have energy to train before we rest. As they reach the precipice of the drop, the emissary peers down, a quizzical tilt on her head. "How strange... It usually just stays away from me."


    Through the eyes of a perplexed dragon


    Aleph watches as a sky blue tendril snakes its way up through the vertical tunnel, breaching the surface of the layer before wobbling around the group as if observing them. "What is that?" Fluffy asks, stepping to the edge of the barrier to observe it back. "I mentioned the weird slime thing, right? It''s that." The tendril pokes at the wall of wind, reaching towards Fluffy only to be pushed back and spun by the tempest. Another stronger attempt to breach the barrier is met with the same result, bdfore it instead wraps around the tempest in an attempt to lift it. Of course, you can''t exactly lift air, so it is once again spun and discombobulated.


    "What is it doing?" Didi shifts to Aleph''s neck as she speaks, eyes fixated on the strange creature. "I think it likes me. Fuehehe, it must know how famous I am!" More tendrils appear from below, merging together in one large structure before deforming to wrap around the barrier and eat into the earth, lifting them and the ground they stand on. "Oh. I guess it really likes me." Gravity shoves the group to the side, then almost ceases entirely, Lyly barely clinging to her perch as they lose purchase on the ground. "Seems like we''re getting a free ride down, how convenient." "You''re remarkably relaxed for someone being dragged into the abyss by a creepy tentacle creature." "I''m sure it''s just being friendly. It was always skittish when it was just me."


    Gravity returns fast, the group slamming into the ground as Goldy''s barrier disperses from the shock. The slime unwraps, revealing a horizon of blue hills and bumps, as if a freeze-frame was taken of the ocean. Several snake-like appendages sprout from the lethargically undulating slime, surrounding Fluffy to poke and prod him without restraint. "What a fascinating creature this i- Hey!" Control of his leg is arrested by one of the tendrils, hoisting the elf into the air to be prodded more. "Oh! I know this trope!" Lyly chitters more enthusiastically than she really ought to. "Oh yea, me too! This is where the human gets eaten by the creature of the abyss, foolishly summoned by ignorant mortals, right?"


    "No... What?" Lyla skitters to Aleph''s snout to make direct eye contact. "What are you talking about? This is clearly where the cute elf gets assaulted in a comically unsavory manner." "Are you sure? I mean... Fluffy is kinda adorable, sure, but it looks more like it''s trying to eat him than anything else. Just look at the way it tries to pry the skin on his chest apart!" Fluffy throws the pair an exasperated look. "Yes, I''ll have you know it''s very annoying too. Care to give me a hand?" Unfortunately for him, his words go unheard, Goldy too busy wrapping his head around the conversation to notice while Didi stands at attention, occasionally diverting her eyes to a new location as her body starts to faintly glow. "Seriously? What trope even is that? Nobody summoned this thing from anywhere, and he''s not even a human, he''s an elf!" "Oh yea, forgot about that. Still, surely some suspension of disbelief is allowed, right?"


    Through the eyes of a fairly uncomfortable elf


    Ah yes, suspension. I know all about that. Fluffy stares at the group through squinted eyes, almost tempted to just flick something at them. Or rather, actually tempted as he pulls out a random piece of lint from his pocket to flick into the eye of the dragon... who continues to ignore him in favour of their debate. "Fuck it." Deciding that being coated in slime, prodded, slapped, and waved around in the air is just about enough, Fluffy tenses his muscles into a rapid spinning kick, landing solidly on the ground and making sure to splash the offending pair with slime in the process. Of course they continue arguing, in fact only getting more heated. That is, Lil Blue grows more loud and opinionated while Teacher continues calmy disassembling her arguments with poorly thought out responses.


    Guess it''s going to be afraid of me now that I''ve attacked it... Such a shame. I wanted to study it properly. Poke. Or not... Stepping away before the slime gets any more ideas, Fluffy promptly gives the two bickering idiots a solid flick in the eyes, finally breaking their attention from each other to scowl at the elf. "Ow! Hey, what''s the big- Oh, right... forgot you were here, elf." "Why always the eye... " "Should''ve just helped." "You could have just used ae''loyo to push it away." "Ah..." Violet Aether wraps around the speechless elf, pushing off the slime coating him in a burst, perhaps as an apology, or perhaps as an indifferent courtesy.


    "Let''s go. There''s a bunch of Aether over that way." "There is?" Fluffy turns to face the same direction as Teacher, brows furrowing in confusion at the barren cavern, seemingly devoid of any semblence of Aether. "Are you sure you can''t see it? The slime is covered in Aether, and there''s a massive pool of it just ahead. It''s been staying just outside of the range I can pull Aether from though, so I''ve been struggling to get any." "Are you sure you can see it? I sense nothing on this entire layer." "How strange... Am I using a different method to you? Either way, it''s worth a look." She steps forward, the slime oozing away to keep a uniform ring of space centered around the dragon.


    Through the eyes of a stunned demon


    I didn''t know Lyla was into those kind of stories... "Ah! Wait for me!"


    Through the eyes of a well learned spider


    Hmm... Now that I look more closely, this slime is actually kinda insane. "Hey, monkey." "Hoh?" "You see it too right? This thing is using up all of the ambient Mana here." The monkey turns his head in confusion before raising his arms. Golden fur stands on end and gently bristles as his eyes knit themselves closed in concentration, shifting to surprise as he relaxes. "Indeed. I can pull no essence to recover my stock." The dragon turns her gaze back to join the conversation. "Maybe it eats Mana? Powerful beings tend to do that in a lot of worlds." "Sure, but this much? It''s not exactly growing bigger, so it has to be using it for something."


    "We probably just happened to arrive during its feeding period or something. If there''s a problem we can react to it when it becomes apparent." No, there''s something about it... The way it''s pulling the Mana in and compressing it, or... coating itself? Her gaze shifts to the edge of the ring of emptiness, studying the manner in which the creature forms a perfect radius around the group, oozing away in synchrony with their steps. With a curious tilt of her... entire body, her gaze shifts again to the elf, then the dragon, and finally settling on the remaining two.


    "Monkey, demon. Touch the slime for me." "Okay!" The demon happily skips her way to the wall of live goop and plonks an outstretched arm on the undulating sludge. Her motions are ignored by the slime, which continues to move undeterred, even wrapping around her legs as if she''s just another rock in the path before she steps back. "It feels exactly like you''d expect a slime to feel, confirmed!" "Great, now monkey, you too." The monkey looks between Lyla and the slime, an inscrutable expression begging for a second opinion. "I have a theory to test. Just do it." With a hesitant step, and a targetted scowl, he reaches his hand to the sludge and prods it, swiftly recoiling his hand and shaking off the goop. "Will that suffice?" "Hm? Oh, yea that''s fine. I think... it''s absorbing arthee..." "What?"


    "No, no. Just think about it." The group pause their gait, all eyes turning to detective in the making. "Dragon, because you compulsively gorge on all theethuu within line of sight the slime has been avoiding you specifically so you don''t steal what it has gathered. It showed a great interest in the elf until he got too close to the dragon, even pulling the rest of us down just to get to him. And of course, it completely ignores everyone else because we have no mahchu! You may all praise my deductive skills now."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "That doesn''t explain why I can''t sense any Aether here, aside from ours of course." The elf muses, still combing goop out from his beard. "It''s probably suppressing it, keeping it hidden from thieves like the dragon or such. In fact, I''d bet that''s what most of the Mana here is being directed towards." "I can see the Aether though. And it''s mostly concentrated in one place." The dragon retorts, tasting the goop... "Well you''re a freak, so maybe the same rules don''t apply to you." "Hey..." "Besides, it being concentrated only adds to my theory. Tell me, is the eyoyo moving?" The dragon squints, a low hum of violet light eminating from her form. "It is... And away from us at that." Ha! I knew it!


    Through the eyes of a glutton for Aether


    "I''m going to try charging for it. You guys hop on." "Wait, isn''t that a bad idea? We don''t know how this thing will react!" "Maybe, but even a sliver of that much Aether would be worthwhile." Fluffy slips onto her back, Goldy clambering up behind him as Didi sneaks in from below to claim the spot by Aleph''s neck. Her Aether narrows into a sharp film around her body, her legs poised to lunge. The slime reacts to the motion, seeming to become more jagged and solid in return before... Crack! Aleph leaps, a thunderous wave of air in her wake as she flaps her wings to soar towards the nexus of energy. A ripple surges through the ocean of slime, pulling away the condensed core of Aether, but not before Aleph gets close enough to shave a tiny chunk of the unattuned energy for herself.


    A palpable shift occurs. Where before the coagulated mass could be considered passive and skittish, if a bit curious, it now bears open hostility. An all consuming Aura wraps around the group, the ocean-like terrain warping into a harsh vortex of protruding spikes, all directed towards Aleph. Gathering Aether into her scales with haste, she takes the brunt of the attack to her stomach, the group being launched off her back as she is plunged into the ceiling.


    The air saturates in violet as she kicks off the ceiling, tearing through the air and directly slicing the poorly defended prongs apart with Aether until they''re filled with enough Mana to resist. Her body is stretched and folded by her own energy beyond the limitations of any being her size as she winds and threads past the barrage of spikes at mach speed to catch her companions. Holding them to her belly she launches into a downward spin, Aether refining into a sledgehammer of pure force at her tail which she slams through the dense layer of slime and into the earth beneath.


    An explosion of friction heated dust and debris showers the radius around a deep crater, shearing holes through the mass. "I swear! This happens every time with you and your oithoi obsession!" "Ream me out later! Fluffy, are you recovered enough to fight?" "I have been for a while." "Punch a hole in it. And aim that way." With a nod, Fluffy complies. His muscles tense in sequence and he fires his fist with tremendous power, launching a wave of air through the smokescreen, through the slime, and directly into the nexus of Aether, the energy scattering into the air briefly before being tugged back into place.


    The slime recoils, amassing a wall of dense fluid in front of the group before... silence. As if having entered the eye of a storm the slime simply holds still, no spikes or tendrils to be seen, only the slow shifting of its mass to reinforce the wall. Is it afraid, or is it offering a truce? That''s the issue with these unique organisms, you can never tell how smart they actually are. She takes a tentative step forward, the slime quickly pulling back an equal distance. Upon stepping back, the slime appears to relax, oozing back into a stable radius. "Lower your guards. I think we''re safe."


    The group share glances, hesitantly complying. Except for Lyly, who clambers atop her perch to waggle her pedipalps aggressively at the unthinkably large coagulation of sludge. Behind them, the ocean of slime parts, forming a path towards a collection of stone spires. "I assume it''s asking us to leave." "You also assumed it was friendly." "It was friendly. Until we attacked it." "Until you attacked it you mean." "..." Let''s just go...


    <hr>


    Record 1


    Hypothesis 1: A soul heart is not a requirement of a functioning soul anchor.


    Hypothesis 2: A soul anchor can be formed without the energy from a soul heart via repeated exposure to a space between dimensions.


    Method: Extract the soul of a juvenile serpent from the deep ocean layer to be exposed to a space between dimensions until a soul anchor is formed.


    The deep ocean serpent was chosen due to the creature''s natural inclination towards spacial magic in hopes that their ability to create and manipulate subspace pockets will grant them greater affinity and endurance to the high energy space between dimensions. This specimen will most likely be the first of many in this experiment, which must be carried out one at a time due to us being the only beings capable of interacting with souls.


    Record 4


    The soul has been successfully extracted and the body placed under time-dilated stasis. No technicalities have yet occurred.


    Record 5


    Exposure to unbound energy has shown no effects, ill or promising. Effects on the energy itself were largely indiscernible due to a continued lack of instrumentation capable of adequately observing it, though it is expected to either convert into Mana or have no effect.


    Record 6


    First immersion within the unbound pool was largely successful, no significant effects on the soul observed. It should be noted that there was a slight external pull on the soul, possibly due to an increased proximity to the soul sea. If this hypothesis proves correct, future experimentation may be able to provide us a means to open a channel directly within the soul sea, removing our reliance on natural infusing of souls when creating divine beasts.


    Record 13


    A slight resistance to motion was felt upon immersion, resulting in the procedure taking longer than anticipated. It is unknown what the source was, or whether this was a singular event.


    Record 30


    The soul now completely resists our attempts at immersion, locking itself within this dimension. Attempts to force immersion may result in adverse effects, so experimentation is to be brought to a close.


    Record 32


    The soul has been successfully emplaced back within its original body. Thus far, no injury or maleffects have been observed, and the serpent has shown a surprising vitality compared to past attempts at emplacement. Whether this is a result of our improved technique or traits unique to this subject is unknown. It is additionally indeterminate as to the success of the experiment, and further observations will be required to determine the presence or lack of an anchor.


    Record 88


    Upon being manually imparted with a significant amount of Mana, the subject was able to briefly dip between dimensions, almost escaping its enclosure. It can now be stated with confidence that the serpent has developed an anchor.


    Record 93


    The subject has managed to breach dimensions without assistance, despite lacking a soul heart necessary in generating sufficient quantities of energy for the process. It is unknown as to the mechanism behind this, and since the presence of a soul heart in a form we are unfamiliar with cannot be ruled out the first hypothesis must be left as undetermined.


    Record 95


    Subject has been released to its natural habitat due to sufficient findings from the experiment and an increasing difficulty in continued captivity. This experiment is to be brought to a close.


    Record 96 - Post Mortem


    First hypothesis is indeterminate due to the probable presence of a soul heart, having been generated at an unknown point in time during the experiment. Second hypothesis however has been heavily supported by the development of a functioning soul anchor in an otherwise mundane creature.


    It was unexpected for our first attempt at this experiment to be so successful. Further attempts will be required to ensure this was not a one time event, and the subject of this experiment is to be further observed within its natural habitat for a short time. Future attempts will also make use of the observed pull between dimensions to possibly locate a usable entrance to the soul sea. If this can be done without the notice of our observers, we will be able to create divine beasts at a much greater frequency and reliability.


    - Extract from the Progenitor''s notes

 Chapter 62: A spidery encounter

    A range of precipitous spires reach high towards the ceiling, each paired with another dripping clear liquid from above. Rough paths and tunnels carved through the stone line a network of winding and overlapping paths, a few of which already seeming to lead downward. The group stand at the entry to one of the tunnels, impatiently ushered onward by the agitated slime behind them. Pushing her Aether through the ground, Aleph forms a crude mental map of the convoluted spirals of tunnels, searching for the best way down. "This way should be the fastest way down."


    Aleph leads the group between the spires and into a nearly vertical tunnel twisting its way down, the slime oozing away behind them upon stepping inside. Claws scrape against the increasingly tough stone as she slides down, Goldy gripping the air to tame his fall and Didi hopping casually between footholds, alternating her feet in some form of game while Fluffy simply boulders his way down. As they descend, the tunnel steadily fills with an unsettling ambience, a writhing hum which seems to slither into the group''s ears. The hum grows louder and more unpleasant until they finally breach the ceiling of the next layer


    An uncountable number of two-headed centipedes coat the distant floor in a wriggling and thrashing ocean of never ending motion. The sound echoes to the ceiling, a lack of weather or obstruction allowing the chitters and squeals to travel unperturbed. Surrounding the mass is a wall of pure white on all sides, lit by four light cores bound to the ceiling by charred black strings. "This layer seems... smaller than usual." "Huh?" Failing to realise the group has stopped, Fluffy bumps into the dragon and loses his footing, summarily plummeting below silently with an exasperated expression.


    Aleph simply watches as he falls, landing in a small explosion of insects after several seconds. "You know... I think Didi is now the only one of us who hasn''t accidentally fallen into one of the layers." "I can fix that!" Lyly skitters from her perch and along the wall behind the demon and swiftly shoves with all of her might. Which is of course, basically no might, failing to even nudge her. Didi''s body wobbles, her face melting away and reforming behind as she inverts her body, grabs Lyly, and leaps below with a devilish grin in her eyes. "Hey wait, don''t turn this around on meeeee..." With a sigh, Aleph whips her tail below Goldy''s feet to trip him and leaps down herself.


    Through the eyes of an unsettled spider


    "Are you guys seriously okay with this?" Lyla asks from atop the demon''s head, staying as far away from the slithering cacophony below. "What''s the issue? Aren''t they just fascinating?" Fluffy dismisses her complaint, finding a much greater interest in observing the two creatures wrapping around his arm, seeking out some arbitrary destination with all the mental capacity of a sleeping child. "What if they, you know... Do that creepy insect thing and crawl around your face and into your mouth?" "Extra protein." I''m starting to think he''s a bigger freak than the dragon...


    "What about you demon? You''re literally knee deep in these things, surely you''re bothered by this?" The demon looks down apathetically at the creatures writhing around her legs. "I mean... what are they going to do? I guess they can cling to my dress, but my body is too smooth for them to climb on." "I''m sure some of those bigger ones could reach up and bite your eyes." "My ''eyes'' are just emissions of light meant to imitate eyes. They can just as easily be anything else." Crimson eyes fade to white, reshaping into silhouettes of a spider speckled with dots and lines of cyan. "Huh, neat. There should be a little more blue on the left though." Squelch!


    "Dragon! You''re here! Tell these guys they''re weird!" The dragon lifts her head, already clamping down on a mouthful of the insects. "What?" "Nevermind..." She''s the ultimate freak after all... Following shortly behind, the monkey lands sitting atop the dragon, his descent graceful as always, and pulls up his legs with a grimace. At least one of them is normal. Sometimes... "Where to now? It looks the same in every direction to me." The elf pries himself from his analysis to address the dragon''s question. "We seem to be in one of the haven clan''s industrial farms. I believe the most polite thing to do would be to wait for them to come to us." That... was not the kind of answer I was expecting. What is the haven clan?


    Lyla leaps from the demon''s head to the dragon, nestling herself in her perch. She''d better not lean down to eat more of these things while I''m up here.


    Through the eyes of an intrigued elf


    The two heads act independent of each other, indicating separate minds. Yet when I touch one, the other responds, indicating a completely unified nervous system. Given the integral role nerves play in forming thoughts it begs the question of where the separation begins. Can they see through each other''s eyes? Or perhaps they have a separate means to communicate information between the heads. Truly, I could spend weeks just observing this one creature! I should dissect one. "Hey, so who''s the haven clan?"


    Fluffy reluctantly pries his eyes from the several critters clambering all over him once again, turning to face the inquisitive spider. "They''re a friendly bunch. I think you''ll get along. The next four layers, including this one, are their territory, so it would be hard to get through without encountering them." Teacher looks at Fluffy, her expression difficult to parse by virtue of being a dragon. "Four layers is a lot of territory. Is it really just one clan?" "As far as I''m aware, yes. They have several cities on the layer below, only a couple of which I''ve actually visited though. This layer mainly consists of industrial compounds and agriculture, like this farm." No more questions? Great. Now, back to these critters.


    Through the eyes of a considerably chill demon


    You know... For such a crowded place I''m feeling remarkably calm. Maybe because the emergent formlessness of the amalgamated cluster of arthropods is actually kinda cute? A faint whisper breaks through the discord of skitters and squeals, a soft conversation between unfamiliar voices, the direction indiscernible through the ambient noise. Diala glances to Aleph, already staring behind her towards the source, which she turns to view herself.


    A fair distance above the group, nigh imperceptible threads oscillate in the air, occasionally catching and reflecting rays of light from the cores. Across the width of the thread, approach two creatures waving their limbs at each other as they skitter along the invisible bridge. Patches of maroon moss coat the back of their chitinous hide, the thin fibres of plant matter bouncing along in waves as their spindly legs grip each thread with tiny claws. Upon nearing the group, the larger of the two hushes the other before turning its eight eyes to face all five of them at once. The tired, unshakeable gaze of an overworked salary-man washes over Diala, a brief moment of panic within them before one of the eyes seems to shift away from something.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Say something!" The smaller one whispers, a spindly leg jabbing at their companion. "Like what?! Do they even understand us?" Four more gazes turn to Diala in sequence, her companions seemingly looking to her for answers. What do they- Ooh, right. Translation. This language sounds kinda similar to Lyla''s natural tongue, so I figured she''d understand, but I guess hers is more sharp and less... whispery? Anyway, focus, focus. I have a job to do.


    "Um... Hello?" I should''ve asked what to ask first... I don''t know what to say! "Eeeh... Ey, ey, Chu''ch''cha. It ''a speak very smooth-like, ey?" The smaller one chitters, the larger letting out a puff of air in response. "Ey, ey, ey, no ''a need to be ''a rude, ney? Say ''llo lika normal fella, whydontcha." Shouldn''t translation make things fluent? Why are they... Are they putting on an accent or something?


    "Ask if they can take us to their chu''sha." Fluffy prompts, having actually pulled his eyes away from his ''research'' without prompting for once. The word didn''t translate? I guess he doesn''t really know what it means. "Um... Could you two take us to your chu''sha? We''re a bit lost you see." "Eeeeeh... The hairy un'' know''a ''bout th'' chu''sha." "Ey, ey, must be a fancy a'' foreigner, but''a why da smooth''n be s''bordnit ta de weak''r un? It be all fleshy like." "Ey, the smooth''n dun''t got ''ny fuzz onnit. Prosly just''a servn''t ''r a slave, ne?" I barely understand what they''re saying, but I already dislike these guys.


    "Hey, what are they saying?" Lyla asks, a tinge of annoyance seemingly evident in her from them having a higher altitude than her. "I think they''re making fun of us? I really can''t tell." Choosing to take it personally, despite not even having been mentioned yet, Lyla raises her pedipalps in what must be a tremendously rude gesture for spiders to make. "Ey, da ''aven kin lookin attus all spicy like." "Dat ent no ''aven kin, Chushu. Lookit de coat, it be ''a part''uv da shell." "Ne? Could''a be ''a fancy new magus, ey? They''a love de pretty coats." "Neh, it ent. Dun''t ev''n speek da ''aven tongue. Clear ''s cream dat''s ''a foreigna''."


    "Am I winning?" Her pedipalps continue to wave in vaguely aggressive gestures, evidently taking some level of pride in their apparent confusion. "You''re not losing I think." "Perfect!" "Right, well, pleasant as this conversation is, could you lead us out of here?" "Eyy, de smooth ''n ent ''a peishn''t ''n." "''Op yer way te de bridge. We''ll lead ye out." With a mental sigh of relief, Diala gestures for the group to follow as she hops her way onto one of the threads, balancing along the precarious wire with the precision of an acrobat.


    Gol Dhee follows shortly behind, gripping with his palms and feet, and using his tail to balance with a practised expertise built upon many years of experience while Fluffy struggles to avoid shaking the wires apart with his fumbled monkey-bar grip.


    "Okay, this just feels unnatural." Lyla mutters, baffled by the dragon who simply hovers in the air, basked in a violet glow. "What? I''m clearly way too heavy to stay on the strings, and I''ve been doing this since a while back anyway. I just usually use my wings as well to go faster." "I know, but... Can you at least flap your wings, or move your legs, or just do something to make it look less uncanny?" "Um... Sure..." Aleph walks in the air, her legs motioning in a perfect imitation of ground-based locomotion, her feet even compressing against a false floor with each step. "Close enough..."


    They follow behind the two spiders, who wisely chose not to mention the baffling sight of a dragon just walking on the air, and approach the wall of white in the distance. Threads weave together in a mind-numbingly complex tapestry of densely packed fibres, forming a self-referential pattern which expands outward into solid structures forming a gigantic cylinder around the farm. Lyla audibly scoffs at the marvel, fiddling and toying with her own threads as if showing off how much better she can do.


    "Ey, we be reach''n de exit, ne? Smoothy ''n frens cen meet de chu''sha not fer frum-" "You two idiots best not have been speaking like that the whole way here." A sharp voice spits from afar, the sound clear like a whisper in the ear despite the distance. "Shi- uh, fu- um, no ma-am! We''d never!" The senior idiot fumbles, nudging his companion in a panic. "Uh, right! Yea! We''ve been perfectly cordial to the intruders!" A faint hiss escapes the senior, who dangles limply from the thread path in frustration as a new, much larger spider weaves across the web. "Both of you to the barracks before I feed you to the chs''chua."


    The pair of idiots follow an immediate suit, straightening themselves into salute before skedaddling away to a different thread path, leaving the group alone with the newcomer, easily matching Aleph in size and exceeding her in menace with a spiked carapace of steel shimmering under the cavern light. "Nice to meet you ma-am. I''m Diala, and these are my contractors." "A demon? I see, that explains it. I apologise on behalf of my subordinates. Those idiots must have heard your fluent accent and her white coat and assumed you were some snobby priests or something. They were making fun of you with that crude manner of speaking." The large spider clarifies, voice shifting from sharp chitters to the soft hum of Aoan.


    Ah, that explains a lot. "No apologies needed. I''m just glad to speak to someone I can actually understand." "I''m surprised someone speaks Aoan this deep." Lyla interjects, still showing off her ability to weave complex patterns. "All chu''sha are required to learn Aoan to help us deal with guests from the surface. Well, it would be rude of me not to return your introduction. I am Chn''n''cheina, chu''sha assigned to this platform, but you can call me Chach''n. Welcome to the haven layers."


    <hr>


    The great shadow, a being of immense scale and unknown power, subject of the ruler of nilasuun. Its mere presence was enough to bring archangels to their knees, painting the sky black and staring down upon all with an uncountable starscape of eyes. Some claim that prongs of darkness plunged from the sky to strike down at the most powerful archangels, forming ravines and canyons in the wake of each blow.


    Besides the better known recordings of its appearance in the fourth battle of the gods, there is one ancient carving from a time before even the second battle of the gods, depicting a being of striking similarity born from the labyrinth which wreaked havoc upon the surface. The record states that before its reach could extend beyond the boundaries of the central continent another being appeared, an entity of godly power believed by many to have possibly been the Progenitor themself, and tamed the creature with a burst of light.


    It is believed that the shadow still waits with the Progenitor at the base of nilasuun, awaiting the order of the master who tamed it.


    - Excerpt from Shinya Mon Lale''s ''Myths, Legends, and Divine Beasts''

 Chapter 63: Haven

    The group is led through a corridor within the wall of thread, the floor soft yet firm like a thick carpet emplaced upon stone. A gentle breeze washes through, steadily pushing away the putrid scent of sulphur and mud in place of stale earth and the distinct warmth of fabric. Light spills from the exit, wrapping around the visage of the arachnid ahead of them as they step into the open air once more. Bright red stone stands juxtaposed to the bridges and roads dyed in pastel patterns of abstract mosaics and symbols. Structures of shimmering white speckle the horizon, joined together by a web of paths and gripping from floor to ceiling in the shape of two-way funnels.


    Stopping along the brightly lit bridge spilling out from the corridor exit, Chach''n turns to face the group. A flawless black carapace shimmers under the light, adorned by a cloak of long flowing pink moss, strands hovering millimetres from the floor as if hosting a challenge in control. Dull spikes tip each joint of the eight robust legs, resting on the fabric road with small pincer claws. "Now that we''re out of the pit, I''d like to welcome you again to upper haven. We are currently above Chn, the third city. Have any of you been to haven before?" Fluffy steps up, the grime and dirt now covering him making him look more dishevelled than ever, in spite of his lax attitude. "I''ve been a few times. If I recall correctly the city I visited was Nu, or... no, it was Ch''nu... Or was it N''chu? It would have been to the opposite end of the layer." "Chun''nu, the fifth city." "Ah, right. That''s the one."


    "I take it the rest of you are new then." With a series of nods to confirm, the chu''sha turns to face each of them in sequence. "A fleshy one, I believe you call yourselves human?" "Elf." "How confusing... And then we have a demon and a child of Denkha." Goldy narrows his eyes, scratching his ear in confusion at the term of address. "I know no Denkha." "So I''ve heard. The last of your kin was the same, he didn''t recognise his own progenitor either. Divine beast Denkha, he who could forge a blade from a mountain. He is not ours to revere, but we know of him still, and your kin should too." Eyes widened, Goldy steps back, bowing his head before losing himself to his own thoughts.


    Eight pale eyes turn to match eight cyan ones atop Aleph''s head, the smaller arachnid meeting the stare-down with unwavering confidence... and excessive competitiveness. "You are not haven kin, I take it? In fact, if I''m not mistaken you are a divine beast. You bear the mark." "Fuahaha! Yes! It is I, divine beast Lyla, most powerful of all arachnids!" "You''d best be careful with those words. Some of the more zealous haven kin would take offence on behalf of elder Ch''cha." "I''ll take on anybody who wants it! Come at me!" "How energetic... Ch''cha accepts challenges freely, though that can wait for now."


    Her eyes finally land on Aleph, locked in a daze as she drowns within the abyss of the young dragon''s gaze. Pulling away, she straightens her body to a remarkable symmetry and lowers to a respectful bow. Somehow the moss draped over her back refuses to touch the ground, seemingly shortening to remain a fine width from contact. "I greet my elder." Aleph tilts her head, Lyly tilting her entire body and nearly falling off. "Elder? She''s not even a year old! She''s only like... one-hundred-forty-something days!" "Aww, you were keeping such good track before." "Hold on, I have it written down somewhere..."


    "A gaze can tell me no lies. Physical age aside, this one is by all standards, an ancient. We are not unfamiliar with reincarnation, I myself have undergone five soul moults. That is what makes me chu''sha." "No, no, that can''t be right. Hold on..." Lyla hops off her perch, flashing the threads binding the floor a highly opinionated glance before skittering by the larger arachnid to whisper well within audible range of the entire group''s enhanced senses. Chach''n politely leans in to listen to the smaller spider. "She''s actually a time traveller, I''m sure about it. The whole thing makes total sense, it''s a conspiracy about a second calamity involving unknowable eldritch horrors of the deep. I''ll tell you more later." She thinks I''m a time traveller?


    "I don''t think time travel is possible." It isn''t. "But it is cool." It is. "Point... taken? I think?" I think so too. Scratching her jaw in confusion, Chach''n lifts herself from the ground, shaking her head to be rid of the distractions. "We shouldn''t linger much longer than we need to, or we''ll get in the way of the local workers once the feast commute begins. Follow me and I will lead you to the city where we can arrange lodging for the duration of your stay." Turning around, she skitters forward, each step a choreographed tiptoe whispering quietly against the fabric. Aleph breaks into a trot to keep up, Didi and Goldy opting to just ride atop her back while Fluffy jogs. Lyly follows closer behind, performing a perfect imitation of the motion, though whether it is to mock or to compete is unclear.


    Aleph picks up the pace to catch up and trot beside. "You''re pretty friendly towards strangers. Out of all the worlds I''ve been to I feel like that''s quite rare. Any particular reason why?" "Oh, we love guests! Those from the surface bring us stories, and it is through stories that we can experience wonders beyond the confines of our cramped little cave. The fact there''s five of you is even better! I can only imagine what tales there could be from other worlds. You wouldn''t believe how boring the last guy was..." Her gait slows a minute amount, her head tilting towards Aleph. "Your scepticism is understandable though. There have been incidents in the past, but that''s what the chu''sha are here for. If anything does happen, we are the most capable of handling it. I''ll be acting as your warden during your stay, but as far as I''m concerned that just means I get a front row seat to any stories you tell!"Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Her pace picks up again, Lyly now unable to keep up the imitation with her smaller legs as she clambers back to her perch. The road bends and splits into junctions, their path winding across the network of paved fibres and leading to an intricately carved vertical tunnel. A set of wide spiral staircases twist the circumference from peak to base, walled by a mesh of webs imbued with woven patterns and depictions of innumerable tales and events. Dozens of spiders, ranging from tiny to wolf-sized clamber up and down the thread wall in clusters, their shells each coated in a variety of different breeds of moss. Chach''n leaps to one of the several threads suspended in the centre of the tunnel, a taunting glint in her eyes as she slides down. "Try to keep up why don''t you?"


    "She''s far more energetic than the last chu''sha I met..." Fluffy remarks, failing to notice Aleph as she leaps down after her. Goldy winces at the sudden vertigo, Lyly simply staring ahead, completely used to this by now. Pictograms and diagrams grow more dense as they plummet, passing by a surprised arachnid and spooking some of the local commuters before flaring her wings as the space opens out.


    A city sized web sprawls around in a fractal of ever decreasing thicknesses. All directions from the horizon to the base are covered in a gradating spectrum of threads, blocking any view beyond. Spherical structures lay suspended by thick joints, countless dots of vibrant moss covered inhabitants skittering along each joint and across the many disparate threads between.


    Aleph lands herself on one of the thick wires of thread, the large spider following shortly behind. "Never expected an outsider to just take the plunge like that, they usually just take the stairs." "This idiot has zero sense of self preservation. Don''t judge her the same way you would any sane person." Aleph flicks her tail at the rude fuzzball atop her head, who in turn skitters under her chin to escape retribution. "Say, where''s the fleshy one? He didn''t follow behind?" "He''s coming." Fluffy plunges head first from above, his hand deftly reaching out to catch a thick bar of web and missing completely, landing and tangling himself in a mesh of hair-like webs.


    "Well, that''s why we have those." "Should we maybe help him? He''s getting himself more stuck..." Didi asks, gracing him with a concerned glance. "We usually have a policy of letting people break out of our own tangles. Helps the kids who can''t cling properly yet build some character." "He too is an idiot with more muscle than sense. He''d sooner tear himself out and fall again than actually untangle." "Hey, I''m not that bad!" "You''re already snapping some of the threads." "Maybe I should help him out after all... Those safety nets are kinda expensive."


    Through a combination of determination, patient unravelling, and snipping some of the threads somehow woven into his hair, they manage to free the elf and pull him up to more stable ground. "Well, it was an unorthodox entry, but here''s the city of Chn in all of its over-saturated glory. The people here tend to have a lot of free time, so we get a lot of bored artists painting the walls to kill time. Some say it adds character, I say it''s too much." She announces with a flourish of her pedipalps. "I can lead you to lower haven straight away if you''d like, but I know a bunch of folks who''d appreciate you sticking around for a few ponds."


    "Do we have much reason to stay? A safe place to rest is nice, but beyond that I don''t see much reason not to just continue." Aleph queries, turning to the test of the group, still mostly situated on her back. "I could do with a new sword." Fluffy responds, prompting a few confused glances. "You had a sword?" Aleph narrows her eyes sceptically. "He did, but aside from training he used it like... once. And then it broke anyway." Lyly scoffs dismissively. "There''s no way... I used it all the time, didn''t I?" "You usually just punch everything, even when you had a sword. Not once have I seen you do anything other than a plain vertical swing with it." "No, that can''t be right... I trained extensively with the sword, it''s like a part of my identity! I was just holding back when I didn''t use it." "You could''ve just held back with the sword."


    A soft tapping pulls their attention back to the chu''sha, an indeterminate expression etched between her fangs. "So, are you staying? If so I can recommend a blacksmith, and if you''re lucky you might be able to convince Ch''cha to give you a piece of his carapace. You''d find no sharper blade than one forged from the hide of the eldest haven kin." "Well-" "We''re staying. I need a new sword, if nothing else but to prove I''m actually a swordsman." "Excellent! I''ll take you to your lodgings, then I''ll have to file some truly cataclysmic paperwork, and then we can see about prying some good stories from you guys!" "And my sword." "And your sword."

 Chapter 64: Forge

    Through the eyes of an ashamed swordsman


    I can''t believe they forgot I use the blade... Surely I used it a few times, right? Against Teacher? No, we were stopped before I could. Those big fog creatures? I just punched them... What about... No, I punched those too... Have I really been using it as a glorified dumbbell this whole time? I suppose it wasn''t the best quality, I did just carve it from the tooth of a strong-looking creature, but still! This new sword... I''ll use it for everything! I''ll even name it! That''s a thing people do, right?


    Light squeezes through a tarp on the wall of the small capsule Fluffy rests in, his body lifting from the plush bed it''s resting on to greet the large arachnid brushing aside the tarp. "You awake yet?" "I''m getting there." "Got news about your sword when you''re ready." "I''ll be out in a moment." The tarp flutters closed, tiny wisps of light still seeping through where it is no longer tucked into the frame. With a wide stretch, Fluffy pulls himself up, throws on his old shirt, and clasps his satchel before pushing free from the capsule into the bright outside.


    He steps onto an ornate road, woven tight and painted into an accurate imitation of paved stone, faux-iron guard rails shielding passers-by from the sheer drop to the city below. The building behind him stands suspended and surrounded by an artistically formed helix of roads, held together by numerous thin fibres creating an almost mist-like quality to the atmosphere. Spiders skitter along the road, some slowing down to glance at the unusual guest, others hopping off the rails to traverse the binding threads. A small group above pull at the threads forming the large construct, dotted with capsules, their legs weaving tight knots to fill and repair damage to the wall.


    "Do you make everything out of thread?" He asks Chach''n, eyes fixated on the faint lights occasionally emanating from the workers as they wind their threads. "Not much reason to use anything else. If wound tightly enough, silk can be stronger than any stone or metal, though it doesn''t conduct Mana very well. We do use more than just silk though. Our infrastructure really took off a few oceans before my time when metal threading was invented. We use it today for our foundations and some of our bindings." "You can thread metal? I suppose it would be abundant down here after all." "I don''t know the exact method, something about heating and spinning it. As for its abundance, you''re right. Especially at the layer edge the stone is rich in metals. I don''t know all of the Aoan names for them, but adamant and iron are fairly common here."


    Fluffy nods to her answer, his curiosity sated. "So, you mentioned my sword?" "Ah, yes. Good news for you, Ch''cha isn''t here right now but we sent message and he''s fine with us using some of the carapace from his last moult. It''s not far from the city, so it should arrive within the pond. Once it does I''ll take you to a good smith I know, they''re my great-great-grandniece''s husband, so I can get a hefty discount for you." "I see... How long is a pond exactly?" A moment of confusion, followed by one of realisation as she pieces together her mistake. "Right! I forget you surface folk use those convoluted sky things to measure time." "The suns?" "Yea, those! Anyway..."


    The chu''sha turns, pointing a leg to a bright red spire jutting from the ceiling not too far from them. "That red spike is a timekeeping stalactite. Every time water falls from the tip is one drip, I think it''s about three of your seconds but I could be wrong. The water drips into a basin below it, and when that fills we drain it and call that a pond. Water from the pond then flows into a much bigger basin in lower haven, which is called a lake upon being filled. Basins have standardised sizes, but the standards suck and fail to account for environmental factors, so each city has a different time scale. Finally, an ocean is just an epoch, something we increment whenever a significant change to our world occurs, like the industrial boom from inventing metal threading." And she calls the rising and setting of the suns convoluted...


    "The pond is half full, so it shouldn''t take long. Anything you want to do in the meantime?" "Food?" "Food can be arranged."


    Through the eyes of a competitive spider


    This is a challenge, it must be... Lyla stands atop the group''s lodgings, eyes locked in a standoff against an entire city. Thread is my whole thing, in this body at least. To see these guys so brazenly challenge my skill like this... It can''t be ignored. It is time for me to show them who the real master of silk is.


    Through the eyes of a satiated elf


    With a sound crunch, Fluffy gulps down the final bite of his fried snake, washing his throat clear with the remaining drips of the provided water and resting back with a content sigh. "You sure can eat. The last human I met could barely stomach looking at her food. Makes me wonder how she even made it down this far with such an attitude." "Do people from the surface arrive often? Also, I''m an elf, not a human." "Very rarely, and most either die in the layers below or are recognised by the gods and discard their affiliations so we seldom see them again. People born within nilasuun are fairly common here though. Enough about that though, how do you plan to pay for your meal?" "I''m sure you''ve been aware from the start I have none of your currency and little of value to offer." "I can pay for you if you tell me your life story." "Sure. Not a particularly long story anyway." "Huh... Usually takes more bartering."


    Fluffy leans back, staring up at the ceiling as he stirs his memories. Where would I begin? It''s my life story, so I suppose... "I''ll start from the beginning. I was born some eighty-odd years ago in a quaint village. I don''t remember much about it, but life was good there. We were attacked by some group I forgot the name of, or was it one person? I forget. Anyway, while escaping something happened while we were evacuating and suddenly I appeared in some forest somewhere in the northern continent with a few of the other villagers. I don''t remember who I was with, but all of them died and I nearly did too, until I was found by my master." A face of deep nostalgia covers him, his gaze lost to the past while the chu''sha twinges in the slightest hint of irritation.


    "Master raised me, taught me to speak and read Aoan, showed me how to fight, then sent me off on some convoluted mission I forgot the details of. Something about a prophecy I think. I had it written down, but accidentally sent that notebook to the surface with my only return token. Since then I''ve been pretty much just travelling and exploring the northern continent until a war happened. I don''t remember the details, but I was involved with the fighting and part of the force that drove the invaders back. After that I was invited to participate in a labyrinth dive, and now I''m here." A deadpan stare graces him as he lowers his head, even the moss on Chach''n''s back seeming to wave more lethargically.


    "You skipped the entire journey to get down here. Surely something happened there?" "Well, let''s see... I came in with a group of four or five, but they left before we even made it to see Nok." "The divine beast? What was he like?" "I don''t know. He was asleep." "..." "After that... there were a few flooded layers I think, but nothing interesting until I got deeper. Eventually I started finding all sorts of fascinating creatures like crimson basilisks and leather-toed k''ningwats, but I''ll spare you the deep-dive on those. Even further down I encountered a few civilisations like the gold-touched apes, a skittish race of merfolk, and a strange rat colony I couldn''t discern the intelligence of. Then I made it to haven."If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "But... What about the rest of your group? You didn''t meet them just before getting here, right?" "Oh, no. I kept going down from here but hit a wall in my progress at that big eye thing so I travelled back up to train and encountered them while meditating. Since then I''ve learned that I actually use Aether instead of Mana and have been training to improve my skill in that. Then we made our way down here again and the rest is history." "Poorly told history... I''m impressed you made it down so far and lived, but It''s barely been a few drips! Surely you can give more details than that! What about your master? What did they look like?" "Well... um..." "You forgot the face of the person who raised you?" "It''s not that, just... How do you describe the appearance of someone who looks completely different every time you see them?"


    "Different how?" "Different hair colour, body type, height, skin colour, facial structure, age, smell, species, you name it. I don''t know whether it was illusions or shape-shifting, but they never looked the same twice." "Then how do you know it was the same person? Could be a dozen people playing a prank on you, and from what I''ve gathered of your personality you''d probably fall for it." "It''s simple. Nobody can use Mana like they can. I''ve seen mental casting before, but they take it to a completely different level. You''ll see them perform complex spells like teleportation like it''s a mundane hand gesture, trick a flock of adult dragons into flying into a cliff as a light prank, and even change the weather with but a thought. Pretty unmistakable if you ask me." "Pretty unbelievable too." "You''d have to meet them."


    "Okay, so can you not give me more details on the story? What about that war you completely glossed over, or more about your early days?" "Can''t remember." "Can you try?" "Nope." "Come on... What about the creatures you''ve encountered? What was that kenningwad thing you mentioned?" "Ah! Now that I can elaborate on!"


    Through the eyes of a very competitive spider


    "What do you want? I''m trying to make art here." Lyla scowls at the pair of spiders, who stand chittering and waving their pedipalps in increasing frustration at her beside the half made statue of herself. Geh, foreigners. Who decided there needed to be five billion or whatever languages anyway? Can''t everyone just speak Englin or Aoan like a normal person? Ignoring the two noisy interlopers she continues to weave her statue, the dull blue moss on the pair''s backs bobbling as their waving intensifies. "There''s a designated place for experimental art, you know?"


    The statue lifts into the air, pried loose from the domed roof it had been woven to and suspended. Who''s this joker supposed to be? "Hey! No touching the merchandise!" Lyla scowls down at the pink coated spider, forelegs tipped with the same red energy holding up the statue. "You don''t have a permit to build here. I''ll have to ask that you stop or move it to one of the art plazas." "And who are you to tell me what to do? You think you can stop me? I could cover this whole city in thread if I wanted to! Er... more thread." "I am one of the chu''sha assigned to keep an eye on you. And yes, I do think I can stop you."


    Through the eyes of a satisfied elf


    "Remind me to never ask a human about animals again." "I''m an elf." "Sure. Anyway, we''re here." Fluffy rounds a corner within the tightly packed conglomeration of domes to face a large structure wound from jet black thread, standing out from the rest with its vase shaped shell. Wisps of smoke spill from the mouth of the building, filtering above into a suspended orb much like the light cores scattered around the labyrinth. "Certainly looks the part of a blacksmith''s forge." "Really? Most outsiders are put off by the shape." "Makes perfect sense to me." "Huh. Guess you don''t need the explanation then."


    Chach''n skitters ahead and unfurls the entry flap, ushering the elf inside before letting it fall closed behind them. All light from outside filters away, leaving behind the dim glow of a central pyre licking the cluttered floor and shelf covered walls with pulses of orange and yellow. The thick stench of smoke and soot seeps into every surface, drying the air and infusing Fluffy''s skin with a thin layer of grit. "Chuchu! Get you''re ass down here!" The chu''sha yells, a startled clatter of metal followed by a few resounding thuds responding to her declaration.


    A disgruntled puff of air and mumbled chitter emanates from the petulant spider wriggling itself up from its back. Brown carapace chars black at the thickened tips of each leg, seemingly imitating the near void-like cloak of moss atop its thorax, pulsating thin lines of red along each stem. "Speak Aoan, idiot. I didn''t teach you guys for nothing." More indistinct chitters follow as the spider ambles towards a pile of junk, pulling out a white stone and thwacking it against the floor several times until it glows, finally resting it between opened fangs.


    "You want me to make something. You always do. Can''t let me make something normal either. Always crazy difficult requests, for weird strangers and-" "Yea, yea, I''m a terrible great-great-grandaunt-in-law. Did you get the materials I sent here?" Another chitter, probably too rude to be translated to Aoan as the blacksmith skitters around the pyre to a large spike of dense, black carapace unceremoniously dumped in a random corner and gives it a few solid kicks. "You want me to make with Ch''cha''s... what is the word?" "Carapace." "Carapace? Are you trying to kill me?" "Heyyyy, you''ll be fine, you got this. I know you do. You always do. So anyway, how long are you expecting this to take?" "What am I even making?"


    Both turn to Fluffy, sixteen eyes suddenly bearing down on him. "Uh... A sword." "What is a sword?" This is going to be hard to explain...


    Through the eyes of a serene ape


    Gol Dhee sits along the edge of a winding path, the vibrant tapestry view of a three-dimensional city gracing his periphery as he interleaves a thin wire of silk through one of his damaged pouches, sealing the tear. Behind him, a familiar chitter pulls at his attention, the sight of his smallest companion suspended helplessly in the air by a red halo of energy, swearing the universe into submission as they approach.


    "I think you lost this." The pink-coated spider remarks, stopping by his side. "You seem like a reasonable one, so I''d like to ask that you keep your companion in check before she vandalises more property." "Fuck you! Hey, monkey! This guy''s a freak! Get him!" Gol Dhee gestures to the ground, the spider stepping back to lower the bright one where he motioned. "Hah! Now that''s more like i-" As soon as she touches the ground, Gol Dhee picks her up and heartlessly stuffs her in his pouch. "Hey! Dammit! Do you know who you''re dealing with?! You think I can''t break out of a measly bag like this?! Just you watch!"


    The pair share a nod, holding back their laughter as he clasps the pouch shut, sealing her inside.


    <hr>


    Little is known about the third great battle of the gods, less even than the first two. What we do know comes from geological analysis showcasing many massive landscape-shaping events equivalent to, if not in excess of, those of natural disasters like volcanic eruptions. Notably, the many Mana rich mountains sprawled across the Maolaleus continent are believed to have been formed in the span of a single battle between individuals utilising magics of extreme heat and cold.


    In recent years the monolith of battle, housed in Aoi''lalus, has been dated to this era, even being made of the same black stone found scattered along the continent. The depicted statue of an angel battling a demon could indicate a significant presence of demons participating in the war.


    Never ask a divine beast about this war. All who lived through it revile the memory, and some have been known to lash out at its mention.

 Chapter 65: Audience

    Through the eyes of a hobbyist


    A crude blade sinks its fang into the pale bark of a broken root, skinning away the rough skin to leave behind a chunk of dried wood. More cuts follow, each prying away a splinter of timber to round out the edges and form a rough ovular shape. Wedges and slices are carved in, building curves and nooks as the figure is made to appear more organic, the blade''s tip used to scrape away the details in hands, feet, eyes, and even fur. By the time the last fragment of wood is pried away, a pristine likeness of Gol Dhee remains, exposed from beneath its former shell.


    "Remarkable!" A diminutive chu''sha, roughly the size of the bright one remarks. Gol Dhee hands over the figurine for the spider to examine first hand, eagerly taking hold to spin and inspect every detail. "I''ve heard about whittling before, but to see it first hand is something else. I do take pride our thread modellers, but seeing the same thing done everywhere tends to get old." An indiscernible mumble emanates from Gol Dhee''s pouch, the fabric rustling by his side. "This art form is an old one. Have my kin not explored this domain before?" "The last child of Denkha in haven arrived in the central city of Ch''nch''cha, though I hear he was one of the strongest outsiders to ever visit. Before that would have been prior to my time, so you''d have better luck asking Chach''n."


    A faint hum resounds from below, stealing the attention of the chu''sha who skitters over the ledge to place a leg on a vibrating thread. The occasional pulse of essence bursts from the spider through the thread, sending vibrations of its own before the string is released and he turns to Gol Dhee. "The n''cha are asking to see miss vandal." "Fuck you." "I doubt it''s serious, they usually want to meet all divine beasts who pass through." With a nod, Gol Dhee unclasps his pouch, the bright one immediately leaping out victoriously. "Fuahaha! Freedom! I told you I can''t be contained!" "I can drag you there again if you prefer." "Ugh fine... Which way?"


    Through the eyes of another hobbyist


    Crystal chips against stone, breaking away large chunks to form a roughly spherical shape. More chips and more scrapes bore away at the rock, each cracking through and pulling away sizeable pieces of the crimson stone. The crystal hand reshapes to a needle point, scratching grooves and divots to detail the dog-ish shaped stone. With a final scrape, Diala proudly holds the figure out, born of hard angular faces and crudely carved features. "What do you think?" She asks the dragon before her, violet eyes scrutinising her masterpiece.


    "What is it?" First hurdle failed! "It''s you!" "I see... Why do I have only one horn? And no wings?" "The other horn broke off, and I forgot to leave enough material for your wings. But besides that it''s okay, right?" "Considering you''ve only recently started, yea it''s pretty good." "And without that consideration?" "It''s bad." Well, she''s honest. Can''t fault that. "How is yours going?" Aleph pushes forward a stone imitation of Diala, carved to a masterful precision and smoothed to a shine. Even tiny cracks and imperfections, nigh imperceptible on the real thing, have been imitated. Diala stares dumbfounded, almost convinced she''s looking at a micro reflection of herself.


    "How?" "Aether." "Isn''t using magic cheating?" "Is it? How is you using demonic energy to reshape your arm any different from me using Aether to shave away stone?" "We''re supposed to be chiselling though... I feel like just magicking it into being defeats the point. I still actually went through the motions for it." "Maybe so, but you seem to have a misunderstanding about Aether. Mana is magic, it exploits the unknown to perform ordinarily unnatural phenomena with minimal input from the user. Aether tugs directly at the world, like an extended limb which pulls and tweaks the parameters of everything you can perceive. Distinctly not magic." "I still think it''s cheating." "..."


    Aleph turns her head to the side, her eyes preemptively greeting the spider skittering through the entry flap of their capsule. A coat of dark moss, speckled with strips of long, white fibres droops over their entire back, covering all but one frontal eye. "The n''cha seek your audience." Upon making eye contact with the dragon, the spider tilts their head to cover the remaining eye, prompting an offended squint. "Who?" Tilting once again, a peripheral eye is freed. "We of the n''cha are the arbiters of the haven clan, those who commune with the gods and elder Ch''cha. You, as a younger sibling to elder Ch''cha, are expected to attend a hearing and carry out the test of passage."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Diala and Aleph share a look, and a shrug. "Not much else to do I suppose. Show the way." "Can I come along?" The spider turns, a frontal eye uncovering to observe the demon before being replaced by another. "Your contracted demon may attend. Follow closely, they are expecting you before the lake''s end."


    Through the eyes of a curious spider


    "So what''s a nuchu anyway?" Lyla asks, skittering in unison with the chu''sha across an almost transparent white bridge, untouched by artificial dyes. The monkey lumbers behind, tranquilly taking in the vibrant view. "How much experience do you have with religious zealots?" "I once got scammed by an old maolas priest who claimed to have a portal to the Progenitor." "..." "Gimme a break, I was a young and foolish spider who could barely say hello in Aoan." "Well, they probably won''t scam you at least. They will definitely be offended though, no matter what you do." "I''m not that bad!" "You don''t have to be." "Oh, it''s that type of zealot then..."


    The fog of threads steadily darkens, a distant wall of black pushing through as they approach. "We''re getting close. The haven clan doesn''t have a single formal leader, instead distributing leadership across several experts within different field. Ch''cha has the authority of one, but seldom uses it. If you asked one of the n''cha though, they''d tell you they have the most sway. Technically true, but really it''s the one''s they speak for that have actual authority. If anything, the chu''sha usually have equal authority to them, especially when it comes to divine beasts." "Aren''t you guys military though? I''d think that gives you less authority during peacetime."


    "The chu''sha are peacekeepers, not soldiers. No need for a formal army when you lack formal enemies. And it is us who decide whether visitors are a threat, divine beast or not." "Wouldn''t choochoo get mad if you attacked his siblings?" "When you have thousands of siblings, most of which interact with your own children, you eventually have to acknowledge that some of them will be bad eggs. We are not unfamiliar with subduing or even killing hostile divine beasts. Even the realised ones." "..." "Don''t worry about it though. If you guys were a problem I''m sure it would have become apparent by now." "I wasn''t worried." "Sure."


    As they continue the path splits three ways, leading up and down, and connecting with other identical paths to form a layered mandala of white around an enormous construct of black thread. The structure reaches beyond view both above and below, stretching far enough to the horizon to give the illusion of being flat. "This is where I part. The n''cha and the chu''sha don''t always have the best working relationship, so we tend to keep our distance. Just follow the central path and you''ll make it there." The chu''sha skitters over the bridge edge, disappearing in silence and leaving the pair to themselves. Lyla and the monkey share a shrug and set off. In completely different directions...


    Through the eyes of an intrigued dragon


    Aleph unhurriedly saunters behind the moss-coated spider, the critter almost blending in with the cylindrical tunnel of black and white patterns, reminiscent of a static night sky. Atop her neck, Didi swings her legs like an exited child, clinging to Aleph''s horns like reigns as she takes in the view. "We model our architecture after depictions of our gods." The n''cha states calmly, a hint of pride hidden within his raised tone. "Is this a depiction of the Progenitor?" "No." His pace picks up, prompting Aleph into a trot before they reach the corridor end.


    Stood before a heavy curtain of white fabric is a floating eye, surrounded by a spiral of feathers, pulsating with each twitch and motion. The eye faces each of the three approaching it, pupil splitting and contracting as a forceful Aura pushes away in silent warning. So they can summon demons too. "State your purpose." "Accompaniment of the divine beast and one companion for the test of passage." Feathers shift around the demon, cloaking its entire body and spinning in a ceaseless mass before parting once again. "You may pass."


    Fabric unfurls, pulled away by an unseen force as an intense light spews forth, accompanied by a stale, cold wind. Passing through as the demon floats to the side, the trio enter a large, spherical auditorium of white walls and transparent walkways. Dozens of black dots coat the walls, each a group of eight eyes bearing down from all directions, high and low. In the centre rests an orb of harsh light, held firmly in place by a mesh of metallic ropes. Near the edge of the auditorium hovers another larger instance of the same demon, gazing intently at the newcomers until its feathers rustle.


    "More approach. This time I am uncertain, as they speak over each other. Loudly." It states, its voice rumbling through the building. "Describe them." A faint voice whispers in reply, origin indiscernible through the echoes. "A golden one carrying a white one. The white one is of similar form to the haven kin." "That will be them." Another voice whispers. "Let them through." Each voice echoes differently, a unique yet consistent speech.


    "Unhand me I say! Fool! I will escape your grasp, hear you me! Oh, hey! Dragon! Bite this idiot for me." "Nope." Aleph turns away from the shocked spider, almost allowing a droplet of pity at the look of abject betrayal washing across her face. Almost.


    "They both possess the mark." "Then we can begin." "Welcome to the hall of precision." "We will now begin the review."

 Chapter 66: Test

    The room hums with the hushed whispers of one hundred voices, each inspecting and dissecting the two divine beasts before them. Moments pass under the persistent vibrations of wind before dying back down to a deathly silence, only broken by the persistent squirming of one spider in particular and the plop as she is dropped from the unyielding grip of a tired monkey. "Ha! Freedom! Now I can make my escape! Where did the exits go?"


    "This one is unwilling." "Does she not seek further descent?" "It is their choice to reject the test of passage." "The exits can be opened if you wish." "Though you will lose the chance of a free descent."


    Aleph sits down and begins nibbling her tail from boredom while Lyly skitters to her perch to gain a slight boost in height before taking an extremely hostile posture. For her at least. "What? Are you guys gonna stop me if I don''t do your stupid test? You think you can? I have a whole-ass dragon on my side! Am I right?" "Huh? Sorry, I wasn''t paying attention." "..."


    "We do not seek enmity with the children of the gods." "The test of passage is an ancient rite." "One as old as Ch''cha himself." "Should you pass we will direct you through one of our routes." "A safe path of descent to meet the gods." "Should you refuse we will provide you no interference." "You will face the trials of the labyrinth in full." "Our trial is trivial in comparison."


    "So if we pass this test you''ll give us a free ride to the Progenitor? Sweet." Lyly reduces her hostility by a fragment to her usual levels of perpetual aggression. Not much of a difference, but noticeable. Aleph on the other hand sits up, eyes scanning over the dozens staring back. "If we accept your challenge and fail, what happens then?"


    "You have reached this deep with your own power." "It is unthinkable that you would fail." "We will take any further questions now before we begin."


    They dodged the question, but fine. "How many divine beasts have accepted your proposal?"


    "Our eldest mun''cha has witnessed seventeen pass through haven." "All accepted." "None have failed." "We cannot speak for the n''cha of other cities."


    Feels pointless to ask anything else. Everything they say could be a lie or exaggeration and I wouldn''t know. "Any of you have questions?" Lyly continues her posturing, Goldy simply leaning against Aleph as he shakes his head. "I have a question for the demon!" Didi announces, a notable green glow pulsing from her core. After a moment of silence without refusal the feathery demon turns its eyes to the crystalline one. "Are you single?" "No." "Oh... Okay..." Giving her a gentle, consoling pat on the head with her tail, Aleph turns back to the observers. "No further questions."


    "Then we shall ask our own." "Only the divine beasts need answer." "What are your names?" "Why do you seek the gods?" "Who is your greatest enemy?"


    "Ooh! Ooh! Me first!" Lyly declares before Aleph has a chance to think. "I am the great, the one and only, the fabulous and glorious divine beast Lyla! Known by many as the divine weaver, the white shadow, and the master of unified multitudes, I once dominated the surface world with my epic battle prowess and savvy business ideas. But now, my powers have been sealed by that asshole who calls himself the strongest and this is just about my last idea of how to break free. My greatest enemy? Divine bitch Kavlaxhar, the fuck-face who sealed me."


    "The divine lion." "One of the traitors, same as Mekrotok." "A desire for freedom." "One to be empathised with." "A fine name." "A derivation of La, god of precision."


    All gazes turn to Aleph, though none seem to meet her own. "I guess it''s me next? I forgot my true name, but I go by Aleph Null. I''m descending the labyrinth to meet the shadowy figure who emplaced my soul. They seem to be someone capable of helping me reach my goal. Or goals? It''s hard to remember with a shattered soul. As for enemies, I have none that I recall, nor a desire to make any. I think angels might have something out for me, but I have no recollection of enmity with them."


    "To forget the name given by the gods..." "How disrespectful." "Perhaps the gods simply see fit not to grant names to those who already possess one?" "Reincarnation amongst divine beasts is an unknown to us." "How the gods handle such an affair is equally unknown." "The other mun''cha may know." "We should send word." "What of the rest?" "A soul cannot shatter." "Not by our powers." "The gods?" "For what purpose?" "Only they would know." "Possible enmity with the angels." "Why only possible?" "Angels are enemy to all." "Words are of little consequence." "We should continue to the test." "Bring in the subject for the test of passage."


    "An opinionated bunch, aren''t they?" Aleph remarks, drawing worried glances from her companions, except for Lyly who just seems proud. "Are you sure we should be saying things like that? They might take offence." Didi responds, nervously tapping Aleph''s horn with a noticeable lethargy. "They have no qualms about offending us, why should I care what they think?" "Fuahaha! Yes! Let''s speak all the shit we can about these guys! I wanna watch them squirm!" A faint wind tugs at the stale air, drawing the group to turn towards the unfurling fabric door, prying free from its seamless seal. A powerful, desperate Aura crashes into the room, like the roar of a chained beast seeking solace from an inescapable death.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "In most tests we ask questions and observe actions." "We seek understanding of your nature to determine your allegiance." "However today we possess a unique opportunity." "The gods have granted us arbitration over our reviled enemy." "A simple method has been granted to us to know if you are kin, or foe."


    Ten-thousand eyes pour into the auditorium, a writhing, formless beast spewing out of the tunnel as black chains grip and crush the liquid flesh binding its body together. Masses of transparent fluid reach forth, gripping at the chains only to be further restrained and compressed in an endless cycle of mounting distress. An insurmountable gaze presses out in all directions, locking on every eye in the room with many to spare, until it stops. The writhing gives way to a slow, controlled flow as each eye redirects to one common point, a single dragon at the opposing end of the room, staring intently at every part of her body except the eyes.


    "This one has committed the sin of corrupting the creations of our gods." "The destruction it has wrought is to be paid in blood and flesh." "Complete this task and you will be provided safe passage to Nilalalus" "Kill this angel."


    "Hell ye-" "No thanks." Aleph immediately stands and begins to walk away, every spider in the room stunned to silence. Lyly quickly shakes herself from the stupor, tapping Aleph on the eye to get her attention. "Hey, wait... This is a good deal for us. Kill a war criminal and get a free trip down." "No thanks."


    "It is too late for you to refuse." "The test has already begun." "The actions of this one have led to the deaths of hundreds." "It is your-"


    "Then kill it yourself. I''m not your executioner, nor am I part of your war. The last thing I need is the attention of the angels, let alone their enmity." "Huh... Good point! I''m no lackey! I don''t take orders from fools! Am I not right monkey?" The golden ape stares at her in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shakes his head. "Unfortunately so..."


    "To leave now would be to declare yourself a sympathiser of the angels." "And therefore an enemy of the haven clan." "Kill the angel, or you will not be able leave this city." "Mokh''tash, restrain them."


    Feathers burst from the ground, wrapping around each individual and binding them to the floor. "How annoying. You just want me to do it because you don''t know how to kill a being with an anchor. I value the life of an awakened soul enough to not kill someone just because I was asked to. If you think your demon the chu''sha in this room are enough to prevent the fallout of fighting the four of us, then you''re welcome to try." "Well said!" A dense cluster of Mana disperses from above, five spiders coated in pink moss revealing from behind a cloak of bent light dropping from the ceiling, spearheaded by a familiar face. Feathers freeze and shatter under the heavy pulse of energy emanating from the largest one. "Chach''n! How dare you intrude on hallowed grounds!" One of the mun''cha shouts, breaking free from their illusion of union. "What? A guard contingency during a test of passage has been standard procedure for oceans." "And yet you have not been in attendance since the age of the broken stern!" "We always attend in hiding like this. You guys never complained about our absence so we just assumed you knew."


    "You have departed from us." "Calm yourself and return to unity." "Remember where we are." "Yes, I- we apologise for the outburst." "You are correct about procedure." "This is on us for never following up on your apparent absence." "Our stance remains firm, however." "Should they refuse the test, they are an enemy to our clan."


    "Don''t forget, it isn''t the n''cha who decide who is and isn''t an enemy. It is the chu''sha. And as the eldest chu''sha in Chn, I am of the opinion that they are a neutral party, unaffiliated with us or our enemies. If you still disagree, we can settle this dispute upon Ch''cha''s return within three lakes." The room quiets down, the faint hush of whispered thoughts barely audible behind the pulsating thrum emanating from the bound angel, eyes still fixated on Aleph.


    "Very well." "This will be settled by elder Ch''cha''s decree." "Begone now, we must deliberate."


    "Fine by me." Aleph turns to leave, but is halted by the multiplexed rumble of a new voice. "Aether bearer. So you are the source of the scale." She turns again, attempting to match the angel''s gaze, only for each eye to glance away before every attempt. "You are no ordinary Aether bearer, your gaze holds proximity to a fragment. Though you have shown me mercy, do not expect reciprocation. By your very nature, you are enemy to all angels." The stale air grows stiff, desperate Aura turning focused as if staring in conjunction with its eyes, waiting for a reply. "Kay, bye."


    Through the eyes of a determined elf


    Thick layers of soot layer themselves upon the toned muscles of the elf, nestling in the unmoving crevices of each joint as he watches the billowing flames before him with an unwavering stare. Tiny claws brush against a lock of imperceptible metal wires, pulling them through the roaring pyre of flames and winding them together as the come out, a mere hair''s breadth of energy shielding the fragile spider from the glowing hot alloy.


    Each blink of his eyes washes away a buildup of dust, each closure lasting longer from the prolonged exposure and increasing fatigue. He hasn''t blinked even once. I suppose spiders don''t even have eyelids, but still. How can he see? Another blink, longer than the last, and a waver of his head as sleep beckons for him to take a break. "If you tire, then sleep. You are in my way." "No. I''ll stay awake as long as you do. I can do at least that much." "Stubborn idiot..."


    <hr>


    I see nilasuun now. Such a strange city that surrounds it... They build from materials of other domains, places completely foreign to me. A white stone, alien to the continent, crimson lumber, too hardy to have originated from here. And they seem to love domed buildings. Two more have been built since last cycle. I wonder what''s inside...


    Ah, there it is. The crevice, the opening to the labyrinth. Once again they have begun early preparations for their cyclical ritual, and once again I find myself wanting to join them. I want to see the festival with my own eyes, if that is even still what they practice. What do they eat? What do they sing? What is... down there? Does the Progenitor know who I am? I am supposed to know them, yet... I have no recollection of their face, or even their name. If I could just...


    No... No matter what disguise I use, how swiftly I travel, I will be noticed. By the divine beasts, by him... the one who stands guard of nilasuun. I have all of this power, to create, to destroy, yet... they scare me. Their power is different to mine. More complete, more... defined...


    I should get back to my garden...


    - Musings of a lonely god

 Chapter 67: History

    Through the eyes of a curious ape


    Gol Dhee steps through the threshold to the outside, any lingering staleness in the air giving way to the vibrant city winds, saturated with the scents of fabric and cooking foods. Stretching away fatigue he didn''t realise had built up, he breathes deeply to take in the fresh air and rich flavours. From behind, a lumbering figure swiftly skips towards them, skidding to a stop in front of the emissary. "Fahaha! That was great! I''ve been looking for an excuse to do that for lakes!" The chu''sha mirthfully declares, a glint in each of her eight eyes.


    Peering over the ledge to the world below she let out a few soft clicks before looking back to the group. "We''re almost at the pond''s end, would you guys like something to eat? We can wait until next pond if you''re not hungry." "I could eat." Gol Dhee muses, a nod shared by the emissary and... whatever the bright one is doing. "Great, I''ll lead you to the feast hall. Oh, and as thanks for giving me an opportunity to talk back to those idiots I''ll give you a story on the way. Free of charge. Anything you want to know about in particular? I''d recommend the tale of the idiot lion." "Ooh, I like the sound of that one! Was the idiot grey?" The bright one snickers, tapping her pedipalps maniacally. "If I may, I wish to know more of Denkha." Gol Dhee interjects.


    "Ah, Denkha. Glad to know you have some sense of heritage, unlike the last guy." The chu''sha walks ahead, an unhurried pace as she leads the group down the transparent pathway. "Well, to begin with he''s a divine beast like any other. Born within nilasuun and completed the pilgrimage. It''s been broken a number of times after, but at the time he was a record setter due to his ability to simply push away the dense earth between layers. The techniques of your people have evolved since, but his power was only to manipulate stone and metals, even soil proving a challenge, so its pretty remarkable he made it. Granted, I do think the journey was much easier back then."


    So he was powerful from the beginning. A stark departure from our current ideology. "How old is this story?" Gol Dhee asks, his attention wholly enraptured by the tale of his history. "Oh, older than our concepts of measuring time, it comes from before the decline began, I believe the surface folk call it the calamity? Anyway, it''s old. Too old to know all of the details I''m afraid, but thanks to Ch''cha we still know the highlights." "I see. Please continue." She nods, turning back to face the now opaque path as they follow a bend into a cluster of oblate buildings. "After becoming recognised by the gods, he made his stake on the surface. Like many divine beasts before and since, he created his own kin in a place I forget the name of. A desert or something."


    "Aoleu''lothas. This is the kid''s story about a kingdom of gold-furred beasts who got pulled underground by their god, isn''t it?" The bright one suggests, adjusting a knitted pair, or rather octet, of glasses to make herself look smart. "Oh? You''ll have to tell me that depiction some time." "Maybe later..." "Anyway, yeah. He built a kingdom for his people, but some time after the calamity many kingdoms developed an ire towards divine beasts. Denkha''s people were especially harmed by the endless wars, so he and several other divine beasts asked for sanctuary and they were given it within nilasuun. Most who remain in the layers above come from this era, the labyrinth is cruel and unforgiving to outsiders, but to those who call it home it hosts bounty beyond comparison."


    "Is that all? I was hoping to learn more of Denkha''s nature." "Hmm... Far as I''m aware, not much happened since. I think he had a falling out with one of his descendants, but otherwise I don''t know. History tends to be tricky like that. If you want to know more about Denkha himself, ask Ch''cha when you meet him. He''s actually met the guy. That''s enough story from me though, we''re just about there."


    Through the eyes of a groggy elf


    "Awake." I wonder if a ground-bask could swim... "Do the wakening." It has all of the parts. Wings could act like fins. "Hey, hey! Fuck, what''s the term for this?" Though they always float, so I guess we''ll never know. "Your weapon is done, foolish flesh thing! Stop being asleep!" Kinda noisy, isn''t it? Fluffy wrenches his eyes open, a coagulated crust of soot crumbling away as he tries to gather pieces of existence back together. Ash... Right, I was in a smithy... for... My sword! He jolts to a stand, a smokescreen puffing up around him from the sudden motion and brushing over the deadpan arachnid by his side. "Finally. You sleep heavier than the rocks I melt. Come see my work." The blacksmith chides, unfettered by the extra smoke as he simply breathes it in like any ordinary air.


    Rubbing the sleep, and coal dust, from his eyes, Fluffy steps over to the low shelf by the dimly glowing furnace. Atop lies a giant sword, carved from dense, black carapace into a wide-bladed claymore, competing with Fluffy''s waist in width and exceeding him in height. Red and white metal embeds itself within the core, exposed along the fuller with a chaotic pattern of intercrossing lines leading from the tip to the blunted ricasso and winding into the crossguard and thread-wrapped handle. A single finger runs across the blade, any imperfections beyond perception across the smooth chitin, pressing together into a razor-thin edge which almost pulls at the world, begging to cut.


    Fluffy grips the hilt, straining against the weight as the blade challenges him to bear it with his raw strength alone. The wind parts for the edge as he raises it with both hands, refusing resistance to its ascent. "May I swing it?" "Don''t break my things." He nods, turning to face his blade as he narrows his mind. Cut nothing but the air... Aether pulses through his body, spreading across the fang of the sword as it travels an arc through the space before him, prying apart the air and leaving a vacuum gap in its wake. The workshop flinches at the subsequent implosion, objects chattering together before returning to a serene observation. "It''s perfect."


    "Of course it is perfect. I made it. Fool." "I will name it... Obsidian Edge." "Eh? Stupid. I don''t make out of glass. It is chitin, idiot. And adamant. And adamantine and adamantite." "Aren''t those... the same thing?" "The fuck? Do you have mush for brains?" "Uh, no. My mistake... So how about Divine Edge?" "Name it whatever. I don''t care. Now leave, and tell Chach''n to pay me." "Ah..."


    Through the eyes of an interesting dragon


    "Come on, you''ve got to have something. Anything!" "Like I said, all interactions I know of were in my first life, the memories of which are locked to me. There was that one we met a while ago, but I was hidden at the time and barely saw a thing." Aleph munches on her portion of grilled caterpillar, her voice perfectly clear in blatant defiance of her full mouth. The chu''sha to her side thumps her, tearing apart her own equally large platter as she relentlessly hounds the dragon. "You guys weren''t shocked or confused when the angel appeared, and you in particular didn''t seem phased in the least. Not to mention, you seemed to know more about it than we do. You''ve gotta have at least a short story, or even just some fun facts!"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Well... I can give you a rough outline of their societal structure. Anything above archangel is a bit fuzzy though." "Oh, shi- uh, yea! Definitely! Go ahead." With a final bite, Aleph licks her plate clean, nobody else even half way finished. Leaning back, her eyes drift over the feast hall, filled with a wide spectrum of moss-coated spiders eating and conversing, a few even bringing their food to the ceiling to eat alone. It''s a pretty complex affair, and if I try to explain everything I''ll just end up confusing them with what I don''t know. Let''s just start with the simple things I do know.


    "An angel is any being which has been granted attunement to angelic energy, a distinct pure energy like Mana and Aether." "I thought they just used Mana. The one we have chained up definitely does." "Angelic energy is a fickle one, much closer to unbound energy than the others. If left alone it will quickly convert into another energy, and if attuned it will remain so. In essence this gives them the ability to use any pure energy they want, even those unique to the Ahvi''salThe first one." "The what now?" "Powerful beings." "Yea, I felt that much..."


    "Angels are the lowest rank, unless you want to count worshippers and apostles, but pretty much every pan-dimensional society has those. When they get old and experienced enough they''re granted the rank of archangel." A small corner of the table grows quiet, Didi emitting a strange yellow glow and Goldy pausing his meal to listen in, more out of curiosity than anything. The silence permeating from one spider in particular seems to dim even the loud cacophony of the banquet hall, still bustling vibrantly and unfettered by this one conversation, yet almost muffled within the confines of one small space. Lyly of course just continues eating, completely ignoring the others. "Is there... anything you want me to elaborate on?"


    "Who grants angelic energy?" "Hmm... I think that would be the adjudicators. I''m not certain, but that makes the most sense to me." "Who are the adjudicators?" "My memories of them are intrinsically linked with my first life. I know they are powerful, and that there are none in the vicinity of this dimension." "How powerful are the archangels?" "It varies wildly, but you can expect any archangel you meet to be as capable as needed for their post, be it power or skill. The upper bound goes beyond anything I would expect from this world, but equally they can only allocate so many of themselves." "How do you kill an angel?" "..." "Sorry, you don''t have to answer." "It''s fine. The same way you kill anything else. Render its vessel unable to host a soul. If they have a pure heart though, then that''s what you have to destroy, and that is only feasible with one of your own. Is that all?"


    Chach''n stands from the table, her food left half abandoned as she turns to the dragon with a polite bow. "That will be fine. I apologise for the rude questioning, but that ''story'' just paid for your entire visit. I need to go now, your lodgings aren''t far, but if you get lost just call for one of the chu''sha watching from afar." With hasty steps she skitters away, disappearing over the platform edge. Sound returns to the hall with her departure, a pressure unknown to all but four lifting from the room. "Huh? When''d she leave?" All but three.


    Aleph stands, the group having either finished their meals or stopped eating, and sets away at a relaxed pace. Lyly bounces her way to her perch, making sure to jump on Didi along the way, while Goldy strolls beside. "Hinya... Who is Ahvi''salThe first one?" "Huh... Good question..." She pauses, her lumbering body blocking the exit to the hall. " Ahvi''salThe first one is... someone... Something? An idea, or... I''m not sure. The Ahvi''salThe first one are all separate beings, but the first one? I can''t tell if this is a memory I even have." Pulling herself from stupor, she notices the disturbed looks from her companions and the frustrated glares from spiders having to squeeze around her to exit. "I don''t know. I''ll have to think about it."


    The walk back to their accommodations is slow and filled with an awkward silence, each individual either lost in their own thoughts or too full to care. Upon reaching the spheroidal building they part ways into their own capsules, the fabric barrier brushing against Aleph''s scales as she squeezes inside and curls up. A lot of angel stuff today. Maybe I''ll remember some more tonight.


    <hr>


    I open my eyes.


    This is becoming more familiar. I''m remembering what I need faster each attempt. What am I this time?


    Three eyes. Something odd about the middle one. Two arms, two hands. Two legs, and... fur... so much fur. I feel like I''ve seen a species similar to this before. No matter. This body should be easy enough to figure out. Fewer limbs than what I usually have to deal with.


    Where am I? I press my hand on the thin film above me. Nothing. This body has no strength. This world has no Aether. Aura alone isn''t enough to stand with this body. Not after formatting. Do I just wait? Why is there no Aether? Should I attune to Mana instead? No... Icky... There''s always Aether. It''s just too thin to see. I must narrow my mind.


    The film recedes. They seem... Agitated? Confused? Excited? I don''t know this species'' mannerisms. One of them lifts me. Holds me close. I recognise this gesture at least. A compassionate kind. Better than... Better than what? I can''t remember. It should be that way.


    I have finally attuned. So little Aether to work with... It didn''t take long I suppose. Oh, years? Felt shorter. Why are they confused? Have none of them attuned to Aether before? They didn''t know it was possible. How strange...


    My memories are starting to come back faster now. The Aether helps, but... still so little. They are concerned. My memories have shed light on my strange behaviour for them... But have provided no placation. They seem... apprehensive. Am I not what they wanted? Why would they be the ones to decide who I should be. An odd people. I am no different of a person than I was before. Or... maybe I am?


    They seem afraid of me. But they are a compassionate people. They believe my words. They help me gather Aether. It is used extensively in their technology. The technology they possess is... remarkable. The centre eye helps them see pure energies. I am yet to figure this out. It is so foreign to me. I simply feel the energies by intuition. I have this special eye on my body, yet its function eludes me. No matter. I have a mission. Or is it a goal? A desire? Semantics are hard with such scattered memories...


    I am... close... I only need a pure... and anchor. But they are... Do they think I... threat? I must not remember... want me to. An ultimatum. No, a request. I will... my name. I will remember... My name is...


    This was a mistake... There... so many... shouldn''t... I... angels... my fault...


    I-


    <hr>


    ...


    Silence. A voiceless world, and a voiceless mind. Violet eyes swirl with a torrent of emotion, flooding through from a forgotten space in time, another piece of a shattered soul clicking into place. "I see..."

 Chapter 68: Elder

    Black scales stand juxtaposed to the pristine white floor, woven into faux-marble. Violet eyes scan impatiently at their surroundings, a thin ocean of Aether feeling at the world until one being comes into view. Finally. Aleph steps forward, meeting the confident gaze of a recently invigorated elf, a light sheen of sweat coating his skin and a hungry claw strapped to his back. "You''re ready? Let''s go." She bluntly states, walking towards the sealed entrance to a vertical tunnel. "You''re not going to ask about my new sword? Or where I''ve been this whole time?" "She''s been like this all morning. Bad dream or something, but whatever it is has renewed her sense of determination to dive headfirst towards death." Lyly mutters, too tired to properly argue.


    "Weren''t we going to meet that divine beast? We still have that mess with the n''cha to deal with." "He can wait. I don''t want to stay this close to an angel, the risk is too great." They approach the seal, a sizeable arachnid stepping up to meet them. "Halt! Acha business chach ''n ." I still haven''t quite figured it out, but this is a clear derivation of Aoan. Almost a one to one in some respects, though with a different phonetic inventory. I should be able to hold a conversation at least. "We want to leave." The spider brushes its jaw, turning back for a moment to whisper to its companions. "Permission Sha''ch. Chu''sha cha''mch." How frustrating...


    Before she can contemplate brute forcing the issue, a thin thread suspended above them begins to vibrate violently. The spider in front stretches one of its long legs to grip it with tiny claws, blocking the traversal of vibrations and responding with a few of its own. With a sharp exhale, it turns around and waves to the other spiders surrounding the seal. "Open up!" Without missing a beat they get to work, pedipalps weaving symbols of light into the air and firing a pulse of red into the metallic disk. Pieces unhook, twisting out of place and winding through each other in a mechanical dance before spiralling open to a sheer drop, walls coated in strips of thread.


    Aleph leaps in the moment it''s wide enough, Fluffy, Goldy, and Didi following shortly behind after actually waiting for it to finish opening. The descent is brief, the thinnest of the layer boundaries yet, barely comparable to a small skyscraper in its width. Yet the layer below is anything but, the ground imperceptible through the faint fog of dust and beyond the reach of Aleph''s Aether. She continues to dive for what must be minutes, only flaring her wings to slow down once the ground is in view. With a sigh of relief, she lands on the harsh, rocky floor, filled with hostile spikes and covered in cracks. "Much better. I can''t feel its energy from here."


    The clink of glass landing gracefully on the tip of a spike follows, subsequently overshadowed by the haphazard crash, spinning a cloud of dust into the air, and finally the silent glide and tap of feet softly gracing the ground. "Care to explain yet?" Lyly snarks, legs already poised to strike. "We''re a group, so your impatience affects all of us. We have a right to know." Fluffy reasons, brushing off the layer of dust clinging to his skin. "I was uncertain until yesterday, but now I remember more clearly. I am an enemy to the angels, don''t ask me why, and if they find me they will stop at nothing to kill me. Staying anywhere near that angel is a risk I don''t want to take."


    "So, if it wasn''t for the angel?" "I would still want to go. My goal is time sensitive, but I don''t remember by how much. Every second I wait could be a second I needed and I wouldn''t know until I get where I need to be. Wherever that is..." "So we''re not diving headfirst into danger this time?" "No. I''m happy to wait on this layer or even go to another city if we really want, though I''d prefer to just continue on." The group pause for a moment, each taking the time to think on the situation. "Muscles, you''re probably the most sensible one here. What do you think we should do?" Goldy pauses his thoughts to perform a ''Who, me?'' gesture. "Hoh... I wish to wait. To meet this Ch''cha poses us great benefit. I admit bias in wanting to know more of my ancestor, but the prospect of free passage below is worth patience." Can''t fault that. I guess he really is the sensible one.


    "I guess we wait then. Last I heard, he was to return within a lake or two. How long is a lake exactly?" "About thirty hours, as measured on the surface."


    Rivers of Aether flare wide and torrents of Mana burst out from the group as they jolt away from the sudden influx of thick, overbearing Mana and intent. A sharp, orotund voice spoken by the air itself hums in all directions, echoing with itself to form an almost ethereal, multiplexed tone. The group turn to the interloper, sixteen eyes glaring out, met by the might of eight enormous orbs peering through the fog and bearing down with the force of one thousand gazes. A vague silhouette pierces the dust, spanning the horizon beyond view in all directions with mountainous limbs. "So hard to see from there. Come closer."


    Lyly opens her jaws to retort, but the world obeys. Perspective warps, bending into itself and making the silhouette appear smaller, the distance vast yet simultaneously closed. A single leg slams into the ground, generating a pulse of wind which pushes away the cloak of dust beyond the reach of the few visible light cores. Black carapace, woven with crimson and accented by eight pale eyes stand immediately in front, yet imperceptibly far from the group, the intense gaze flooding over five targets, only matched by a single pair of violet eyes seeming to pull in all eight in challenge.


    "What a funny group you are. A contract-bound demon, a child of Denkha, that strange elf man from a few years back, and two new siblings. I see you found someone to teach you proper use of Aether, elf, though for it to be one of my kin was unexpected. I take it you are the upstart they call Aleph, and the small one must be the long awaited Lyla." "And you... are Kixhah." All gazes turn to Aleph, a soft whisper echoing through the air, commanding the space between them to narrow. Kilometres are compressed into a hair''s width, white and violet eating into each other without restrain. "As I thought. Your gaze is much too familiar to be coincidence. Which are you? A surviving peer? An ancient? Given your form I''d wager reincarnation is involved. Were you a sibling of mine before? What is your true name?"


    Been a while since I''ve had a good staring contest. And from someone so familiar too. Now I''m certain I''ve been here before. "My true name must not be remembered. I have obfuscated my memories to this effect, but the method is crude. I know you from somewhere, but can''t place where, and trying feels extremely dangerous." "Enshrouding aspects of your own identity, evidently through manipulation of the soul. Mother would know more on the topic, and I wager they both would recognise you far more easily. My ability to see souls is meagre in comparison." Distance is restored and exactly the same, Kixhah standing tall above and below the group, joints reaching the ceiling and brushing the ground.


    "Hold up! This conversation is neat and all, but who are you? I haven''t heard of any Kaka before! Are you that Jafah guy they were talking about?" Kixhah takes a step, a single meter spanning kilometres, the gentle contact throwing a mountain of dust into the air around the tip of his feet. Step, step, step. Thoom, thoom, thoom. A thirty second delay between contact and shock-wave as he circles the group at a comfortable speed. To move so fast at such a distance is insane... Moreso that he''s not breaking the sound barrier with every motion. "You have a funny way with names for one who cannot pronounce your own without magic. Though, I suspect there is no child of the Progenitor who differs in that regard. You are correct though, I have yet to introduced myself, and as your eldest brother this is quite the failing."Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Dense, viscous yet fast flowing Aura floods the cavernscape, air turning thick and unsteady as his body holds form, gaze never having left the group. "I am Kixhah the first born, though those with less malleable tongues may call me Ch''cha or Shithah. I greet my younger sisters, and their companions. I know your names already, but you are welcome to return the introduction should you wish." A shared nod, a few looks of reverence, one of challenge, and a pair of eyes refusing to back down from their held gaze.


    "I am Aleph Null. Not much to say that I haven''t already." "I''m Lyla! A way better spider than you''ll ever be! I challenge you to literally everything!" "... I am Gol Dhee. Little more than a warrior on a journey of growth." "I''m uh... Right, yes, I''m Fluffy... ... ... That''s all I think?" "I am Diavolus Mephicostus Balvinia Amozmoni Belian Andora Durus, rank three contracted demon under Aleph." "Fine introductions, though... Fluffy? Isn''t that an English name given to pets?" "I don''t speak English." "I see. As for your challenge, Lyla, I will always accept a duel, but perhaps you should free your original first. It gives me no satisfaction to battle one who is held back." "Hey! Careful who''s secrets you spill! And I could still trounce you even with this body!" "Shame? An uncommon trait amongst us." "Nobody said I was..."


    "If you wish to fight me, then you may all come at me at once. You may have much to learn from it. But first..." "Hey!" "Ah, she''s arrived." A familiar black and pink blur plunges from the ceiling, crashing into the ground before sprinting towards the behemoth. Body flattened by the bending of space, her movements appear nigh imperceptible despite her sound shattering speeds. "You were supposed to tell me when you got here, idiot!" "Chach''n, stop running. You are making it difficult to keep you in perspective." "Seriously?!" The furious spider reluctantly stops, the world expanding around her to place her to appear her usual size, now perceptually equal to the divine beast. "Do you know how much shit I have to put up with whenever you show up unannounced?!" "Ah, but I found something so interesting. I just couldn''t pull myself away."


    "Oh, it''s you guys. Leaving already?" Chach''n turns to the group, now within and beyond arms reach. "Well, there''s not much reason for us to stay for after we talk to him." "Shame. I was hoping to pry an actual story from you guys. Maybe next time." "Chach''n, you called me here early for a reason. We can discuss the second point at a later time, but for now let us settle the matter with the angel. What happened?" "Oh, the n''cha think these guys might be angel sympathisers." "Absurd. Two of them are Aether bearers, they''d sooner be hunted down. And what authority do the n''cha even have over the matter to begin with?" "Guess that''s settled then. You''re free to go whenever."


    "We''re still not done here." Aleph''s eyes remain locked with Kixhah''s, neither giving the other an inch in their battle of endurance. "Yea! We still got questions!" "Oh yea, that too." "By all means, ask away. Be aware though, I am under the same restrictions as the others. I cannot directly assist your pilgrimage." "Neat! We had questions, right?" Aleph jostles the air-headed spider atop her skull, thumping Goldy forward with her tail. "Hm?" "I wish to know of Denkha. Is it possible to meet him?"


    Kixhah lifts a sharp, black pedipalp to his fangs, distant air whistling loudly from the motion as he taps his chitin. "That young fool... You would have to meet him to truly understand his nature. An energetic one, he''s always been. I believe his form was intended to be closer to Mother''s, yet his skill with Mana is clearly more like Father''s. Perhaps it is due to his mind? If you want to meet him, I recall he lives with Esfa these days. You can usually find them to the west of the surface. Oh! And he enjoys swimming." "Hoh..." Goldy bows, his eyes not quite able to meet the dense gaze of the divine beast.


    The rest of the group look to each other, nobody stepping up to ask anything. Guess that leaves only one more question. "I heard there was a safe route down. Can we take it?" "I cannot help you there. The route was recently destroyed by the rampage of a rogue homonculus. I am forbidden from directly helping you descend, and it will take time for the haven kin to repair the path. If I am not mistaken, you defeated Mekrotok in battle, yes?" "We won,, yes. One of us almost died." "Hey, I would have been fine." "You got heatstroke and passed out. You would have died." "That idiot... He needs to make a damned decision already."


    "No matter. If you made it through him you should have little issue with the remainder. If anything, one of you stands to potentially gain something from the journey." Didi shudders in place, a portion of the divine beast''s gaze splitting away to wash over the demon. Her own gaze falters under the pressure, unable to hold for more than a few moments at a time. "If that is all then we are left with but one matter." "You guys didn''t actually..." Chach''n mutters, already backing away as perspective shifts to keep her in place. "I can see one of you is eager." "Of course. After last time, how could I hold myself back? And I have this shiny new blade, Beast Hunter, to test out too." Fluffy goads, his hand twitching at the helm of his blade, the edge begging to be swung.


    "Chach''n, don''t interfere." "Like hell! I''m outta here!" The chu''sha leaps, grasping onto previously unseen threads and dashing away to the ceiling. The world returns to two points of view, only five sets of eyes directed towards one remaining. "Aleph, we can continue our little contest another time. I suspect it will take much longer than either of us can work with at this time." Guess we''ll call it a tie then... Aleph breaks her gaze, a silent agreement with his words and an unspoken promise for a rematch. "Now come at me, young fools. Show me what makes you."


    <hr>


    The inverting star Loa''shushoth, known by all as the symbol of rising and falling seasons. When the star shines a bright white above the centre of Avilar''s dome, more intense than any other, heat drains from the world as winter coats our continent. With the passing of four descending quarts, the star turns a deeper black than the void between the natural stars, signifying the approach of the rising quarts and an oncoming summer. It is hotly debated by many as to whether it is the weather which causes the star to invert, or the star''s change in colour which affects the weather, though I am partial to the theory that they are independent. Consequence of an emergent aspect of nature.


    It is unknown which god, if any, is associated with this star. The divine beasts refuse all discussion of its nature, Ambora in particular being notorious for outright banning research or discussion of the celestial body. Few myths do more than make mention of it, leading some to theorise about a potential cleansing of all knowledge pertaining to the inverting star and its god.


    Though we know nothing of its god or its history, it is revered all the same for granting us the seasons. Even those of Centra depict the star as part of their calendars and maintain some of the ancient festivities heralded by its change.


    - Excerpt from Oshlas'' ''Atlas of the Skies''

 Chapter 69: Lesson

    Green


    Fluffy''s hand grips the fang on his back, exposing its edge from the sheath and holding it high. Let''s see what you can do, Titan Crusher. A flash of light, of super-heated air following the traversal of a blade''s tip, moving faster than its own wielder could even perceive. Force bursts outward, an uncontrolled shock-wave focused by Aether into a line yet still pushing the group back away from its origin. A path of magma is drawn in a crevasse carved into the ground, travelling a straight path to the opposing divine beast and rapidly expanding before seeming to grind to a halt. The wave of air slows and flattens, still ploughing through and noisily roaring across the cavern, yet appearing paused as if stuck in a viscous block of space. That was faster than I had intended. Was it the blade, or have I gotten stronger since I last swung?


    Skittering back from having been blown away, Lil'' Blue returns to her unmoving perch and stares dumbfounded at the near static burst of wind. "What''s happening? Is his ability to slow things down?" "No, he''s further away than he looks. I give it thirty seconds for that blast to reach him." Teacher clarifies, stretching her claws in preparation. "You''ve fought him before, right? What did you do last time?" "Ah... I didn''t even realise it was distance. I just kept attacking, assuming he was slowing things down." "..."


    Kixhah raises a pedipalp, waving it in front of his mouth in an imitation yawn. "Are you going to attack? Or should I go first?" He asks calmly, torrent of wind crashing into his leg mid-sentence and dissipating harmlessly. "Just a test swing. I can start the real thing now."


    Violet


    Fluffy can attack from afar, but the rest of us need to close the distance. I don''t like being so far I have to use my eyes to see either. "Fluffy. Cover us from here with as many of the strongest attacks you can manage. Everyone else, hop on and I''ll carry us closer to him." "Understood, Teach." The group comply, Lyly wrapping reigns to hold onto while Goldy and Didi cling to her back. A torrent of wind whirls from the elf, the blinding flash of his every swing sending crashing waves of pure force faster than the wind can keep up. "Hold on tight." Aleph surges forth in a blur of violet, swiftly piercing the sound barrier as she travels behind the searing waves of wind, space warping as she approaches, making both Fluffy and Kixhah appear larger and larger. "Interesting strategy. But can it adapt?"


    The world twist and bends, ceiling weaving into the floor, foreshortening exaggerating to an extreme as left become right, becomes up, becomes everywhere. A loud bang follows, black and red carapace readjusting under the fractal kaleidoscope of impossible perspective, crashes of Fluffy''s attacks failing to sound when they should have hit their mark. "Where am I now? Can your eyes tell you?" He''s not actually bending space, just our perception of it. At this distance I can''t reach him with standard ae''othas, but it doesn''t need to be a sphere. Without stopping, Aether bursts from the dragon, flaring and pressing into a thin disk before spiralling out in prongs to cover a tremendous range. One prong licks at the arachnid''s leg, wrapping around and being joined by others to grasp his location.


    "Fluffy! To your left!" She redirects her charge, and the elf adjusts his target, both heading straight for Kixhah''s true position. "Ae''othas? Or rather, an advanced derivation. Now your identity only perplexes me further, strange dragon."


    Gold


    The charge resumes, all direction beyond their immediate surroundings shifting and undulating in a nauseating visual cacophony, not helped by the roar of surging winds passing by them. He will simply move again, we must go faster. Essence pools from Gol Dhee''s fingertips, wrapping around his body and pushing out to form a rippling, unstable bubble. His fists clench, an iron grip grasping at the air to stabilise their surroundings and form a cone ahead of them to push aside the wall of air obstructing their rush. With the reduced friction their pace picks up, a journey of many moments becoming a handful, yet... Crack! Just as the space around them begins to show recognisable form it bends again, the behemoth shifting place once more. The emissary leaps, a sharp burst of force barrelling in below them, originating from behind as she turns to their new destination.


    "Close, but you will have to be faster than- Oh! I felt that one. A wide sweep was clever, did you predict when I would move?" What? A loud echo of a crash shortly follows from the side, his new location compromised. I see... The warrior of green. "Goldy. Remove all of the air, there must be no friction whatsoever." His eyes widen for a moment, but time disallows complaints. He breathes in deep, the bright one doing the same, and his palms reach out. Fur grows in length, glowing a bright white as his mind grips the air around them and pushes it to a vacuum.


    Silence, save for the lively thrum of his own heart echoing in his chest and the rushing blood it propels. The scrambled blur of a world gracing his view grows more chaotic, a persistent inertia pulling him backward and to the side until the blur becomes noise, becomes uniform grey. How fast is this? The emissary''s voice vibrates directly within his ears, an unsettling, invasive sensation almost making him lose focus on his grip. "Brace."


    Red


    This reminds me of my trips with Dad. He would always move like this, though he wasn''t ever polite enough to remove the air resistance. Pretty sure this speed would actually weather me with wind friction alone. Wait! Isn''t this way too fast?! A dreadful instinct tears at Diala''s thoughts, time seeming to freeze as her perspective rapidly accelerates. The blurred world becomes clear to her hyper-focused senses, a flat wall of black chitin directly ahead of them rapidly approaching. Diala grips tight, her every slight motion feeling like a sluggish eternity before time resumes its natural pace. A tremendous force crushes her to Aleph''s back as the dragon slams herself into the wall, legs sinking a few millimetres into the surface and forming innumerable micro-fractures. Her body threatens to crack under the strain, yet holds strong, the brunt of the force from the crash seemingly having been pulled elsewhere by the violet hue surrounding them.


    With the fading of the force, gravity returns from its unnoticed absence, the wall above them having sustained what can only be considered barely a scratch from the tremendous impact. "I was worried for a second there. I didn''t realise you could redirect force like that with Aether. But still, your attacks lack magnitude." The wall vanishes from view, the horizon coated in a dark silhouette with a speed almost akin to teleportation, a mountainous leg the only thing left within clear view yet still large enough to consume their vision. I think we underestimated just how big this guy is... The leg moves, the motion not even a twitch in comparison to his true size, yet enough to slam the group with unmatched force, not leaving any chance to retaliate, block, or even dodge. Each of them scatter in random directions, the vertigo-inducing horizon returning in all of its glory as the silhouette falls away. There is nothing I can do...


    Green


    Lack magnitude? I''ve been striking with all my might! And if that sound from earlier is anything to go by, they struck even heavier... No, I can do more. I''m too used to holding back is all. I need to let loose, everything in one strike. I don''t know where he is this time... So I''ll just do another sweep. Fluffy empties his mind, nothing left behind. Not the world, not his sword, not him. Only a single concept remaining. Cut. A curve is drawn around him, nothingness comparable to his state of mind left behind the path drawn by his blade. Except... one thing remains, responding to his overwhelming intent. Aether fills the void left behind by the edge, and obeys.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    A small portion of his stock, yet one infused with enough energy to rend the world. The disk bursts outward, cleaving through everything from the air to the Mana infused to it, and the Mana fights back. Aether battles with Mana, battles with Aether, battles with Mana... and Aether wins.


    Green light pulses out beyond the speed of perception, all terrain above its source detached from its base, and in its wake a growing storm of rampaging Mana trying to cut apart the very fabric of reality, and partially succeeding. The illusory warping of space crumbles, the Mana fuelling it refusing to obey anything but the overwhelming will to cleave apart. Fluffy stares outward, scarcely able to believe the fallout of his own attack, terrain crumbling and scattering as far as he can see. I... I''m not tired at all... I could do that again, as many times as I want. I should... His hands raise, fang held tight and trembling with anticipation as he locks his focus to the point ahead of him his foe stood moments prior. What?


    "It is time we bring this to a close." Fluffy is thrown by an unseen strike, landing him far from his original position as he scrambles back to his feet. "Fluffy... I acknowledge the strength which cut into my carapace. I did not hold back my defence. But you must not waste precious Aether so readily, and your strike endangered your allies. Learn to think through the consequences of each action you take." A thunderous crash resounds to the side. "Aleph Null. Your skill is commendable, but your recklessness is confounding. You should have kept your distance the moment you grasped my scale, yet you charged on ever faster instead, achieving nothing for the risk." A heavy object follows the crash, throwing Fluffy off his feet and smothering him in black scales. "Gol Dhee. Your versatility shows promise, and your ability to handle fights above your weight class is impressive. But you simply lack magnitude. Gimmicks will only take you so far when your companions outpace your strength." Just as they try to stand another weight is added, followed by yet another crash. "Diavo... Demon. Take the opportunity that will arise on the following layer to gain strength where you can. If you don''t, you will be left behind by that of your contractors." Fluffy pries himself from beneath the dragon, a crystal body immediately smacking him in the face as he tries to breathe.


    Cyan


    Lyla lays splayed across rugged terrain, ignoring the tempest of Mana trying to cut at her invincible carapace. Stupid dragon... Stupid elf... Stupid giant spider... "And Lyla..." Oh, that''s me! "I can only apologise for the treatment of your elder siblings. I agree Kavlaxhar went too far, but as with the rest of us I am bound by treaty with the angels and cannot assist." "Huh?! Did I ask?! You think I-" Her surroundings blur, her body moving faster than her ability to see what hit her as her ears ring from an intense crash of volume. "Aside from that, you overestimate the durability of this body of yours. From Mikika''s observations I know how careless you have been in getting here." Most of that is from the dragon, asshole! "Even before meeting Aleph." "..."


    Drag slows her traversal enough to see the pile of companions she careens towards. With a flamboyant twirl, Lyla manages to adjust her trajectory to land directly atop her perch, winning in terms of grace. "Ha! Nailed it!" "Now for your final test." All light from above vanishes in an instant, the cores occluded by the tip of a flat wall of pure black. Every strand of fuzz on Lyla''s body shivers, a tremendous force of Mana drowning her senses and placing her every fibre on edge. "Endure." The ability to think proves too slow, instinct taking the reigns to direct all available Mana to defend, forming a dense and complex shield above the group, which immediately shatters.


    The world goes dark, an unyielding pressure bearing down on the group, boring them through the dense stone. Violet coats the group, shielding them from the brunt of the force while the earth below is gripped and softened. Strong arms bind the group together, preventing them from separating as they tunnel through the layer boundary, their speed refusing to waver. Light returns for a split moment, force of earth replaced by the roar of wind before returning to the crushing of stone. The cycle repeats, again, and again, and once more, all the while the group is crushed by an unstoppable push. Even Lyla''s indestructible shell begins to question its limits under the relentless crushing until finally, they crash.


    Shattered crystal stitches back together, broken wings snapping back into place as joints pop and muscles creak in the aftermath. Lyla stands, her body shaken but unscathed, and she looks around to see nothing. Even the light which should emit from her body seems to fall and fizzle away, barely enough to see the dark scales beside her. "How far did we just fall?" Lyla asks, her voice soft as if muffled by the dark. The dragon stands, body snapping and crackling as joints unsettlingly pop back into place. "I was too focused to keep track." "I counted five... but there were a few things we crashed into that weren''t layer boundaries which may have thrown of my count..." The demon offers, entire chunks of crystal growing back from having been shattered. "Muscles, how are you holding up after that." The monkey lifts his aching body, a wince as his arms flex. "An injured arm, but little more. Hinya protected me well."


    "Good, we need to stand. This is the deepest I''ve ever been, and this layer is not safe." A darkness surrounds them, deeper than any layer prior, yet filled with an unshakeable feeling of something being there. Nothing surrounds them, yet something surrounds them.


    <hr>


    Date: 2nd day, 1st rising quart, 361st cycle since the calamity. So much has happened in such a short span, it has become difficult to keep track of in my head. Some of my notes have even been lost, causing no end to my strife. The children of Alulen have been waging constant wars with the divine beasts since the calamity, each more foolish than the last. The planet itself has been reshaped to something new, a scale I thought impossible for a terrestrial globe and the likely cause of the everstorm. Avilar has now taken permanent residence around us, forming a shield of intense durability and longevity the likes I had never even considered. And now nilasuun, home to the only hope many of us held, has been tugged even deeper below, as if it wasn''t already incomprehensible to descend to begin with. Yet I suspect this is not the finale to the fallout of the calamity.


    Angels have been summoned at a far greater frequency than ever before. It isn''t that more people want to summon them either, it has simply become easier, cheaper to contract them. Demons have equally become frustrated by this, their animosity an unusual change to the norm. I have held friends amongst both collectives, yet precious few of those seem willing to return here. In the many thousands of cycles I have lived, nothing like this has occurred. How can the death of one god be so catastrophic?


    Those other beings which call themselves gods frustrate me to no end. I hear some have been seen in the everstorm constructing something big, truly big. I will have to pilgrimage to the far north and see for myself. While I''m there, perhaps I can speak to Avilar. I was sceptical at first, but there is no denying his barrier is what saved us. I owe it to him to show gratitude.


    I already find myself wanting to go back to each paragraph of this note to elaborate. There is so much to say, yet this format belies any attempt to expand. After speaking with Avilar, it is due time I put myself to real work. Someone must keep track of history where others are too finite, or tight-lipped, to maintain. Perhaps that young divine beast, the moth of ice, would be willing to host me. I hear she is starting a city and has her own plan to counter the growing desertification from the south. Her lack of affiliation with the others at least means I can at least expect her honesty.


    - Personal notes of the eldest being on Ao

 Chapter 70: Scuffle

    Interlude from the surface.


    Transmigrator


    "I''m doing this." "And I''m saying you shouldn''t." "And I''m saying I will." Silent words echo between the trees of a densely packed deciduous forest, white bark turned grey by the near-opaque canopy of dull green leaves steadily fading into a grey of their own. Wind blows through the intangible form stalking across the forest floor, feet stepping across mock earth in imitation of the real environment. "Keep in mind, it is my anchor you are borrowing. It would be trivial for me to keep you here until you change your mind." "You''ve tried that once before. I broke out." "I can pull you deeper, beyond the scope you can hope to escape without an anchor of your own." "..."


    Auvic halts his step, the world flowing all the same without his motion, his body not even there. "I wasn''t going to bring it up, but you''ve been acting strange." "..." "When I faced the world titan, you encouraged me. Even after I died several times you spurred me on until I beat an enemy I was hopelessly outclassed against." The doll twists its neck, a gesture of indiscernible intent held within her expression. "That was to teach you persistence, and to numb your fear of death." "And with the demon lord, you advised me against fighting him. You correctly determined I was outclassed, yet you never stopped me from trying. And I eventually succeeded." A dark abyss opens up within her eyes, something crawling, scraping at the edges to get out. "To teach you independence. An AcrylonThe pioneer cannot rely too heavily on their KronicThe gifted." "Then what are you trying to teach me now?" "Your limits."


    Auvic''s eyes gape dead into the void, an unphased stare with a hint of something... spicy? "You''re slipping. I''m fully aware the limits of my strength, and you know it. This is the first time you''ve actually threatened me, so I know it''s more than you''re leading on. What is so different about this Faux character?" "Nothing." Mauve tendrils poke from each orifice of the doll, tugging and prying free in a beautifully unsettling display. "You know that only encourages me more." The tentacles recede, head falling limp with a frustrated puff of wind. "Fine. I chose this planet for its ample and diverse forms of adversity, yet this timing was clearly a mistake. Beings beyond the scope of your understanding have taken an interest in this world, making our best course of action to leave, which is currently infeasible. To stay we must do nothing, wait until this event blows over lest we get involved. Though I suspect it may already be too late..." Perhaps so.


    Spider


    Eight pale white legs cling to the underside of a branch, dozens of cyan eyes absorbing the world from a perfectly symmetric shell of a creature which really can''t be called a spider. Each eye watches from the mandala of vision on its back, light of all frequencies and all directions pried and scrutinised as she stalks her target. So it''s this joker again. Why is he so near to caster? Has he found me out? Is he a cop? I''m innocent! In most countries... She wraps around the branch, her body an almost flat disc as it slides from trunk to branch, and branch to trunk, all the while keeping a healthy portion of eyes locked on her blonde interloper.


    Her target wanders the forest seemingly without aim, turning here, then there, stopping periodically to inspect a stream, or to peel away at tree bark. We have ourselves a bonafide zoologist. And a shitty one at that. Not even noting anything down. Maybe he''d get along with the elf? Nah, he''d have a field day with this- Ah! There it is again! A dozen eyes narrow on the faintest speck of shadow beneath the canopy, a vague silhouette of two orbs barely within the realm of perceptibility where light seems to be sucked away. I knew I wasn''t seeing things! Maybe he''s haunted. Fuehehe... What if he spreads it to me though... Are ghosts contagious?


    Programmer


    "I can''t eat any more..." "Yes you can." "No, I can''t... I''ll explode..." "With happiness. Now finish your last bite of dessert before I buy you another." A shaky hand reaches for the ornate fork discarded aimlessly by its plate, lifting and pressing it into the sugar-filled sponge, oozing out thick droplets of syrup from the pressure. The warm scent of fresh apricots and vanilla waft closer and closer, the amber chunk lingering by the precipice of taste. Lips pry apart, saliva primed and ready to begin digesting the delectable treat as a pink, malleable tongue reaches out to feel, to taste, to burst over the coagulated sweetness of syrup, the gentle savoury brush of the cake, and a soothing wash of cream softening the load as it falls away with a gulp.


    Ghost collapses in blissful defeat, her body battered, beaten, and a little swollen under the onslaught of fine dining. Ah... She was right. Every bite was worth the cavities... and stomach ache... "Glad you enjoyed yourself." Aeryth coos, her two chairs scooting back as she stands. "Hey wait... You''re going already?" "I have a job to do here. They''re pretty strict about my work hours too, you wouldn''t believe what it took to get even one hour a day to spend with you." "You already told me what it took..." "And you still don''t believe me, ergo I''m correct." Who would believe you of all people would willingly stand in one place for hours on end? In the middle of a festival no less!


    "Either way, we both need this job, so there''s no getting around it. Ah, did you do what I asked with the psycho?" Ghost slumps more, practically lying down in her chair as she lets out a frustrated groan. "I tried but the tracker wouldn''t stick..." "I thought that might be the case. It seems magic based tracking just doesn''t work on him, so we''ll have to stick with the old fashioned method. Thanks anyway." Aeryth lifts from her seat, her head still crouched to avoid the ceiling of the small establishment. Leaving a pouch of coins on the table she steps away, only to pause at the gentle tug on her sleeve. "Before you go, there''s something I want you to try."


    Small hands lift the sleeve, exposing the the Herculean forearm beneath. Pulling out a stamp, Ghost imprints a condensed network of symbols and patterns, blowing it dry before planting a finger and causing it to glow a gentle sky-blue. "There, now say status." "Uh, status..." Ghost waits for a result, nought but the hum of magic and a changed focus of Aeryth''s gaze. "Did it work?" "I see a blue square in front of me." "It worked! It''s a prototype I''m working on for communications. It''s short range for now, and still uses my MP on both ends so don''t overdo it. Oh, and make sure you don''t damage the array either. Obviously." "They call it Mana in this world, you''ll have to get used to that." "Ah, right. I always forget." "So, will this thing turn on every time I say status? It''ll get annoying whenever I ask for a status report." "You can change the command in the settings." "Settings?" "The gear icon in the corner." "Gear?" "..."


    Ranker


    Aeryth steps out into the open air, leaving behind the fancy restaurant and strolling to her post. It''s so much quieter than the first day, even yesterday was noisier. I suppose I never stayed in one place during past festivals, they must move around more than I thought. Laying back against a wall, she stares at the empty plaza, boredom already sinking in after mere moments of nothingness. I suppose this would be a good time to test Ghost''s new toy. "Ostende." Energy springs to life in front of her, congealing into a flat disc and pinching at the corners to form a pale blue panel. White symbols etch themselves onto the panel, drawing a frame and filling it with icons as text begins to form in the centre.


    <blockquote>


    Process initialising...


    Authenticating user...


    User BuffChik has been authenticated.


    Welcome to GhostComms user BuffChik. This demo only contains one group chat for now. You will be redirected shortly.


    Connecting to group chat Test123 sync point...


    Connected.


    User BuffChik has joined.


    Current users 2/10


    Type a message below:


    </blockquote>


    Man, this interface is confusing... I guess I just tap the letter symbols one at a time? Seems tedious if you ask me. What should I- Ping!


    <blockquote>


    PageVirtue: You joined! Miss me already?


    </blockquote>


    Wow, she''s quick... I should reply.


    <blockquote>


    BuffChik: How could I not? This job is boring as hell!


    PageVirtue: I could always join you


    PageVirtue: Being alone around this many people kinda sucks


    BuffChik: Already asked. Kav doesn''t want me to have any distractions. He''ll "dock points" if I''m not paying enough attention.


    PageVirtue: Darn


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    PageVirtue: Does this not count as a distraction?


    BuffChik: Not if I''m sneaky about it. What does PageVirtue mean anyway?


    PageVirtue: Oh, it''s a pun on page-fault, an exception that occurs when a program attempts to access an address space which hasn''t been mapped to a page in physical memory yet. Unlike segmentation-faults they''re not really errors, but instead signals for the MMU to load it into memory, except for some hardware of course. I used to get them all the time as exceptions back when I worked with graphics hardware


    BuffChik: I understood exactly none of that.


    PageVirtue: It''s a shitty programmer joke


    BuffChik: Now that I understand.


    User shothas has joined.


    Current users 3/10


    shothas: hey this looks fun :)


    PageVirtue: What


    PageVirtue: The fuck


    PageVirtue: This is a private connection how did you join??


    BuffChik: Is this one of your colleagues?


    PageVirtue: I''m a solo dev!


    shothas: it looked like u were having fun so i decided to join in (:


    PageVirtue: How?!?


    PageVirtue: Who even are you??


    shothas: am i not welcome 0oO


    shothas: i felt some mana doing funny things and decided to take a look :D


    BuffChik: Can''t you just kick this guy if they''re a problem?


    PageVirtue: I haven''t implemented that feature yet...


    shothas: want my help :3


    PageVirtue: No


    PageVirtue: How did you even hack this?


    PageVirtue: That shouldn''t even be possible


    shothas: im good with magic 0v0


    shothas: you used maroltin style runesmithing and modified it with magnus style rune casting for adaptability 8)


    shothas: but more adaptability makes outside injections easier 0w0


    shothas: your interface is cute tho even if english is a weird choice of language <3


    PageVirtue: Fuck


    PageVirtue: Who even are you?


    PageVirtue: You''d have to be skilled to pull this off, but I don''t know of anyone in this city who both could and would


    shothas: is that because ur a god seed O-o


    PageVirtue: Who told you that?!


    BuffChik: You should have asked what a god seed is. Now they know you are one.


    PageVirtue: Shit


    shothas: i have many good ears in this city -.o


    BuffChik: Do you know what a god seed is?


    shothas: over the years i have heard many things and pieced together many secrets 0¡Á0


    shothas: i have a rough idea of the concept (-:


    shothas: what will you give in return >:)


    BuffChik: What do you want?


    shothas: for now nothing .^.


    shothas: ill give u a freebie though as a friendly hello X3


    shothas: the aoan word for god seed is solo''ahosayul which translates literally as very small perfect soul 8/


    shothas: or more appropriately as infant god \?/


    shothas: thats all from me see you again next time :P


    User shothas has left.


    PageVirtue: Infant god?


    </blockquote>


    Cultivator


    Scritch. Scritch. A gentle hand pulls away at the bark of a white tree, turned grey under shade from the densely packed canopy of dull green leaves steadily fading into a grey of its own. Yet the vibrant world seems to pass through the scrutinising gaze of the blonde swordsman, trees mere points of interest in his languid yet tenacious search, and rustling leaves less than background noise. His senses focus on the narrow strips of lingering qi dotting the environment, pieces of a puzzle steadily being connected as he traverses the forestscape. His eyes diverge for nothing, his fingers surgically plucking and kneading each mote of energy, until...


    An intent, not quite malice, lacking any form of hatred yet locking onto him like a curious child deciding to break a toy. An instant motion responds, hand to blade, and blade to air in a perfect sweep which shakes the forest once from the outward burst of wind, and once again from the resulting implosion. Birds react first, flittering away from the sound in flocks, followed by numerous rodents scampering from the vicinity, and then larger creatures taking no time for consideration before sprinting away. Nothing more happens, no reactions beyond that of the forest.


    Transmigrator


    Auvic shudders, the phantom sensation of being cleaved in two prickling at his midsection. All I did was decide to attack him, what even are this guy''s senses? Still, this opportunity won''t happen twice. "Quick, let me out now. Please?" He requests, his hand taking a firm grip of his ornate blade. "Fine." His body is pulled in a direction beyond his capability to conceive of, tugging him back to the solid world in a burst of air and leaves as he occupies the space they once held. In that instant he arrived, his blade draws a straight line, running clean across Faux''s neck as the cultivator bends back to avoid decapitation. Steel clashes together, the return strike parried not a moment too soon and followed with a strike to the cultivator''s heart. Before it can land, Auvic pulls back, a small cut along his chest drawn by the swift blade he narrowly missed, and they take up a distance.


    "Ah, the swordsman boy. I take it you''re here for another sparring match?" Faux queries, the rasp in his voice clearing audibly as his sliced throat pulls itself back together. "Funfunfun, you could say that I suppose. I enjoyed our last one so much, and was oh so disappointed when it was interrupted." The adversaries both narrow the distance, each step forward that of a casual stroll, as if walking up to greet a friend. "Though I find it strange you would bring your doll to a-" Faux interrupts his own words, a high rising kick slamming into Auvic''s lower jaw immediately followed by the curving arc of a greatsword pummelling the air with shock-waves as it barrels towards the boy''s exposed flesh, clashing against decorated steel and shattering the smaller blade. The impact, dulled by a partially successful block, throws Auvic to the side, crushing him through a tree before he catches himself. Tricky bastard...


    Auvic pulls himself straight, dusting his clothes and tossing the splintered remnants of his hilt to the side. Unfastening a pouch tied to his belt, he sticks his hand inside and rummages. "Hmm... What should I do now then? Healing potions are pretty useless to me now, so I guess another weapon is all I need. There should be another sword in here. Maybe a bigger one this time." He mulls, gripping the contents and pulling out a pristine blade with a single honed edge, much larger than the bag and even himself, a glistening red adorning the enormous hunk of sharp metal. The boy throws a few test swings, easily tossing around what must be ten times his own body weight like a plastic toy, bursts of wind rippling across the foliage from each motion. "This should do. Let''s give it another go then."


    A muffled explosion rocks the trees surrounding his former position, distance once again closed as they both reach in for another swing. Trunks are divided from their roots and set alight by friction in a radius around their swipes, the detonation of their clash barely contained as wood, leaves, and even soil burn away. "Careful there. If we don''t keep quiet someone will notice us." Auvic jeers. "Perhaps I want us to be noticed." Faux claims. "And perhaps both of you should just shut the fuck up!" A new voice commands.


    Earth is flattened to stone, fire snuffed out by the powerful crush of gravity and swords chained to the ground by their own increased mass. Both turn to the new interloper, an inhuman expression dragging at the immaculate, pale skin of the face attached to the short girl hovering above them. Long, white hair flows, not with the wind, but with an unseen force gripping in random directions. An uncanny visage, clearly human, yet blatantly anything but. "Ah... She''s my type." Auvic whispers under his voice. "Don''t get any ideas." The doll chides.


    "Why do you idiots have to make noise here of all places! Are you trying to get me found out?! Go take your bullshit elsewhere before Kav shows up you raging oxygen bandits!" "We were just playing around, isn''t that ri-" "If you want to play then go join the other infants in the nursery! Stop screwing around in the one place that happens to be a problem for me specifically!" "There''s really no need to be so-" "Shut it, blondy! Like anyone would believe the words of a slab of concrete like you! If you took a personality test, you''d fail it!"


    Auvic twitches, stepping forward in irritation only for his face to plunge into the hard ground under a sudden increase in force. "What? Is the baby mad? ''Cause I''m fucking apoplectic! Idiots like you are the reason the gene pool needs lifeguards! You''re about as useful to the world as a sandwich full of soup! Do the world a service and carry around a plant to replace all the oxygen you waste!"


    Faux stands in serene calm, simply watching the display with a chuckle, unaffected by the mounting gravity. "Don''t think that being quiet gives you a personality! The only funny thing that came out of your entire family lineage was your face! Go teach your parents to embrace their mistakes so they can give you a hug!"


    "This is getting quite out of-" "Oh, the creepy and mysterious sock puppet speaks! Fan-fucking-tastic! Go find the child that drew you and stay there! Or rather, don''t! Your face would probably make all the blind kids cry again! The language we''re speaking has over one million words yet I could never string enough of them together to adequately express how much I want to hit you with a fucking chair right now!"


    "Gah! I''m going to have to move again because of you! Fuck!" The force bends, throwing the pair away and slamming them with a few broken trees for good measure, the girl floating away and shouting the entire forest into submission. I seem to have even learned a few new forms of profanity from this, how interesting.


    "Well then. Are we going to continue?" Faux asks, turning to face Auvic with an unshaken smile. "Fuck that, I''m not in the mood. I''m going back to my hotel." "Finally..."

 Chapter 71: Darkness

    Through the eyes of a fearful ape


    Crack! The world shatters. Nothing shatters. Bang! The world crashes. Nothing crashes. Crunch! Sharp teeth devour the world. Nothing devours nothing. Gol Dhee tenses his fingers, pulling at the air and igniting an intense deluge of flame behind him. The flames roar loudly, their bright flicker a challenge to the darkness, one which is consumed all the same. His essence is devoured, flames snuffed before they can extend beyond arm''s reach. Air whistles, the signature tune of a heavy object ploughing towards him. He raises his arms in defence, an ice cold prickle yanking at every hair as instinct screams its harsh warning. Was he facing the wrong direction? Is there a wrong direction? Does either matter when the darkness itself is your foe? Irrelevant.


    Gol Dhee grips the air around him, spinning it into a frenzy and slamming his fists into the soft wall of nothing, coated in a shield of fangs. His hands are torn at and shredded, but the pressure is enough to repel the attack, pushing away the wall before his grasped winds peter out. My essence vanishes beyond my proximity. Range is not my ally here, I must regroup. Gol Dhee closes his eyes even as his instincts scream not to, the organs proving a useless distraction in a place the very light is consumed. Even sound seems to muffle, but the vibrations are enough to pry at the world, to add shape to its formlessness.


    A loud snap in the distance, softened to a gentle thump. The fiery one. A sequence of heavy bangs, each followed by a softer crack, all tamed into mere taps. Warrior of green. I trust he is safe with his own strength. An unholy torrent of ripping flesh and crumbling bone, tuned into an unsettling buzz. I... don''t recognise this sound. Is it the emissary''s foe? I expect the bright one will still be with her. An approaching whistle of compressing wind, barely touched by the filter of distance. Gol Dhee defends again, this time pressing a hard ram of wind towards the fiery one and breaching the incoming attack to charge. Blood-soaked knuckles slam into the ground as he bounds in the direction of the distant snaps. The fiery one is a being of light, I should see how she fares first.


    "Another one?!" The fiery one protests, a snap of wind breaking against a hard surface. "It is I!" Gol Dhee responds. "Gol Dhee?! Where are you?" "I am here!" "Where is here!" "Here!" Their voices ring clear, yet neither can discern a direction, the vibrations of sound reaching both of Gol Dhee''s ears in equal measure no matter where he looks. "I can''t hear sound remember! And you can''t actually see my light from where you are! Translation picks up our intent to communicate, but can''t interpret information we don''t have!" "Hoh..."


    Through the eyes of a nervous elf


    When did we get separated? This place might just be even harder as a group, I can''t just run. But fighting is a pointless and dangerous endeavour... A loud crack of wind splits the nothingness, nothing revealed in its place and barrelling onward to clamp its jaws around the elf. One sharper fang cleaves through, biting back at the unseen enemy. These things are tough... No sense of presence either, or rather no Aether. And if I''m not careful I''ll trip on something I can''t see. Can Teacher see in this? Maybe I should try ae''othas again.


    Aether bulbs outward, pressing into a thin layer within the shadows. Upon exiting his form, a harsh energy rapidly chews at the Aether, ravenously eating away until nothing of the thin film remains. So this energy even corrupts Aether? No use wasting any more then. Heavy force slams into his back, blade severing the assaulting object in return as he spins and fumbles to regain his footing. Such a pain...


    Through the eyes of a frantic dragon


    I let my guard down, this is bad! Aleph clings to an unseeable object, claws sunk into the fleshy surface while fangs scrape back at her scales. Numerous entities fling themselves at the dragon, only for their defenceless tissue to be cut and torn apart by a dense shield of Aether. Her footing writhes and contorts, desperately throwing her against anything that could dislodge her grip. This is the one that ate Lyly, I''m sure of it. Normally she''d be fine, but this demonic energy... The moment I arrived my ae''othas was ripped away, even light and sound is being affected. If dense enough I can resist just fine, but Mana isn''t as obstinate as Aether, so I need to hurry!


    Through the eyes of an excited demon


    "Wow, I feel great!" Diala announces, her arm whipping an arc through the air at vibrating wind originating from the clinking of bone. "I feel... unwell." Gol Dhee responds from below, the demon''s legs hooked around his shoulders as he redirects invisible strikes with thick clusters of wind, flinging rocks into the nothing to clatter and make noise against their surroundings. "I guess that makes sense... All of this demonic energy is infused with the desire to eat. Doesn''t really affect me all that much, but it must be eating away at your Mana and body." "Indeed. We should make haste and find the others. I may collapse if this persists."


    A burst of wind slams into the pair, clashing against Gol Dhee''s torrents and chipping Diala''s shell in a line. "Was that Fluffy?" "It must be so. Hold tight." Inertia pulls her back as the monkey charges towards the source of the blow, muffled cracks of wind growing sharper as they approach. "Fluffy!" "Tiny? Where are you?" "Over here!" "Where is here?" "Oh, not this again!"


    Through the eyes of an exasperated spider


    How many times have I been eaten in this body alone...? It''s kinda starting to hurt my pride when it''s the first damn thing that happens on a new layer! Lyla lays immobile within a squelching mass of pulsating flesh, her body chained by the crushing pressure enveloping her. Each pulse squeezes her deeper through the uncomfortably wet tunnel, leaving her barely able to breathe. If I''m not moving or anything I can hold my breath and stave off hunger for days, or at least a few hours with the Mana I have left, but hopefully the others will pull me out by then. I''m gracious enough to wait until that happens. It only stings a little after all. Wait...


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    A flicker of uncertainty, the early twinge of onset panic nestles within her core. Why am I feeling pain. Not nausea or vertigo, not discomfort or confusion, but pain. Actual pain. A burning sensation gnaws at the surface of her carapace, the feeling of nerves slowly being eaten away by acid and something else, something dangerous yet unfamiliar. This body is invincible! I''m not running out of Mana or anything so why... I''m running low on Mana... How? I''m doing the same stuff I always do, it should just... Her senses focus on the energy coating her body, its endless push outward to reinforce only to be plucked away piece by piece as soon as it leaves her body. This is bad... This is bad!


    Lyla struggles, legs pushing against the malleable walls confining her. They resist. Her fangs scrape at the flesh, her claws gripping any part of the slick surface they can. They slip. She yells. She curses. She grows enraged. The dark ignores her. She calls to her other bodies. They are too slow to respond. She stops. Her panic all the same, but her body too sore to struggle, too low on Mana to properly defend. Am I going to die again? This body was supposed to be unkillable... I was so close... Yet again, it seems nobody cares when it''s just another me... I''m sick of this...


    The pressure lifts a minute fraction, enough to give slight leeway to her movements. Her environment writhes, jerking and shaking as something sharp clinks against her back. Chance! As if by instinct, her body twists and her legs snap into place around the sharp object, refusing to free her grip from the smooth and slippery surface as it tugs and yanks her through a hole in the wall. Suffocation breaks away, claustrophobic darkness giving way to a deeper yet more freeing world of shadows. "Yes! Freedom! Dragon?! Is that you?! You are my favourite person ever! I am immediately updating my tier list!" Me on the surface! Update my tier list! Dragon is now SS tier!


    "Tier list? Anyway, I''m glad you''re okay. I think. I still can''t see, so if you''re hurt you''ll have to tell me." Inertia whips and bends the duo until it abruptly stops, nothing left but the unnerving torrent of squelching flesh and crumbling bone resounding within arms reach. Lyla clambers to her perch, resting her nerves as the world returns to a state of peace and sense. The dragon says nothing about the small river of uncomfortably thick fluid oozing over her face from the lightly trembling arachnid. "Wait... You can''t see either? How did you find me?" "Your Mana. It''s way harder, but I don''t need Aether to see the pure energies, and you release a lot." "You saying I smell? I might bump you down to S for that." "What?"


    The dragon steps onward with an uncanny calm, an unwavering confidence in the safety of the situation. Tier list has been updated! Oh, that felt quick! Wait... My Mana gets consumed before it can leave my body, how did I communicate with the surface? Well, the dragon did once say something along the lines of ''Mana always finds a way'', so it''s probably something like that. Squelching of torn flesh is met by the crack of pressurised wind, both mounting heavy destruction upon the emptiness. "Found Fluffy." "Oh, Teach? Is Lil'' Blue with you?" "What? You miss me or some shit?" "Ah, good. That makes all of us."


    Through the eyes of a relieved dragon


    Following each other''s voices, the group manage to reunite. Everyone stumbles upon Aleph''s back, struggling to fumble their way through the dark and onto the dragon. "We need to leave immediately. This layer is crawling with life, none any less aggressive." "Which way?" "I don''t know. Wherever the corruptive energy is least dense, preferably." "Corruptive?" Aleph darts off, shield of Aether tearing apart enemy and terrain without discrimination. "I think he''s referring to the demonic energy." "Demonic energy doesn''t corrupt though. Maybe if you try to attune to it, but I would just say that kills you." "Well that''s how my master described it. Why is there so little obstruction? I was expecting to be assaulted from all sides." "We are." "What?"


    The sounds of death and dismantling surround the group, yet not a single speck of dust or debris reaches them. "I''m tearing apart anything that gets close." "How?" "Aether." "That''s... You can do that? Even to living things?" "Not if they have a lot of pure energy like you guys, but these things have none. No Mana, no Aether, nothing. They seem to have adapted to this environment by abandoning all pure energies, which would just be consumed anyway, and developing tough bodies instead. But that makes them vulnerable to basic attacks like this." Rushing towards an unknown destination Aleph pushes her senses to their limits, arcing her charge to follow the slight decrease in demonic energy.


    Terrain shifts and undulates beneath her sound shattering footsteps, each point of contact burrowing in and releasing unheard shock-waves behind them. Attacks grow sparse, her movement too fast for anything to possibly keep up, and yet... something wraps around her foot, undeterred by her wall of Aether. The charge which went undisturbed for minutes, if not hours, torn to a screeching halt, inertia slamming the group against themselves as they are dragged down, down, down, down, down... The world grows darker and darker, more and more silent, filled with a nothing beyond perception. Only inertia and touch remain, the silence threatening to numb even those as inertia expresses its departure.


    Nothing surrounds them.


    <hr>


    Record 1


    Hypothesis: Summoning of an entity with an awakened soul from between dimensions can be done forcefully with sufficient information on the subject.


    Method: Data from angels known from prior to the deprecation is to be compiled and used i


    Record 2 - Post Mortem


    This experiment has been cancelled following the advent of our peace treaty with the angels.


    - Extract from the Progenitor''s notes

 Chapter 72: Void

    Nothing. The absence of something, or rather something in the absence of anything. Direction as a concept is refused, no sound to be located, no light to be viewed. Aleph speaks, but the vibrations fail to escape her form. The pressure of her companions lingers on her back, the only sign of their presence. The entire universe condensed to the triggering of a few nerves. She blinks, two films meeting each other in gentle union, pressing together and sliding back across the thin membrane protecting her eyes. No light is blocked by the motion, none to be impeded, not even the speckles of ambience which should be reflecting particulates within the vitreous fluid of each eye, nor even the illusory wisps of light one expects to see while closed. A true, absolute nothingness.


    Aleph takes a step, but fails to find ground to stand on. Gravity itself abandoning her senses, the endless sensation of motionlessly falling in no direction assailing her every organ, every vein, every nerve. Aether presses against the nothing, but there is nothing to press against, her form and those of her companions the only space which seems to exist. In frustration, she swipes her tail at the void. Her universe changes shape, but nothing more. Absence of anything to care, yet the presence of something to respond.


    Two lines. A benign construct, infinitely more than what preceded. A point of reference, the world granted direction. A sign of something, the nothing brought to existence. No light reaches Aleph''s world, only able to grace her eyes like the dim yet vibrant glow of an unthinkably distant star. Another world like hers, one she cannot reach. Each line stands in symmetry, perfectly mirroring each other with a small gap between. Tips of the lines narrow to a fine point at each end, those in the middle ending flat to form two intensely thin isosceles triangles. The base of the triangles seem to expand, slowly, patiently, without hurry. The gap between reveals curve, a shape being drawn in the empty space. Curves expand, and expand, and expand until they meet, a circle of nothing carved into the now singular line, which continues to further widen, and widen, and widen.


    And the void opens its eye.


    Gaze empty, devoid of intent, thought, or emotion.


    And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes.


    Analytic observation, saturated with scrutiny yet absent of life.


    And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes.


    Being without soul, without mind, yet being nonetheless.


    And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes.


    Stars become clusters, become galaxies, a tapestry akin to the night sky.


    And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes.


    More light than dark, a night sky turned day beyond daylight.


    And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes. And the void opens its eyes.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The void is tamed, encapsulated, held within innumerable cages of white, the formerly black universe replaced by a homogeneous wall of eyes. Aleph meets the gaze of the universe, yet the universe does not meet hers, staring at her, through her. A scrutiny more akin to that of a machine processing information than the analysis of anything alive. She peers at her body, Aether''s push still refused by the confines of space. The world is saturated in light, yet none reaches her body, only visible now from the absence of white. She raises her paw, occluding the light. Where there is nothing, there is something. And that something is her. Turning around, her companions bear the same silhouette, their forms carved out from the horizon.


    Atop her head a small bundle curls into itself, listlessly floating as a tether binds it to the dragon''s horns. At the other end by her hind legs a large figure shivers, a hazy outline of scribbles dancing its outline as thick palms hold outward, seeking something to grip. In front of that, a taller silhouette almost stands from her back, one hand extended into a long claw which challenges the stars. And by her neck, a simple figure lays motionless, almost lifeless if it weren''t for the oscillating strength in its grip as it wraps around her.


    Aleph kicks her legs, any resulting movement imperceptible. She pushes outward with Aether, but there is nowhere for it to move. She, and her companions, simply float. Helpless under the unyielding gaze of countless eyes. Subject to the whims of whatever holds them within its grasp. Winding curves carve against the horizon and draw themselves around her, their distance impossible to determine with sight alone as they seem to wrap around her and the demon clung to her neck. Smooth material melds with her silhouette, a tight yet harmless grip around her legs. A gentle tug tries to pry them apart, but the grip remains firm. More attempts follow, but none find success.


    Failing to separate them, it instead tugs directly at the dragon, turning her around to see a flat disc of impure black, lacking the absolute nothing she had almost begun to grow used to. The disc grows larger, encompassing half of the world until the heavy pull of gravity returns, wrenching at her organs and pulling her the rest of the way in. Vision returns, a dark yet full world surrounding them. Sound returns, a loud, indiscernible rumble rocking their bodies. Touch returns, harsh winds pulling them in synchrony with gravity. Smell returns, the acrid scent of decomposition and the stale ambience of thick dust joining them. Colour returns, violet Aether pushing against a formidable but permeable wall of demonic energy to once again grip the world.


    I can move. Wings flare and Aether surges, a powerful flap launching her against gravity and into a soft stone wall. Claws grip into the rock, Ather chaining her in place as she tugs the air within reach of her companions. "Everyone okay?" She asks, her voice cutting through the uproarious torrents of wind. "I''ve never felt better hearing someone else''s voice." "I... Merely unsettled. I am without injury." "I feel sick..." All of them respond at once, their voices unable to reach each other, but sill picked up by the field of Aether protecting them.


    The group gaze up, or rather down towards the ravenous mass trying to pull them in. A sphere of pure black holds suspended in the centre of an enormous cavern, launching waves of all consuming energy which lick the world and pull everything they touch back to their source. A cascade... So that''s where all of this energy is coming from. Everything is rapidly devoured, stone, air, light. Everything that is, except for the patches of crimson matting the cavern walls. A layer of tremendously thin, black and red leaves which stand in stark defiance to the unyielding desolation trying to carve the world away. Their pulsating glow rejects the destructive nature of the ambient energy assailing them, as if containing the destructive force. Holy shit... Is that demonic moss?


    Prying her eyes from one of the true marvels of nature, she returns her focus to the companions on her back. Lyly continues to dangle, Fluffy and Goldy cling tightly, and... "Where''s Didi?" "Huh?" "What?" "Hoh?" Aleph''s tail searches her neck and back, every position the demon could be proving as empty as the space she was once occupying. "She''s gone! Where''d she..." Her gaze returns below, to the gluttonous mouth trying to feed on anything that exists. I can''t survive that... I don''t think any of us can. How is anyone, divine beast or not, expected to survive this? Is this really the final hurdle Kixhah mentioned? Just being near it is eating away at more Aether than I''m comfortable losing. But she''s a demon... Can a rank three survive something like this though?


    <hr>


    A being of unfathomable scale. One which eclipsed the dome and threatened the very planet during the apex of the second great war of the gods. An angel beyond anything we would classify an arch-


    [Page torn, remaining text indecipherable]


    - Excerpt from Shinya Mon Lale''s ''Myths, Legends, and Divine Beasts''

 Chapter 73: Cascade

    Through the eyes of one on the precipice


    I''m hungry... So hungry... Where am I? It hurts...


    "You know where you are."


    I do? That''s right. I do. I saw the cascade, and I jumped... because I was so... so... hungry? Is that right?


    "Is it?"


    It can''t be... I don''t get hungry. So why am I...


    "You tell me."


    The cascade. A mass of demonic energy, and it''s infused with the desire of gluttony. I was absorbing that energy like I normally do, but... I let it influence my own desires... I didn''t even notice... I''m such an idiot...


    "Correct. You failed the most basic lesson every demon is taught and let your energy influence your desires, rather than the other way around. You were taught better than this, Dee."


    I don''t need the lecture Dad... Wait, Dad?


    "No."


    Oh. But you talk just like him. And only he calls me that. And this is my dream so you can be whatever I want.


    "You think this is a dream?"


    It isn''t?


    "What do you think a dream is?"


    A story told by the mind. Ambiguous scenarios and memories, melded and played out together. There are also those subspace dreams some demons can create. Is this one of those?


    "No, those are still constructs of the mind. This is something more akin to an altered space within your soul."


    Souls are immutable. Are you sure you''re not Dad? I''m pretty sure messing with souls is something only he can do. And Aleph I guess.


    "That dragon is quite the anomaly... But no. I am nothing more than a construct made in the image of your father. A small piece of him if you will, but one wholly unrelated to his being."


    Then can I call you dream Dad?


    "No."


    Aww... So what mind bending self discoveries are you going to help impart on me?


    "What?"


    That''s what happens in these situations, right?


    "You read too much."


    ...


    "I''m here because your life is in danger."


    How? I can regenerate from pretty much any injury, even damage to my core. If I''m injured too much at once I''ll just be banished back home, or to a hospital if it''s really bad.


    "Summoning takes time. Time to calculate, and time to perform. Falling into a highly lethal cascade is not a scenario the system is equipped to predict for a rank three on their first contract. If nothing is done you will die within less than two seconds."


    Wow. Not much time for last thoughts, huh...


    "We have more time here."


    Are you going to explain how?


    "Are you going to sit there and listen to an hour long lecture on soul perception mechanics?"


    Ah. Touch¨¦, dream Dad.


    "Don''t call me that."


    If you say so, dream Dad.


    "..."


    So, how should I go about not dying a very swift and frankly disappointing death?


    "What do you think? How can you neutralise this mass of energy?"


    Attune to it? That takes time though. At least more than two seconds.


    "Attuning is a function of Aura, which is an extension to the soul. So long as your perspective remains accelerated here, you will have time."


    Huh... You know a lot for a ''small piece'' of my Dad.


    "A fragment of a multitude is still a vast quantity."


    You could have said that in a multitude of less obtuse ways.


    "I''m still modelled after your father. I intend to make you think through things for yourself."


    Boo... I want easy answers.


    "Hurry up and attune Dee. Perception has been slowed, not halted."


    Fine, fine... Hmm... Okay, this is a problem. I can''t attune to it.


    "I noticed."


    Advice?


    "Think."


    Gee, thanks... It''s just not responding, I don''t know why.


    "Do you want it to?"


    Why wouldn''t I want it to?


    "Why would you?"


    Are you calling me lazy?


    "Sloth would be an improvement to your current state."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    I... lack desire? I feel the same as always though.


    "You are surrounded by a mass of ravenous energy which is trying to both eat you and make you eat, you have a deluge of refined unbound energy coursing through you, and your body is wavering on the precipice of growth. Do you really expect a half-assed intent to go with the flow to cut it?"


    I''m ranking up?


    "That''s what you got from that?"


    Okay, okay. I''m not motivated enough I get it.


    "If it wasn''t for the ambrosia giving you a boost you wouldn''t have reached this point by double your current lifetime. Rank four is a different beast from what you have experienced thus far. You must want it, or it will refuse you."


    I do want it.


    "What do you want from it?"


    ...


    "There is your flaw. You don''t know what you really want. You can''t grow because your body doesn''t know which way to grow. What do you want?"


    To reach rank nine.


    "False. A means to an end is no desire."


    To... To work with you. To work with my father.


    "False. Think deeper. What do you want, and why?"


    I want... To be loved. To see Dad again. To be better than I was.


    "How will you fulfil that desire? What do you lack?"


    Strength. I need more strength. I can''t hit more than a meter in front of me, my blows are weak, and I lack versatility do deal with unexpected situations. I want the strength to keep on par with my friends. More than anything, I need... magnitude. I want strength.


    "Now, what will you do to achieve this?"


    This energy wants me to eat? I''ll eat. I''ll eat it all.


    "Good. Try not to shatter."


    I won''t.


    "..."


    ...


    "..."


    Okay this is taking longer than I thought.


    "Why do you think I slowed down perception by this much? I only have so much energy to work with you know."


    Well... Wanna talk while we wait?


    "I have little reason to refuse."


    What is Dad''s biggest secret?!


    "You know it already."


    Boo! There''s gotta be something more interesting than his name!


    "Would he really impart such information on a construct designed to consult his own daughter?"


    You never know... Okay, how about why you''re even here? Did he really trust me that little on my first contract? When were you even attached?


    "The moment you stepped through into this world. This contract was an anomaly on several fronts to begin with, most due to that dragon. Few other demons would have held clearance for the information held within the array, let alone those at rank three. Not to mention, this job is massively overpaying for your rank. Few worlds can even make ambrosia, let alone a recipe manageable by mortals. Normally it would be refused on grounds of being too restrictive and abnormal, but again the symbols used in its construction could not be ignored."


    So, you''re here because Aleph is weird?


    "I''m here because you''re under-qualified, and your father wanted extra insurance. Insurance which, given your current situation, was well warranted. Granted, I suspect you may not have been here if I wasn''t present."


    How so? I fell in by my own stupidity didn''t I?


    "That may be true, but I suspect that thing only sent you here because it noticed me. Encountering beings of that scale was beyond the expectations built into my design, nothing should have ever seen my construct."


    Why send me here because of you? That makes no sense.


    "How should I know? I''ve only seen what you see."


    So, in conclusion... this is all your fault?


    "..."


    What about Aleph? You keep calling her an anomaly.


    "She is the primary cause of concern, I believe because she created the array using Aether."


    Why does that matter?


    "I don''t know."


    Seriously?


    "I am not your father. Information has been deliberately stricken from my pool of knowledge, most notably everything above your classification and anything relating to Aether."


    Why Aether?


    "Your father values identity to an extreme. He didn''t even teach you his name until you vowed never to leak it. For him to remove something with such thorough efficiency, I can only imagine that it perhaps relates to an aspect of his identity."


    I thought Aether was just an obscure pure energy, too difficult for anyone to really use.


    "None of the pure energies are simple, Dee. Especially those that permeate all dimensions."


    Well, I''m out of questions. For now.


    "You are also out of time."


    I couldn''t hold it all, so most of it was discarded back into the cascade. Is that fine?


    "You did what you needed to. You replaced its desire to consume with one of growth. It will be harmless to anything outside of the nexus, and will likely just disperse over time."


    Ah, that''s good. Will I get to see you whenever I want?


    "No."


    Aww... Well, goodbye dream Dad.


    "It is about time you open your eyes"


    "Open your eyes."


    "Open your eyes!"


    "Ah!" Diala leaps from the ground, a pulse of bright light erupting from her body in her panic as her feet land on the soft, mossy floor. "Ow! My eyes! Dammit! I knew you were evil!" Her thoughts are brought back to reason as she lays her gaze upon the spider writhing beside her. "Oh, uh... sorry." "Told you she wasn''t dead." Aleph remarks, flipping the spider back to her feet. "Ugh... Did you have to flash me... twice?" "Twice?" Diala focuses her vision on herself, the world brighter from all directions. "Oh, I''m naked. That''s annoying." Crystal shimmers and refracts without obstruction, nothing hidden from view, not that there is anything to really hide in the first place.


    "Hey, panic a little why don''t you?! You''re supposed to get flustered and yell ''oh nooooo'' or ''eyaaaa'' and shit like that!" "I know, but... I only wear clothes because it''s polite and looks nice. My race has little benefit in terms of thermal regulation and no external organs to really hide. Also, you''re not wearing anything either." "You don''t need clothes if you have fur. That''s simply a law of the universe." "Does setae count as fur?" "Shut up." A long tail snakes in to thwack both idiots on the head, demanding attention. "Argue another time. We still don''t know how safe we are."


    "Okay, okay..." Diala skips to the dragon, compressing her legs to hop on and noticing a prickle of uncertainty in the motion, signal of something being different. It''s probably nothing... Crack! Her body surges into the air, brightly glowing walls of red moss blurring behind the wall of motion as her light hop becomes a heavy launch. Crunch! Stone crumbles away from her head, now lodged into the ceiling. Nevermind... Pressing her arms against the stone, she gives the wall a push, dislodging her head and launching her once again. Crack! "Oh, she''s back." Shit. Weird dream-ish incarnation of Dad wasn''t kidding when he said it was a different beast. This is way worse than last time.


    "Need a hand?" Aleph asks, pulling the demon from her new hole up to her back. "Thanks. This happens every time I rank up. It''s really hard to control a sudden increase in strength like this." "Oh, congratulations. I thought you''d be close." Gol Dhee and Fluffy approach as she settles in place, the ape inspecting her with a concerned gaze while the elf analyses her with a renewed curiosity. "So how did you get rid of that thing?" "She didn''t. It''s still there." The dragon interjects, setting her pace around the spherical cavern to search for an exit. "Right, I just changed the desire it was infused with. I can''t hold that much energy." "That''s... unsettling. Still though, how?" "I attuned to it? Kind-of? I think? It''s kinda iffy."


    Aleph twists her head back, her gait undisturbed by her awkward posture. "You would have to think pretty fast to pull that off. Is your soul perception really that good?" I took it for granted before, just assuming she was friends with high ranking demons or something, but she was described explicitly as an anomaly. An unknown. So how exactly does she know so much about souls, demons, and especially angels? Who is Aleph? "I cheated a bit. I''m not sure if I can say how." "I won''t pry then." "Can I pry?" Fluffy asks, his own curiosity uncloaked. "Don''t. You can be put on a blacklist for trying to extract unwarranted information from a demon you''ve contracted." "Ah..."


    Their pace slows, pulling to a stop as the dragon scans the cavern. "What''s the holdup?" "There''s no way down. No caves or open spaces below us, and as far as I can see, nothing above us either. We''re trapped." Lyla hops off her perch, fuzz standing on end as she feels at the ambience. "Huh... nothing. The stone here doesn''t have much Mana though, or any for that matter. Could we dig? We could also just go back the way we came... Actually I''d rather try digging myself than do that." "No way back either anyway. I''m guessing we were sent here via portal or something similar." "We could always just ask them."


    The group turn, facing the direction pointed to by the elf, and laying eyes on a tall, thin figure painted a pure white, emitting a soft glow in contrast to the ambient red of the cavern. Body shaped like a blanket draped over a balloon, unfurling at the base and rounding at the top with a tilted arc as if looking up at where the cascade should be. The figure straightens, moss brushing against its base as it moves. "Ah!" It jolts, the motion halted as a gaze meets the group. "Ah... um... ah..." Fwap... Did it just faint?

 Chapter 74: City

    "Ah! I''m okay! Don''t panic! Don''t panic! Waaa-" Thonk! Fwap... "Goldy... I think you hit them too hard." "I... barely applied strength... Though, the silence is welcome." The group gather around the white smudge spewed across the floor, lightly wobbling until it shoots back to a vertical stance. A smooth surface remains in the space once occupying their body, as if polished to a sheen. "I''m okay! Oh, I''m surrounded now... scary..." "You sure you''re okay?" Aleph asks, more out of confirmation than concern. "It''s fiiine. Happens all the time when I meet new people. And this is a lot of people..." Doubtful squints assail the quivering figure, the lithe form seeming to compress under the combined gazes.


    "Umm... Canihelpyou?" They stammer, likely putting forth a tremendous effort not to just faint again. "You can actually. Where are we?" "Oh, this is the cascade chamber." "..." "..." "...?" "You don''t know what that is?" "No." "Are you not from Nilalus?" Aleph cocks her head, the rest of the group expressing equal confusion. "Then how did you get here?" "We encountered something with a bunch of eyes. It sent us here." "Why would Sosa''s hand put you here? Newcomers should be sent directly to the city, unless... Are you the reason the cascade is gone?" "It isn''t." "It isn''t?" "Nope." "Oh... What do I report now?"


    "What is your purpose here?" Goldy interjects. "Uh, this is my garden, in a manner of speaking. I''m one of the only people who can withstand the cascade and tend to the wonilaswo''mahn moss, and I''m too useless to do anything else." Dark red dark demon moss? What a strange name. "I named it myself. I''m very proud of my moss." Well now I feel bad... "Right now though, I''m investigating the sudden disappearance of the gluttony infused demonic cascade. Which you say is still here?" "Definitely. It''s just had its infused desire changed to something harmless." "Oh, thank goodness. Without the demonic energy, my moss can''t grow. And without my moss I have no idea what I would do with myself." Is this moss their entire purpose in life? I''m not sure whether that''s admirable or just sad...


    A moment of awkward silence fills the cavern, a stationary ambience without so much as a puff of wind to break it. Uncomfortable gazes meet and depart, desperately searching for something to look at and escape the awkward encounter. "Well, I''ve completed my task so I''ll be going now. Haveagoodday." The figure blurts out, shattering the silence and stepping away to leave. "Hey, wait. Can you show us the way out?" "Hm? Oh. Ohhhh. I forgot, I''m not used to people being here. I''ll make sure the door stays open for you." From beneath the figure a sphere of warped light is formed, expanding into a wide radius and stabilising with a faint yellow glow. The ground at the base of the sphere, where it intersects with terrain, is replaced by a flat, white floor of paved marble, stark in contrast with the red-coated stone of the cavern.


    The figure steps into the centre and waits. And waits. "Um... You need to step into the door. It should be big enough for all of us. I think." With a shared glance and a shrug the group gather within the sphere, practically smothering the white figure in the process and tracking dirt and moss onto the pristine floor without a shred of shame. The heathens. "Um... Maybe be careful to keep all limbs, and tails and those... dangly bits inside the door. They''ll be cut off if you don''t." Dangly? Who are they even describing? Goldy grips his tail protectively, scooting in closer and eliciting an "Eep!" from the smothered stranger.


    Pop! A profoundly satisfying sound, and a sudden rewrite of their surroundings. The glowing red cavern vanishes, and in its place stands a large square room wrapped in thick walls of blue steel, smoothed and waxed into flawless mirrors. "You''re back early! Did you find- Who the fuck is this?!" Another figure bellows, their voice a wave of blunt force, slamming the group''s ears with each syllable. "I- uh- um- I, um I..." Fwap... "Okay... That one''s on me. Who are you clowns, and how did you get in here?" They follow, voice tamed to more of a light slap as a block of the wall slides into itself to reveal a thickly shelled arthropod, carapace coated in a dazzling spectrum of refracted light which shifts with each motion.


    "I''m okay! I can answer! What was the question again?" They''re quick to recover at least, I''ll give them that. "We came from the upper layers and were sent to the cascade chamber by that hand thing." "The hand of Sosa? Why would it do that? Newcomers should be sent to the city." "That''s what I said!" "Are they the reason for the cascade being missing?" "Yes! I thought of that too!" "Did you also tell them about your lifelong dedication to that patch of moss?" "Yes! You know me so well!" "... I really shouldn''t make fun of my elders..."


    Aleph stretches her wing, the space feeling more cramped than she had realised as her joints creak and crack away the pressure. The vibrant one turns attention to her, slithering closer with dozens of thin legs to eye her from arms reach. "Leeta." "Hm?" "These two are children of Sosa." "Hmm?" "They''re your siblings, idiot." "Oh. Ohhh! That makes sense. I''m Leetha, it''s always pleasant to meet new younger siblings." Leeta remarks, swaying gently to the side. "I''m Aleph, this is Lyla, these are our friends. Nice to meet you." "Ooh, I''ve heard of you! The record setters!" "Hey, wait. Was it Leeta or Leetha?" Lyly interrupts, her stance edging on the precipice of standoffish towards the two strangers. "It''s what Nuth said. I can''t really pronounce harsh sounds like that." "Me neither, but I just use magic. That''s what these threads are for." The spider stretches the threads wound to her pedipalps, holding them out to show off. "Wow, that looks difficult! I''m no good at magic. I was born with more Mana than I could control, so I''m unable to do much with it."


    "Can''t you just use tools for it then? People have invented tons of weird artefacts for communication and translation." "Like I said. I was born with a lot of Mana. So much that most things just break when I use them. It''s not all bad though! I have the fastest regeneration speed to body mass ratio of any child of Sosa! But, not much else beyond that I''m afraid." At least they have that. I was really starting to feel bad for them. "On that topic, if Leeta hasn''t mentioned already, make sure you don''t touch them. They''re fragile as hell, and regeneration has a habit of pushing away or destroying obstructions, fleshy or not." And now I feel bad again... How do they hug?


    "So Nuth, what do we do now?" "What now? What do you think? Take them to see Sosa!" "Ah... Why me? Can''t you?" "I''m not even allowed in the coronet, how do you expect me to escort them?" "Oh..." Sosa... If I''m not mistaken, that''s an Aoan term for origin, or beginning. One which can also mean... "Is Sosa the Progenitor?" "Phroshenithor? Oh, that''s what they''re called on the surface, right? A word from that new language that popped up some hundred cycles ago. It''s hard to keep track of all these changes, especially from so far..."


    Lyly perks up, lethargy turning to surprise, surprise turning to prospective elation. "Does that mean we made it? We''re at the base of the labyrinth?" "Ah, um... Yes. For all intents and purposes." A violent uproar of sound erupts from the spider, a tremendous shriek of unbridled joy barely describable with mere words. "Fuck yeeeea! The divine weaver is back baby! Just wait until the rest of me hears about this!" "My ears..." Goldy complains, thick palms unable to adequately block the ear rending audio bombardment. "Fuck you! You''ve only been trying to reach this place for a few eightdays! I''ve been trying for over a century! I''ll yell as loud as I damn well please! Huaaaaa!" Well, that''s annoying.


    "It''s been a long journey. Maybe we should take a break before we-" "Hell no! I''m not waiting another second! Take me to your leader!" "But you''re injured." "I''ll heal!" "Goldy is also injured..." "He''ll heal!" I don''t think there''s any convincing her... Aleph turns to Goldy and Fluffy, a silent request for either assistance or permission, anything really to deal with the unreasonably obstinate arthropod. "My injuries are irritating, but tolerable. I will heal." "I''m perfectly fine." Turning to the unmoving demon on her back she is met with a shrug, and turns back to face Leeta. "Then we''d appreciate it if you can guide us, only if Lyly shuts up first of course." "Tch!"


    "I, um... I... Which way was the coronet again?" Nuth exhales at the white blob, a series of low clicks rumbling from within his shell. "The elevator. The same elevator you take every eightday to make your reports. The same elevator that has been there for the past... Millennia? It''s older than me, idiot." "Ohh, that one, yes I remember now." Lyla pauses her victory dance to squint, all eight of her eyes causing the figure to quiver. "We have to go down more?" "Yes, um... the coronet is three layers below this, but there''s an elevator leading straight there. It has... a nice view... I think... It''s been a while since I went that far down." "Oh, good. If we had to go through more shit after what we''ve just been through-" "Please lead us there." Aleph requests, an exasperated sigh escaping her.


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    A few panicked mumbles and a moment of trying to find the door later, Leeta slides out of the room with the group in tow. The metal walls open up into a chaotic laboratory, splayed with innumerable objects, widgets, and one shattered vial of untrustworthy looking liquid on the floor. Another opposing wall folds inward, seams creating themselves on the smooth surface for the partition to slide away out of sight and allow a flood of bright blue light to pervade the space. A blinding array of lights dotted across high-reaching buildings, touching the ceiling with their metallic frames. Swarms of people, of beings varying in shape, size, and hue crowd the streets above and below, the horizon lost to the metallic jungle before them.


    "This is quite the contrast to the other civilisations I''ve seen down here." Fluffy remarks, eyes lost in the endless stream of organised chaos. "I imagine so, it''s the only place Sosa and our kin have been allowed unrestricted influence. I believe the haven kin are fairly well off thanks to Shithah, but even that is limited to advisement and conflict resolution. Spreading technology would be a violation of the treaties." So they can say more than one sentence without stumbling after all. "The elevator is just in this circle. It doesn''t look like it, but there are walls so don''t worry about falling off."


    The group gather within the circle, this time large enough to accommodate them with room to spare, much to Leeta''s relief. After a moment of delay, the circle depresses into the ground, taking the group with it as it calmly falls through the city with an unhurried descent. "It''s um... quite a distance, so... this might take a while. Sorry." "While we wait, do you mind telling us about the Progenitor?" "I''m not sure what I''m allowed to say... They like to keep their identity under wraps as much as they can, so what everyone knows tends to vary. Some people are even lied to to obfuscate things. I think it started shortly after the deprecation." "What was the deprecation?" "You don''t... Oh right. It''s lost history on the surface. I believe the inciting incident was called the calamity. I remember it well..." Oh, they''re older than I thought.


    "The deprecation was, well, a mass extinction. About half of the planet''s population died within a few cycles, people, animals, anything with a soul. And the centuries after that saw the extinction of several other species in the fallout. I think mother is actually the last of her kind, the only one powerful enough to endure." The group listen closely, Lyly and Fluffy taking an especially great interest as their descent continues behind them. "How does half a planet just die?" "Well... With the death of a god, and the subsequent loss of Aether." I remember seeing something about the decline of Aether when summoning Didi. It must have been more a sudden event than I thought. "Which god died?" "I um... I don''t think I can answer that... sorry... It''s a controversial topic for a number of reasons." I guess we''ll have to ask the Progenitor themself.


    The elevator walls turn dark, vibrant cityscape replaced by smoothly carved stone as they traverse the layer boundary. Upon breaching the next layer, they are met with a far more organised and structural matrix of buildings, distributed and scaled in a fractal-like manner of cubic constructs. Where before the roads would bend and twist, rise and fall, tunnel and traverse, now they follow a predictable pattern of suspended patterns with embellished elevators and bridges joining the horizontal meshes of pathways. Each structure hangs, not from metal beams or dense ropes, but with rigid networks of Aether constructs binding them together and in place. It''s not a lot, but this is the first time I''ve seen Aether being used aside from the cores. Once again, I''m amazed by the efficiency of it all. Making reliable constructs of this scale is not easy, even without this scarcity of Aether.


    "I guess they finally finished that new building, huh... Say, um... Aleph?" "Hm?" "I''ve been wondering, uh... if it''s not rude to ask... um... Have we met? Your soul feels so... familiar." "Maybe. How old are you? And Kixhah for that matter." Leeta pauses for a moment, sliding over to the platform edge to peer at something. "In cycles around the suns? I am six-thousand-three-hundred-thirty-four, with my next increment in less than a quart. Shithah is at least fifty cycles older than me, but I can never seem to get an exact number from him." "So you''re one of Kixhah''s contemporaries?" "I guess? He honestly just feels like a cool big brother to me, someone I look up to. I can''t imagine myself his equal." "If you''re that old then maybe we have met. I don''t remember you immediately though."


    Walls of red stone return, another layer boundary reached, and another world exposed by its departure. A wide expanse of compartmentalised fields, sprawling forests, and cultivated lands saturate the layer in a spectrum of greens, yellows, and reds, lit by a far-reaching grid of light emitting orbs. In the distance lay several megalithic towers and pillars of metal and stone, consuming the horizon with a scale that bewilders one''s sense of depth. Lyly ignores the sight which holds the others'' attention, instead pointing a dubious glare at Leeta. "How can you know so accurately what time of the year it is? Don''t tell my you guys also have some esoteric way of measuring time based on the flow of water, or the vibration patterns of rocks." "Um, no. We just use clocks. With the help of Lamla they''ve been kept synchronised with the surface for millennia." "Oh... That makes sense I guess."


    The elevator reaches the base of the layer, a few lumbering creatures curiously watching them descend below the floor from behind a fence. "We''re almost here. Wow... It''s been so long since I''ve come down here. I wonder if Mother will be annoyed with me?" "Mother?" "She asks me to visit regularly, but... going outside is scary..." Lyly hops to the ground, skittering impatiently to the platform edge, Didi sliding off to join her. Descent slows, gravity reclaiming its strength as they decelerate to a stop in an unlit hall. "Oh no..." "What? Is something wrong?" "I forgot where the light switch is..." "..."


    Without prompt, the building lights itself, the persistent glare of artificial illumination bearing down from above, and saturating the room in white. "Leeta? It has been a while. I asked you to visit more, how long has it been? Thirty cycles. Much too long..." A sudden presence, a single quizzical voice washing the space with a persistent yet warm tone. Mana meets Mana, Aether meets Aether, Aura meets Aura, all in perfectly equal measures. A figure of white, patterned with black. Their approach sharp and unexpected, their appearance gentle and without malice. Instincts fail to respond, each of the group unable to decide whether to panic at the unforeseen intrusion, or to be at ease under the analytical yet calming gaze emitting from the newcomer.


    "Hi mother! Hi father! Sorry it''s been so long... I..." The figure appears before Leeta, two identical silhouettes standing face to face, one a pure white, and the other watching back with a subtly shifting decoration of black. "We know. Don''t worry child. Who have you brought with you?" Leeta''s mirror vanishes, reappearing before Fluffy in his image. Each fibre of muscle imitated to perfection, faux fabric waving in synchrony with his clothes, even the subtle mannerisms of breathing, the soft twitches of his eyes and fingertips replicated. Dense patterns of black shade the figure, granting depth and form to the uniform white. "I recognise this one''s description. The elf who killed Makho. A tragedy, but one long forgiven." "Who is Makho?" "You would not know. Perhaps it is better that way, the encounter was no fault of your own. I sense no Mana though. He uses Aether. How unusual, in this day and age."


    Gone again, now a reflection of the ape. White fur emulates gold, palms and eyes a stark contrast of black against the otherwise pure form. "A descendant to Denkha. How cute. Weaker than most who reach here from above. Only at a glance." Goldy opens his mouth to speak, but there is no longer anyone before him to respond to, a small figure now shimmering before Didi, light and dark shifting with sharp acuity to monochromatically mimic even the reflecting and refracting light on her crystal body. "A demon? Mikika did tell us they summoned one. An unfamiliar race. There is an imbalance in the light passing through. Perhaps consumed, or absorbed. And something attached to the soul, something familiar. Relation to the turncoat? It is not our place to pry."


    Lyly''s eyes bounce between the locations as the figure shifts from individual to individual, skittering towards them each time, only to be met directly by her own gaze. White and cyan stares into white and black, the imitation patterns on her duplicate''s back weaving infinitely inward in an endlessly complex form. "Lyla! The long awaited." The spider moves to speak, but something holds her back, a feeling, an intuition, or perhaps a will. Which it is cannot be clearly seen from these eyes. "It was just shy of eighty cycles ago she first resumed attempts to reach us. A shame her entry was inhibited by her brother, she has been capable of reaching us since the last mass summoning. What was the deciding factor to change her stance? We can ask shortly, there is one more to inspect."


    Aleph meets the gaze of her mirror, violet eyes delving into black orbs, delving back into her own. Nobody speaks, a hint of rapt examination leaking into the dark gaze as the light body begins to shift. "La, you waver. What ails you? Why do you not speak?" The dragon before her loses shape, white turning fluid and splashing down like a burst water balloon before being wrapped and replaced by a twisting spiral of black, taking on a rigid, simple form devoid of light. "Tame your emotions, La. It is not my season to take form. It''s her... Her? Her! Her soul! I couldn''t see it before, even now it is faint, numb, but unmistakably hers! You mean... Yes! Their prediction was right! She''s back! She''s really back... Our god... A-"


    <hr>


    During the second great battle of the gods, only one event is known in any detail. The invasion of an angel holding a truly immense power, and its battle with one of the old gods from before the cala-


    [Record stricken by demonic influence]

 Chapter 75: Their name

    "Stop!" A simple pulse of vibrating air infused with a panicked command, a forceful declaration. The room turns silent, breaths hesitant, four steady heartbeats the only ambience left to fill the air. Before her, the being of black and white holds static, perhaps stunned, perhaps compliant, or perhaps simply observant. But the silence doesn''t linger, the figure warping into itself, black melding with white in equal measures to create a distinct, almost regal form. A gentle flutter beats the air as a dark cloak wraps the floor with its loose edges, spiralling its radius in an indiscernible direction without casting a shadow. Streaks of bright wind upward, uneven patterns steadily forming rigid structures reaching the tip, where an even split of shade defines a simple face without contour. Only two opposing dots which indicate observation, black shifting but fixed in an unyielding, calm gaze while white holds rigid with a free expression of elation.


    The figure lowers its head, an untouchable Aura filling the room with a uniform will of excitement and respect. "We greet the revered one. That we momentarily forgot the dangers held within one''s true name is a tremendous failing on us. And our broken introduction was discourteous." "I''m pretty sure I''ve forgiven you for worse, Nila." A mix of shock and confusion washes over the five individuals shifting gaze between the god of the labyrinth, and the strange dragon they bow to. Some open their mouths to speak words they can''t yet parse into sound, others stare in rapt silence, and one long, white figure in particular seems to perform some kind of confused wobble.


    "You recall our name. How much do you remember?" How much... "Of course I remember, I knew you seemed familiar! I used to love this world. I came here all the time with... Who did I come with?" "Is it safe to recall? Facets of identity are fickle things. To avoid them is a difficult task. Your presence here changes a great many things." "Maybe not... I-" "Hold it!" A small voice commands, heavier and sharper than usual. "Objection!" The same voice declares, the waver of emotion seeping into her jest. "How do you know each other! Who exactly are you! And you!" The spider shouts, not quite questions, not intended to be answered, only heard. "Young Lyla... Sweet child. Perhaps it was rude of us to address the revered one first. You have been seeking us for longer than anyone."


    Lyly strikes the figure as it reappears before her, unleashing an unrelenting barrage of tiny slaps, each sending small ripples across the smooth surface. Black and white coalesce into a vortex, reshaping back into a mirror of Lyly who continues her agitated strikes unfettered. "All of you have reached this place. None are to be prioritised over the others. Speak your minds freely." "You think I care?!" "You have many reasons to express your rage. If you tell us, we will listen." "Fuck you! I don''t care! I''m finally here! I can finally be considered the real thing! But why?!" Her attacks grow infuriated, Mana pouring from the blows in an unfocused hostility. "I didn''t come all this way to find out the one called a god, called all powerful by everyone I''ve ever looked up to is some weakling who bows and apologises to someone they''ve just met! You were supposed to be perfect!"


    "Lyla... We will not patronise you. You are smart enough to know the reality. To know we could never have been what you seem to have expected. The term divine beast is not one of our own making. To us, you are all simply family. No more. No less." "I hate you!" "You are not the first." "I hate everything..." "You should not lie so readily." "What would you know?" "Too little. Care to tell us?" Nothing spoken, a silent response. "Perhaps another time then. We however, have much to say. More so with the return of the revered one. Or perhaps less, given the fragility of information."


    The figure sinks to the floor, camouflaged against the pristine white tiles before reforming by an indented wall. "This is something of an unorthodox turn of events. The following applies to all of you. A nonstandard offer, brought forth by unusual circumstances. You each have a choice to make. Whether this is done as a group or as individuals is of no consequence. But you must be resolute in your decision. Ordinarily we would accept all those who make it here as kin, divine beasts as they are called above. Remain here and you will be acknowledged as such. Follow us to the crown we will not be able to grant you those same rights, but you will be asked to take on a mission bearing a greater magnitude than any preceding it. It is unlikely the current status quo would remain either way." Aura vanishes from the room, a sudden emptiness devoid of influence, as if the figure in plain view was not even there. "Make your decision. We will answer questions to the best of our capabilities."


    "I don''t think my choice has any meaning here. The answers I need can only be obtained this way. I won''t influence or judge your decisions. You all have your own reasons for being here." Aleph steps to the figure''s side and sits, patiently awaiting further response. Didi quickly skips by without a word, turning to see the narrowed squints of here companions. "What? Aleph is my primary contractor, where she goes I am obligated to go." "Is that okay?" Aleph asks the figure, no movement to be seen as they respond. "A demon reaching here from above is a first for us. By nature of a demonic contract they can be considered an extension of yourself. We see no reason to refuse their presence."


    Everyone else turns inward, their conversation narrowed but unsuppressed. "Honestly, I forgot why I was even sent down here. Given how... esoteric my master is though, I wouldn''t put it past them to have predicted this. I will be going to this crown." Fluffy starts, his words without uncertainty. "Seriously? You''re just abandoning the rights of a divine beast. You''re missing out on some real prestige here. Something people have killed for!" "I''ve never sought fame or prestige." "Well I have! I''m going to make myself famous! And popular! Everyone will know the name Lyla, the greatest, most powerful divine beast of all time!" "Then stay. It''s not like we''ll never meet again or anything, so you don''t have to worry about missing us." "Who says I''ll miss your ugly face?!" "Then it''s fine."


    Lyly glares holes into the elf, his passive dismissal only stoking the flames more. "Monkey!" "Hoh!" "What about you?" "Hoh?" "What are you going to do?" "Hoh... I am undecided. I have no use or desire for prestige, yet I am uncertain of taking responsibility for the quest of a god." "Seriously? You''re either too apathetic or too chicken to make a decision?" "Yes." "..." "I am the weakest of us. Alone I would have never made it past a fraction of the hardships we have encountered." "Don''t sell yourself short, Muscles. You''ve carried your own weight. Don''t forget, you dealt the finishing blow to Mekrotok." "A fluke I am yet to replicate." Fluffy glares holes into the monkey, seeming to take offence at his self-derision.


    "This discussion fails to proceed. Sosa." "That is what they call us." Goldy meets the gaze of his mirror, now appeared before him. "What decision would Denkha have made?" "Denkha? From what Kixhah has told us you know little of him. The poor thing... You overestimate his mind. He would have simply failed to understand the request. Of this we have no doubt." With a dumbfounded expression, he stares at the calm grin of his reflection. "Huhuhu... Haahahahaa! What a fine ancestor I have! Ha!" "Yes, always quite the character. It is no wonder he gets along with Esfa." "I have made my decision. Ho''mah, from you I have learned much. New language, new forms of strength, and... diversity of character. Whichever choice you make is one I respect, and one I will follow." "No pressure, huh..."


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    Quiet returns once more, the figure having returned between blinks to their former position. "Progenitor." "That is also what they call us." Lyly''s mirror responds, sixteen eyes meeting on equal grounds. "If I say no, can you unseal me?" "We cannot directly help with that matter in either case. Kavlaxhar does not listen to us, so our request would mean nothing. We could send help through another of your kin. However, our ability to do so at current is impeded due to Lamla''s absence. If freedom is all you seek then you could follow the revered one. A seal of Mana is of little consequence to an Aether bearer of her skill. But that isn''t all you seek."


    Footsteps fill the room, Fluffy taking his place beside Aleph. "If a decision is made, then we shall proceed. Follow us through the chamber and we will reach the crown." The groove in the wall deepens, extruding inward to create a small volume just large enough for the entire group to comfortably fit. Everyone filters in, populating the space as a faint skitter grows in volume alongside lumbering footsteps shortly behind. Soft taps trace Aleph''s spine, and a gentle flashlight nestles on her head. "Don''t say a word." I wasn''t going to? "Wait, what about Leeta?" "Ah, yes... We should leave them a note for when they awaken." "What? But they''re..." The group stare dumbstruck at the unmoving smudge of light, stood tall yet with their head slightly cocked as if not quite all there.


    "What should the note say? Something simple, we will not be long. We should at least leave something nice. What would suffice? Hearts are a recent fad, yes? A strange one. Indeed..." The figure momentarily vanishes from its place, a sheet of white paper, lovingly folded into an origami of Leeta, planted directly before them. "That should do. Let us proceed." Returned to their place in the centre of the opened space, the figure produces two limbs like arms, seemingly without purpose as they simply fold behind their body. I guess this is another ele- "We are here. That felt delayed. We are simply not used to transporting this many."


    Did we just... Aether spreads from the dragon, sinking across the room and into the walls to grasp at the shape of their new space. It''s completely different! The building is smaller, and I''m pretty sure everything around us is just magma! Seriously dense magma too... I didn''t even feel a thing. Black and white stands to the back of the dimly saturated room, lit only by the soft, undulating glow emanating from behind the glass shield of a wide door. Desks and shelves filled with neatly organised vials, compact pouches, and esoteric devices collated in an almost fractal structure around the room. To the side, sits a large glass container spanning to the ceiling, a somewhat familiar sight.


    "Welcome to the crown. This is the only place we can guarantee our words go unheard by our observers. A space too distant for their ears. Too well protected for their tricks. It is an unorthodox location for a discussion, normally only reserved for our more intense experiments and soul infusions. But what we discuss here must never leave this room, never be heard by others, be they celestials or angels. Gather and listen. We have much to say." The group comply, filtering in one after the other and gathering around between the corridors of desks. Soft cushions slide in from seemingly nowhere beneath each of them, even Aleph''s spacial awareness unable to discern quite where they came from.


    "I am Ni. I am La. We are Nila." They begin, the room filled with a gentle yet oppressive Aura, like a blanket draped over to smother any interruptions. "Our first secret we impart to you is our name. A token of trust, as a sign of our sincerity. Names hold power. Power to kill a god. A power we bear a lacking understanding of. But one we respect nonetheless." It''s so hard to tell which of them is talking. Is there even a distinction at this point?


    "We will start from the beginning. When the revered one first visited our world. We were weak. Small. Ignorant." Nila shrinks, their form split and unruly as white clashes with black for dominance. Three figures of grey diverge and surround them, standing tall. "She and two others found us. Taught us. Made us more." Their body grows still, small, yet stable as the two shades share equal ground. "The revered one. The ancient one. The young one. We wish to say more of them. However memories are a fickle thing. And your identity must remain in shade. Lest the memory of your name brings the eyes of our enemy."


    Three more figures sprout forth, taking the form of a spider, a serpent, and a cloak, each bearing unique patterns across their bodies. "We learned, and created the first of our children. For a time, it was this that marked our world''s epoch. Each new child, created centuries or millennia apart, spawned with them a new age. A new people. A new mark in history." More appear, each different to the last. A dragon, a snail, a leviathan, a crab, one after the other depicted in acute detail as if true microcosms of the real things. "One-hundred-and-thirteen. Some became legend. Some remained small. Some rebelled. Some died. Some still remain. All are precious to us. And more relevant to us now, all were powerful."


    "Yet then, the gods disappeared." The three large figures melt, sloshing into nothing and returning to Nila''s small body, dozens of the smaller figures washing away under the deluge. "In the wake of the calamity, only nineteen of our children remained. Our planet stood. Yet our world had been shattered. It is unknown to most, but in the advent of the calamity there was a war. An attempt by self-proclaimed gods from other worlds to take where they observed a vacuum of power." Innumerable figures of light pop in from nowhere, a shimmering starscape which is immediately skewered by equal numbers of harsh spikes protruding from Nila. "They were weak."


    Five black spheres form themselves within the space, followed by a flood of lights blinding the room. "But they were numerous. And the angels had taken interest. They are not weak." The lights fade out, the gentle flicker of a select few stars remaining. "We struck a deal with the intruders. And formed our first treaty with the angels. Then, not a year later... The young one returned." A familiar grey figure reforms itself before Nila, now diminutive compared to its former stature. "They were weaker than before. Missing a piece of themself. Yet their nature had not changed. They spoke to us. Told us of a future. Of our part in what was to come. Of your inevitable return. Their words were strange. Speaking of the nature of existence. Yet we heard what was needed."


    The young one''s figure shifts out of sight, a strange sense of its lingering presence as if resting within the corner of vision. "And so we prepared. Our kin are strong. So we created more. Our techniques improved so we became more bold. The angels took notice. And so began the first great war. In its aftermath a more refined deal was struck. We could not so readily influence our world. Yet in return we were allowed a degree autonomy without interference. Restricted autonomy, but enough for what we need." Bright lights fade, figures melt and return to their common point, the room returning to its gentle ambience as Nila retakes form.


    "We shall skip the remainder. It is merely a repetition of cycles. The addition of restrictions. The progress to our goal. And in its wake, we stand here. Our desire is the return of our former peace. The banishment of invaders who threaten our world. The revival of our god." Four limbs sprout from Nila''s body, each gesturing towards the individuals surrounding Aleph. "Our request is for you who have accompanied her... Who have bonded with her... And who bear none of the restrictions held by our kin... To help restore her to her former stature. To help her ascend to where she once stood." Four hands coalesce into one, now pointing at Aleph. "And for you, revered one... We simply ask for your return."


    "We have spoken. And you have listened. You may now ask. And we shall answer."


    <hr>


    "Ah! I''m okay! Oh... Everyone''s gone. Where did they- Ooh, is that me?! So pretty! Something is written on it... But it''s so neatly folded, I don''t want to ruin it! But it could be important... Maybe if I''m careful I can just... Yes! This works! Lets see... ''Gone to crown. You don''t have to stay, go enjoy yourself! Tell Mikika to find us if you see her. Send her my hugs! Regards. With love.'' And there''s a very well drawn heart at the bottom... What species is this from? Human? I did hear of a fad like this... Ah! I still haven''t watered my moss this eightday! I need to go!"

 Chapter 76: Answers

    Through the eyes of a reverent ape


    How does one process this? Those I revere as gods revere another as a god? And that god is the emiss... Hmm... I suppose that name no longer fits. Before anything else, I must understand this. "Sosa... Nila. What is a god?" The being of contrasting shade turns to Gol Dhee, a dark eye studying his form while a light eye beaming at his own. "A god? A relative term. A being of admiration. A parent above parent. It depends who you ask. But to us, it is an ideal being. Some call us a god. We disagree." They do not consider themselves gods? "Then what are you? What makes you?" "We are Nila. I am Ni. I am La. That is all we need. And such we are." I... am confused...


    Through the eyes of a transfixed elf


    This opportunity... I cannot bear to miss it! "What exactly are you? Are you separate beings, or one?" "We are two. We are one. There is no distinction. What are you?" "I''m an elf." "Not of this planet." That''s the second time I''ve been told that. How do they know? Anyway... "What species are you?" "La is meueyu. Ni''s race has no modern name. Both are long extinct. And Nila is Nila." Not one, but two extinct races? I must know more! "How does your body work? Are you manipulating it with magic, or is this an organic process?" "Both. A rare trait since the calamity. Our biologies are intrinsically linked to our pure energies. Yet not in their entirety." Ah, so much to ask!


    Through the eyes of a fretful demon


    Should I... think of a question? What should I ask? I''m not even from this world. What do I want to know? I don''t really care... I guess learning more about Aleph would be nice, but... that was explicitly marked as a no... Come on! I have to think of something! Think! Think!


    Through the eyes of an emotional spider


    Shit... I have too many questions. How do I even pick one? I guess I can start small. "What is my purpose? Why create me?" "Does it matter?" What? "Why does any parent form a child? And for what reason should their desire affect the child''s autonomy? Our hope in your creation was that you would some day take part in the protection of our world. Whether you reject, whether you surpass... That is your own will to decide. And we will accept it." "And if I decide you''re my mortal enemy and I want to destroy ''your world''?" "That is your decision to make. And the consequences yours to bear. We would advise against it though."


    Through the eyes of a panicked demon


    Something! Something! There has to be something I can ask! I''ll look stupid if I don''t! Agh, think!


    Through the eyes of a dubious spider


    "You talk like you''re some kind of perfect parent." "We make no claim to perfection. We gain nothing from deception." "Then explain the labyrinth! Why put your ''precious children'' through hell?!" "To create gods. In a manner of speaking." "..." I, uh... What? "There are two phenomena relating to gaining power at our scale. Joint ascension, and adversity. These are phenomena which go beyond the concepts of Mana and Aether. Ones taught to us by the ancient one. Adversity shapes the soul. Makes it more malleable. Promotes the formation of a heart. Without adversity they tend to remain weak. Finite... Our first priority is to protect this world. And for that we need strength. Our caverns provide adversity. With the choice to refuse, as you once did. This method works. It is a sacrifice we have chosen to make."


    Through the eyes of an enraptured elf


    "I sense Aether from you. Was Aether common before the calamity?" "Ni is Mana. La is Aether. Before the calamity such beings existed in equal measure. Aether, an extreme. Little In between those who were skilled and those who could barely attune. Mana, an inconsistency. Individuals bearing strikingly unique traits and capabilities. Much unlike today on both accounts. Mana has become more consistent. There are no more weak Aether bearers." So, two beings with different energies, or one being with two... Didn''t Teacher once say you can only attune once? I suppose their souls are separate then. "How do you make divine beasts?" "The process is complicated. Too intricate to simply explain. Each design however, is inspired. Creatures frequently appear from other worlds. We often model them loosely after those. Kixhah was modelled after a small arachnid with potent venom. He did not remain quite so small..."


    Through the eyes of a perplexed ape


    "Are you warriors?" "No." "Protectors?" "No." "Rulers?" "No." "Then what are you? You must be something." "We have told you. We are Nila. There is little more to be said." I do not understand... "You remain confused... What you ask is for our own view. Our own perspective on identity. Others have called us ruler, protector, warrior, god. But you ask us, not them. And to us, we are Nila and no more." "Then... What is Nila?" "An emergent form, a being. A unique identity, a story being told. The coagulated experience of millennia. We imagine you lack the lifespan to hear it all. To fully understand Nila, you would have to be Nila. Tell us, what is Gol Dhee?" "I... believe I may grasp your meaning. Somewhat..."


    Through the eyes of a furious spider


    "If all you needed was to give us a hard time then just do that yourself! How many divine beasts have died because of the absurd challenges thrown at them just to meet you?!" "Seven-hundred-and-eighty-three." They... keep track? Why? How? "How many mothers have birthed stillborns? Are they responsible? Keep in mind our intent is not to simply create life. It is to create life which can survive. For that, for this world, we need strength. And we need numbers. The second great war alone would have seen our annihilation had we fought alone. We believe ourselves justified. And you seem to have a misunderstanding about our previous words. It is not perceived adversity that triggers the phenomena. We have tried innumerable times. It is genuine risk of death alongside autonomy. Our interference would taint the waters, so to speak. Even now the occurrence is poorly understood. Yet its statistical significance can not be understated."


    Through the eyes of a desperate demon


    What is a divine beast? No, I''m sure everyone else has asked that already. Damnit! I probably look so stupid right now!


    Through the eyes of an intrigued elf


    I''m amazed how calm Tiny is. I suppose she has no real ties to this world''s history, so there''s nothing for her to ask. In my case though, there is something that has been bothering me. "What is that glass pane behind you? It seems important somehow." Maybe it''s the fact it''s the only source of light, or the strange and arbitrary feeling of my very being getting pulled in. Who knows? "A doorway of our construction. One reaching to the ocean of souls." Oh... I guess it is important then. "Tell us. What do you see?" What do I... Hmm... Yes, definitely. "Nothing." "Look closer. Not with your eyes, but with everything that is you." Okay... I see... still nothing... Or no, I''m not seeing something, but... How do I describe this? "It''s strange. I don''t think there are words for this, it''s like... a voice? No, it''s like the feeling of hearing a voice. Like the understanding of when your name is spoken." "Fascinating. Perhaps even a more literal perception than ours." You call that literal?!


    Through the eyes of a dumbfounded ape


    I feel I am simply more confused than when I entered... "I have no further questions." "Then if we may... What do you see in the door behind us?" "For what purpose?" "Your companion brought it up. We are simply curious." Very well. I see... I see... How bizarre... "Countless palms bereft of colour, each grasping at nothing. Or rather, they feel bereft of shape, no... I am confused..." "Do not concern yourself too deeply. To those untrained, perception of a soul can be a reflection of themselves. This was but a simple curiosity." I see... So I am a palm. What is it I grip?


    Stolen story; please report.


    Through the eyes of an exhausted spider


    "Are you finished with your questions? We have found your debate enjoyable." "Shut up... I could go all day... I just don''t want to..." "Then allow us a question. As with your companions, what do you see?" Huh? That weird door thing with a bunch of knotting threads behind it? "A pretty fucking rainbow." "Interesting..." Nerd.


    Through the eyes of an alarmed demon


    Aaah! I have nothing! Useless! Pathetic! What manner of exorbitant ineptitude is this that assails me?! "Demon. We apologise for not knowing your term of address. Do you have a question?" Quick! Think! Anything! "Um, what is your favourite colour?" Agh! Anything better than that! "Favourite colour? Hmm... Hm?" Uh... they''re taking a while. Was it that dumb? Of course it was... "How strange." Of course it''s strange! Who asks what is clearly supposed to be the most ancient and mysterious being on an entire planet their favourite colour?! "Neither of us seem to know." Huh? Eh? What? "Perhaps blue? We will think on this. You have made us ponder. Thank-you." "Ah, yes. Your welcome." Fuck yea! Nailed it! "So what do you see?" I didn''t think this far ahead! Um... "Souls." "How do you perceive them?" "As... souls. I don''t really have words to describe them as anything else. They''re not really akin to anything." "Fascinating."


    Through the eyes of a dragon


    I feel like holding four conversations in parallel like this is pretty impressive. They didn''t stumble or confuse their words even once, even when saying two things at once. Could I do that? "Revered one. We imagine you would not need the door to know. It was you who taught us how to see, after all." Ah, right. This little game. I''m surprised to see the soul sea visible within a dimension. I imagine this makes learning to see them easier. As for what I see? "I see the same as you. Perfect beings, yet to awaken. I see spheres." "As we thought. Do you have questions for us, revered one?" I did. I had a bunch. I wanted to ask ''why make me a dragon'' and ''what is it that was pulling me to this world'', but... I feel like the answers to those don''t really matter anymore. I only have one thing to ask. "So, what''s your plan?"


    Nila shifts from their position, lines drawing on their face to form an imitation grin, not quite unpleasant yet not quite soothing either. "Put simply, our plan is twofold. You need Aether. You need information. Neither we can provide in full." A black appendage swipes across the room, disturbing a shelf as an ornate box is grasped and held forth. "Aether is no simple matter. Were La''s sufficient we would provide without hesitation. Yet doing so would leave this planet defenceless against those who would immediately take note. And you would still lack the quantity you need."


    The box is pried open, a veritable deluge of Aether bursting forth from a small crystal within. Faint light emits from the rough stone, refracted into a gentle pink hue and scattered across the dim walls of the room. "Crystals such as these are a rarity in this age. Many were taken by the angels who bear an uncharacteristic hostility to new Aether bearers. Many were claimed by us, and hidden across our world, away from their eyes. They will provide you with a starting point. For the quantity you need, you must first find that which has been hidden by the mortals. We know not its location, or even domain. This is by design, as we can only keep so many secrets from our observers over the span of millennia. With that, you may then find that which has been hidden by our allies. They will take you there when it is time."


    "You mentioned information. What kind?" "The kind we are uncertain about imparting. That which links with your identity. For this you must find the young one, who still resides on our world. We do not know where. Only that their influence lingers. They will know better what can be spoken." "How will we find them?" "They are powerful beyond sense. And wise beyond appearance. If you do not find them... They will find you." This seems tricky, but considering my past attempts have seldom had any semblance of success, this is actually pretty good. Just knowing this world actually has enough Aether somewhere is already better than most.


    "I''m on board with this so far. What about everyone else?" "Twofold once more. You will likely face interference. From the conflicts inherent to the world, but more so from the angels. A lone Aether bearer is unlikely to survive long, even with your skill. They are to provide you with strength and adaptability you would otherwise lack." So they basically just help? Didn''t Fluffy explore alone though? Was he just lucky? They make it sound near impossible to survive. "Secondly, we suspect the phenomena of joint ascension to be at play. If so, they will prove useful allies even after your apotheosis." That''s... I guess forming a heart could count as a kind of apotheosis, sure.


    "Where can we find the crystals?" Aleph steps forward, taking the shimmering stone from an outstretched palm and swallowing it whole, Aether interleaving and uniting as one, taking on hue where it had formerly been devoid. "Three within our caverns. We recommend you collect these first. One held by Mun''s pet directly above upper Haven. We believe you have already stolen most of this one." "Heh. Sorry." "One is held by the being once known as Andrurra. Little remains of her former mind. Now replaced by that of a drake. Her home is above the storm boundary. She is difficult to miss if you find her." That must be the mountain lizard we encountered. Makes it easier that we''ve found it before. "And finally, one held by Nok within the upper layers. Lyla should know the location." I guess I didn''t get all of them. Still, three for three as a team is pretty lucky.


    "Our influence upon the surface is limited. And our information out of date, with Lamla''s recent tardiness. Seek out our children who associate with us. Realised divine beasts as we believe they call them. If they do not have one, they will know where to find one. You will know when-" An unwanted presence. A dangerous memory. A failed obligation. Aleph turns to meet the vibrant eyes and irradiant Aura of the unfamiliar intruder, her own Aura almost snuffed by the intense swarm of hostility billowing in response to the intrusion. "These Aether constructs of yours are quite the tricky puzzle to crack you know. Maybe consider leaving a guide?" "You are beyond unwelcome here angel. Choose your words wisely, lest a new war be declared with your blood."


    A wave of black plates the room in darkness, the small world consumed by a starscape of white eyes, the space between the void filled and oozing with an overpowering sense of dominance. A god opens its eyes, and an angel observes back. "Ah, such a stiff as always. I felt something too interesting to ignore, and look at what I found. You, harbouring not one but two Aether bearers." "You expect us to refuse our own kin? The treaties grant priority to those who reach here with their own power." "But did they? They were assisted not too long ago, no? And by your firstborn no less." "Do not waste our patience with this petty fallacy. Kixhah''s punishment for his violation has already been agreed upon. This is an entirely separate matter."


    "It seems to me like you''re the one searching for excuses. Well, it''s not like it''s my place to start a fight here. I imagine my death would be quite swift in this location anyway, so we can let my superiors decide how to handle things." The angel lies back upon the air, arms folded by his neck in a paradoxical aloofness to his surroundings. "It was a pleasure to meet you all. Especially you, fragment. We''ll be seeing each other again." A convolving matrix of curved lines spread out from the glimmering wings, each dripping with immense Mana as they warp the space around him to a vanishing point. Darkness and light fades, returning to its masters who resume their relaxed posture in the returned ambient glow of souls. "As we said. You will need allies to help deal with the enemies you have. And those that will be made."


    Nila slides past the group, limbs sprouting out and plucking at the walls, leaving remnants of Mana and Aether behind. "It seems our security is lacking. Perhaps symptom of centuries of complacency." "Who was that? And what did he mean by fragment?" The figure turns to meet Aleph, any emotion indiscernible under the mask of a drawn on face. "You don''t know either? The term is unfamiliar to us as well. The angel is one of our observers. Those who enforce our end of the treaties. An unfortunate concession, but one they would not relent." "The other angel mentioned it as well. I feel like it''s important, but I''m not sure..." "A relation to your identity?" "Maybe? Or maybe something beyond identity. It''s hard to tell." "Beyond identity... How amusing. What could that possibly mean?"


    "No matter. Our time here comes to a close. You all look tired, you should rest. Mikika can direct you to your residences." Ah, it feels much better when they talk more relaxed like this. Easier to tell them apart too. "Who is Mekikeki?" Lyly grumbles, claiming the high ground upon her perch. "Hm? You have already met." "Why does everything you say have to be so damn cryptic?" "It''s more fun that way. Quite amusing." "..." The group step back into the outcropping of the room they entered from, save for Fluffy and Goldy who are pulled to a stop. "We ask that you two remain. There is one last thing for us to discuss." I feel like it''s something fun. I''ll have to pry the details from them later. The small room vanishes, replaced once more by a pristine hall paved in marble.


    <hr>


    What? Who is... No... Not this idiot again! How do they keep getting through my barrier?! I don''t care about their stupid prophecies! Damn it all! I should... I should just ignore them. Maybe they''ll leave me alone if I don''t listen. I''ll just tend to my garden until they go away.


    - Frustrations of a lonely god

 Chapter 77: Preparations

    Through the eyes of a lethargic spider


    Ugh... I''m not tired, you are... Stupid Progenitor... Do I call them Mom? Dad? Fuck that. I''ll call them Bitch instead. Fuehehe... My head hurts... Vision shifts and turns as Lyla''s perch moves and redirects, scouring the empty atrium. "We were supposed to meet someone, right?" Her perch asks, pacing the room. "Someone we knew. They didn''t mean that thumb-shaped syncope we met earlier, right?" "Leeta? Surely not... They''re already gone anyway." Lyla''s eyes catch on the vibrant glimmer of blue wings, fluttering to her head. Hey, a butterfly! I love these, they remind me of Cath. If she knew I associated her with butterflies though, she''d freeze me to death. Wait... "You don''t think this is who we''re supposed to meet, do you?"


    "I... The butterfly?" "The butterfly." "Butterflies are cute..." "Agreed." "What''s a butterfly?" I completely forgot the demon was here... The world suddenly seems less peaceful. An infinitesimal touch of wind graces Lyla''s fuzz as thin membranes push at the air, carefully lifting a fragile body and keeping it airborne, oscillating gracefully in front of the trio. Tiny black eyes peer at them, silently coaxing their attention as it slowly edges back. "I guess we follow?" The butterfly immediately responds to the suggestion, bouncing through the air one lively hop at a time ahead of them. Heavy thuds and gentle taps follow the voiceless flutters, a blue glimmer leading them across the hall and back to the elevator they came from.


    Through the eyes of an intrigued elf


    "Gol Dhee and Fluffy, was it?" "Tis I." "Uh, yea. Me too." "We wish to discuss matters relating to your capabilities. But first, Fluffy." "Yes?" "Where does your name come from?" "Oh, that''s what Teach calls me. I forget if ever I even had a name so I''ve just been using that." "That explains it. Indeed." Did they keep me here just to ask about my name? What''s so unusual about it? "That aside... We believe you both could benefit from our tutelage." "Hoh..." "I don''t mean to brag, or insult, but don''t I already have as good a teacher as one could hope? Even you consider her a god." "The revered one possesses technical skill and knowledge surpassing any other. But ability to teach she does not have. We speak from experience."


    Fluffy squints dubiously at the being, fingers twirling the wild scraggle protruding from his chin. "I speak from experience when I say her teachings have definitely made me stronger." "She tried teaching you ae''othas, didn''t she?" "Yes? And?" "That is a ridiculous technique which none have mastered but her. Yet she has the habit of always teaching it first. Even La can barely visualise a complex molecule with it. Yet she expects us to grasp at individual atoms to produce all effects." "Then how did she learn?" "We do not know. She is ancient. Perhaps she never needed to." Oh. It just dawned on me... I''m speaking to an individual who predates all known history. And Teacher is one that they consider ancient. How... invigorating!


    "As for Gol Dhee. You intrigue us." "Hoh?" "None of your kind who have ever reached this place have been so weak." "..." "Yet as we understand, the rate of your growth has been tremendous. We have even heard it was you who dealt the deciding blow against Mekrotok. He likely held back. But to injure, let alone incapacitate him, is no easy feat." "It was a fluke." "There are no flukes with Mana. Only perspective." That... sounds eerily familiar. Did Master say something similar once? "The two of you are dull stones with the potential of gems. It will take time for matters to be settled enough for you to be sent above. Until then, allow us to shape you."


    Through the eyes of an intrigued dragon


    Towering megaliths loom around the trio in all directions, the ground beneath them a transparent resin decorated with a Penrose tile of gradating hues. Dozens of creatures, of diverse people, walk by to their own destinations, most paying little heed to the group as they simply persist with their day. A few passers-by do take note of the butterfly fluttering ahead, many offering a friendly gesture while the occasional set of pale eyes grace the trio themselves with interest, nervousness, or reverence. The ones with white eyes seem different somehow. Kinda make me think of Chach''n.


    Their exploration leads them to the closest thing to an alleyway this city has, though still much too wide and well lit to seem tight or uncomfortable for anyone smaller than a house. Several offshoots from the road lead into the neighbouring buildings where the butterfly ahead bounces to, lingering before an open door. This butterfly is interesting. Its soul reminds me of Lyly in a way, though not as... uniform? Now that I see the one inside it kinda makes sense. Aleph steps into the dimly lit room, the critter disappearing into one of four walls of identical blue wings opening and closing in an irregular yet stable pattern. A gentle gaze nudges them from one-thousand directions, and a soft whisper greets them from above. "Hello..."


    A single butterfly, larger than the rest, lays flat against the ceiling. Crystalline wings seem to pull in the dim light, refracting it into a pattern which changes upon every twitch, every minute shift in angle forming a new network of lines, curves, and shapes within a spectrum of indigo and turquoise. "Oho? So we we finally meet, strange observer! I always knew you were actually a hive mind in disguise!" Lyly declares confidently, not a hint of shame in her blatantly false declaration. "Ah, you''re as smart as I imagined." You believed that? Lyly clearly just thinks butterflies are cute! "Fuahahaha! It seems we shall get along just fine! Tell us your name, stranger."


    Detaching from the ceiling, the butterfly acrobatically twirls through the air to land upon the spider, wings just large enough to eclipse her entire form. "I am Mikika. It is my eyes that keep watch between the oceans and Mun''s domain. I would like to thank you for pacifying the cascade. Without its obstruction I can now safely reach Haven. I have always wanted to see our eldest brother''s domain for myself. Is their thread-work as dazzling as they say?" "Meh. It''s passable. I could do better." "Wow!" Oh come... Actually... she probably can. Even I can tell she has a lot of Mana and enough skill to compete. "The room next to me is free, so we''ll be neighbours for the duration of your stay. It''s nice to finally meet you." Feeling left out, Didi slides up to the tip of Aleph''s neck, lifts Lyly and places her atop her skull. One can almost hear a ping, followed by the announcement ''Achievement get! Totem pole!''


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a golden tutee


    "You use Mana. So it will be Ni who instructs you." An ape, coated in black fur which seems to flicker like a flame stands before one of gold, coat shimmering under the bright light of the pristine arena. "You always imitate our forms. Why?" The black ape tilts, scratching his cheek in a familiar gesture of thoughtfulness. "Is mimicry not the polite action? Currently though, it is more to help us. To allow us a better understanding of your body. And a closer grasp of your mind. This also allows for more tactile demonstrations." They say Ni has taken form, yet I feel as though they both still speak. What is their mind? "Try not to overthink us. For now focus on yourself. What is your name?" Can they perceive my thoughts?


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    "Gol Dhee... You know already." "And what does Gol Dhee mean?" "One who is gold. A name granted by she you call the revered one." "Incorrect." What? "Show us your strength. Do not hold back." "I... Very well." Gol Dhee grips the wind, pulling a blanket of air into a wave to slam down on his opposition, who in turn cuts a wedge into the barrage with his fingers. Thick palms dig into the white stone below, fracturing the arena and tearing a field of rocks which are spun into a storm. The tempest is grappled by an intense will, pushing back at his own and warping the stones into a fluid which splashes away from Gol Dhee''s grip. "And your other form" How do they... It matters not.


    A deep exhale, and a narrowed focus. Palms spread wide as fur turns white, he grips the world around him with his essence. Tempests of earth, wind, and fire begin anew, scorching and weathering everything in sight as his foe deftly avoids being struck with remarkably efficient, calculated motions. In response, a single loose stone is grabbed, and a single loose stone is flicked into the cyclone, following the flow of the wind to build up speed and slam into Gol Dhee''s head. Concentration shattered, he drops his grip and his fur returns to normal. So easily...


    "It is as we thought. Tell us, what is your flaw?" "I am weak." "Incorrect. Weak or not, that is not your flaw. You have a reasonable understanding of Mana. Yet Mana has no understanding of you. Tell us once more. What is Gol Dhee?"


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a scraggly tutee


    "You use Aether. So it shall be La to instruct you." An elf of shimmering white, stood tall and confident with neatly combed hair stands on guard against one of unbridled disorder, leaning aloof against his fang. The pale elf steps forward, positioning herself within the range of the scraggly one''s blade, eyes held fixed on his. "Strike us." "Okay." Fluffy lifts the sword over his shoulder and tenses his muscles to strike. "No." "Hm?" He pauses mid swing, fang tugging at his forearms as he holds back its progress. "Do it properly. Don''t hold back. Show us the strike you used against Kixhah." "This place would be destroyed." "It won''t." "It will. Are you going to try and stop it?" "Would it be enough to reach the surface?" "No. Of course not." "Then we are not concerned. There will be no damage." "..." They are the Progenitor... Any damage will be on their head.


    With a dubious squint, Fluffy raises the fang once more and clears his mind. No sword, no elf, no world. Only the will to cut. A line is drawn faster than its wielder can perceive, and halted by the rebound of an immovable object. Energy which should have been directed in a narrow band explodes unrestrained, heat and force burning the air and melting the ground before swiftly being snuffed by another, far more powerful will. His fang sits still, gnawing at the impossibly tough shoulder of the other elf who simply cups her chin in thought. Nothing... Absolutely nothing... I''ve severed layer boundaries with attacks like that, and they just...


    "You didn''t even move..." "Would you feel the need to block the strike of an infant?" "Oh? Are you trying to break my will or something? Military tactics?" "No, we simply see no reason to mince words. The will of one who obtained as much Aether as you have with ambience alone would not break from mere speech." So they genuinely view me as a complete non-threat. Did the thought of danger even cross their mind? Damn. This is almost as bad as Master. Before he can think to lift his sword, the world spins and his face meets the obsidian floor, blade clattering away to the untouched marble a short radius away. "You have several bad habits. The way you move Aether is far too organic. You rely too much on the will of Aether itself to fill in the gaps of your knowledge. Why do you keep trying to spin it?" Nevermind. This is just as bad as my master...


    Fluffy leaps to his feet, the ground immediately being pulled from under him as he catches himself with his palms. They''re nowhere near me! How? Pushing himself back up he lands on one foot which is swept to the side by an unseen force, the other pushed into a split as he tries to catch himself. "You aren''t giving me a break, huh?" "How do you think we are doing this?" They''re powerful, so are they maybe doing what Teacher did? Throwing himself forward, he reaches out for his blade only for it to be flung into the air and pierce the ceiling, his body spun and thrown face down. "Are you controlling me with Aether directly?" He grumbles through loose rubble. "We have little more Aether available than you. Even if we had as much as we once did it would be severe overkill for this purpose. Try again."


    A heavy impact slams into his abdomen as he tries to stand, throwing him into a somersault and landing him on his face again. Just like Master... "Ugh... Are you hitting me with air?" "Correct. Can you do the same?" "If I strike I-" "What you describe is different. You enhance your body, then narrow the fallout of your strike. We simply move the wind directly. Stand." As if I haven''t been trying to do just... Finally able to remain on his two feet for more than a blink, Fluffy stands before the other elf and reaches his hand out to meet her outstretched fist. A thin film of smooth material lands softly atop his palm, the surface wound by several minute fibres barely visible to the naked eye.


    "It''s paper." "Correct." "Is it special paper?" "No." "So just... paper?" "Correct?" "What do I do with it?" "Remove your hand. But don''t let it fall." "Okay..." Aether pools into the page, folding the edges with his tight grip and he lowers his hand. Instead of remaining still the paper follows his palm, or rather the Aether gripping it does, and it falls. "Worse than we thought. We expected you to end up throwing it by mistake. It seems your view on Aether is too intrinsically linked with your body." "Aether is a part of me, no?" "A part of you, yes. But not your body. The body is vessel to the soul. Bound by Aura. Aether is an extension to the soul. Also bound by Aura. There is no direct link between body and Aether. This is what you must learn."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a shiny tutee


    "Are you sure about this?" "It''s not as fast as yours, but I can regenerate. You need to come to grips with your new strength, and if possible figure out your new ability." Oh, I totally forgot about that. My other abilities came so naturally, like when I turned into a puddle at my brother''s wedding. That was so embarrassing... A dragon of obsidian scales with violet eyes bearing a gaze of untouchable depths sits across a lush field from a being of shimmering crystal adorned in a neatly woven white dress. "Hit me. Don''t worry, I won''t die. Much." "You''re not helping..."


    Diala lowers her stance, compresses her legs, and launches. This time, her mind is able to keep up with her speed, what should be blurred noise now a detailed world passing by within a blink. Yet her motion is still too fast, little time to think as the distance is closed and she swipes her arm in a whipping motion. The snap of thunder, and the crunch of shattered earth as a hole is dug into the terrain and Aleph. Tumbling into a perfect land, she turns to inspect the damage, friction charring the earth black in an arc around her strike. A gaping wound lays open in the dragon''s shoulder, yet blood continues to flow where veins should be and flesh steadily snaps and leashes itself back together. Okay, that looks creepy as hell... Even to me... "Wow! That was agonising!" "Uh, sorry..." "Don''t be. I asked for it. And I''ll ask for it again." "Are you a masochist by chance?" "What''s a masochist?" "Nevermind..."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a confident tutor


    "By this point I was ready to deliver the finishing blow, to get my sweet revenge on the overcooked pool noodle. But I decided in all my magnanimity to grant this right to the monkey and allow him some credit." Lyla declares to the butterfly atop her head, pedipalps spinning threads through a blue liquid and into a soft fabric. "Wow! I''m surprised it took you so long to get here with such capabilities!" Wait... Has she caught on? I haven''t told a lie, technically, but is this her way of subtly indicating she knows I''m embellishing a little? "You must have really held back for his sake." "Uh, yea! That''s what it was! I was just holding back!" What was I thinking? Her two brain cells are clearly still fighting over third place. "So what other cool things have you done?" Well, that''s not necessarily a bad thing.

 Chapter 78: Growth

    Aleph lies slumped over a soft cushion, a perfect picture of lethargy under the gentle blue of her current living space. Rhythmic thuds echo the walls as Didi tosses a rubber ball against the ceiling, Goldy finding some form of distraction in watching the orb rise and fall. A dull calm fills the room, the very air feeling bored under the persistent nothing of their current state until a loud bang shatters the silence, light filtering through the open door and around the heavily built figure who shambles in and clutters into the soft carpet below, raising one arm towards the monkey. "You''re up." The elf murmurs into the ground, arm falling limp to the ground as Goldy nods and stands to leave.


    "How''s your training going?" Aleph queries the weary elf, his face barely turning enough for a legible reply. "It''s been days and I feel like I''ve made no progress. How can it be so hard to hold a single piece of paper in place?" "Oh! You''re doing the paper test? I forgot that existed. Such a cute idea." Fluffy looks up at the dragon, a flash of curiosity in his eyes. "Have you done it before?" "I don''t think so? I''ve never needed to, at least as far as I can remember." A hand slides down, pulling a wrinkled sheet of white from a pocket and tossing it in the air towards the dragon. "Try it now. Maybe it''ll give me some inspiration."


    "I just hold it in the air, right?" The page halts, all momentum arrested as if frozen in time, held still by the minute layer of Aether which passively surrounds her. "You don''t even move..." "Why would I need to move?" "I don''t know... Isn''t it cooler if you move or something?" Huh... Good point. I should really start putting some flair into my Aether skills. Aleph raises her tail, swiping it in a wide arc above the paper as Aether pulls it straight, tugging away every crease and wrinkle to leave it flawlessly flat. "How was that?" "Hmm... Could maybe do with a bit more cause and effect." I guess this gives me something to do while we wait.


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a golden student


    Gol Dhee surfs a violent torrent, surrounded by a deluge of fluid stone on all sides, his foe nowhere to be seen. Colour warps and blends into a homogeneous mass of surging patterns built from the chaotic turbulence of the storm, fists of white sinking in and pushing at the currents to keep him afloat. "What is Gol Dhee?" Nila quizzes, their tempest unrelenting. There must be an answer they seek. Something for me to realise. Yet each time we train I feel no closer. What meaning could my name hold? Have I misunderstood its intent? "Gol Dhee is a golden ape! A warrior! A former king!" "Incorrect. You search for meaning in the wrong direction." What do they mean?! His palm slips, white fading back to gold as he loses himself to the riptides around him. "That is enough for today."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a scraggly pupil


    Rip! "Again." Fluffy sighs, taking hold of his next sheet to inevitably be torn as he suspends it in the air and begins walking around it. Rip! "Again." "Is this really all there is to this training?" "Were you expecting different?" "I don''t know... Maybe something more immediately useful?" "Training Aether is very unlike training Mana. The latter values perspective and understanding. The former demands precision and technical skill. This is the best method we have found for training ae''noo. The most basic of techniques. You wish to know its utility? Here..."


    Nila raises a sheet of paper to the air, the film wavering under the grip. "Cut it." With a shrug, Fluffy lifts his blade from its sheath, throwing a swift yet relaxed blow to rend the sheet in twain, bursting it away with a force of wind and letting the pieces flutter listlessly to the ground. "That was held using your technique from the day you arrived. Now try again." Another sheet is lifted, and another swing peeling apart the air. This time, the edge is halted, stuck within the tight grip of a rigid plate of paper. "This is your technique as of current. Put simply, this improves your strength. And acts as the fundamental groundwork from which all other techniques should be built upon."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a shiny learner


    Snap! A blur is formed on a wide field, directed in a straight line towards a large opposing figure of dense, black scales and leaving behind a wake of upturned earth. Crystal legs are swung to the front, landing against an outstretched paw with a loud crack! Her body vanishes, appearing a short distance back as she twirls and lands with a flourish, her humble, blue dress rippling with the winds. "You''re getting better, but still too much force. You broke my leg again." Ah, damn. I really thought I had that one.


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a confident seamstress


    "Red this time?" "She wanted red. Apparently blue just isn''t good enough for her." "That makes sense." Thin threads are spooled from rapidly cooling liquid, soaked in a thick crimson fluid, then wound together into an intricate mesh of fabric. Tiny claws grip and sew the fabric faster than a blink, the gentle yet rapid motions gradually forming a contiguous sheet, wrapped and warped into itself. Minuscule navy blue legs dip into the fluid, mixing in new hues for the fabric to shift towards. "Add a little more magenta for me." "Ah, of course."


    "Say, you''re on the surface now, right?" "Hm? Yea. The latency with my other bodies sucks from down here though." "Latency? I don''t get anything like that. If I did my eyes would likely die a few layers up since I need to control them from here." Threads are wound over the fabric, patterns woven in and loose shapes pulled taut. "Blue next." "You really like blue..." "That a problem?" "No, definitely not. Why do you get latency though? Are you controlling with your original like me?" "No, my bodies are independent." "Then, what about your soul?" "What about it?" "Where is it? Just in your original? Or spread across all of your bodies? Do you have multiple souls?" "I... don''t know." I''m definitely one being. But do my secondary bodies have souls? I figured I just communicate with Mana, but... is that true?


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    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a violet freeloader


    Dark scales cut through the wind, a spectacle of shimmering keratin pulling attention as a long tail points up. "Is this your card?" The tail flicks, a rectangular piece of paper adorned with a detailed depiction of a crimson ouroboros seeming to spin into being at the tip. The clatter of palms, crystal, and fur periodically clapping together speak in response, eight cyan eyes scrutinising the card. "Yep. That''s the zero of fire alright. The same one you folded and hid just out of view behind your tail." "Damn... I thought I had it this time." Aleph thuds her tail against the soft carpeted floor, the card swinging listlessly in the air before gently gracing the ground. "Hey, it''s only been a few eightdays. You''ll get it eventually."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a golden warrior


    "What is Gol Dhee?" "I am Gol Dhee." "Are you?" "Am I not?" "You are close. Yet you have still not quite grasped the question." A swirl of flames surrounds the monkey, bursting forth with the limits of his strength and pushing at the boundaries of his capabilities. "Can you not simply tell me?" "Knowledge differs from understanding. You must grasp the concept with your own meaning. Not ours." Flame peters out, replaced by the frigid bite of wind, moisture collating into a snowstorm within his grasp. "Keep in mind it is not us you must answer, but Mana. Mana knows not who commands it. That is for you to declare. Now declare it." Golden eyes peer inward and outward, something flickering within them, a different hue of himself poking into reality.


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a scraggly swordsman


    Swish! A blade eats the air. Bang! The air bites back at the space left behind. Wind swirls under the ceaseless barrage of swipes and jabs, each swing caught or deflected by the elegant touch of a pure white hand. Two sheets of paper hold steady behind each combatant, the occasional lunge of a blade or strike of a palm attempting to reach the guarded objects. Fluffy throws his entire body into a strike, momentum twisting through every fibre from the pivot of his foot, to the swerve of his hips, and the wide arc of his arm. The atmosphere is torn by his heavy fang, yet nothing more is struck, his opponent leaping over the strike. His mouth is thrown open by surprise, as well as the force of a swift foot grasping at his unruly scraggle to throw him to the floor.


    "This is our win again. You''ve improved a lot. Your paper did not even waver." Nila reaches over the crumpled elf to snag his paper, tearing it in declaration of victory. "You really don''t hold back, do you... You''d probably get along with my master." Fluffy stands, grooming the rustled patch of fuzz back to... being just as scraggly. "This master of yours... We do not know of one such as them. If they are as you describe, you should find them. They would make a powerful ally." "If we stop by the north I''ll look for them. Whether I find them is... pure chance at best."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a shiny demon


    "Didi..." "Yes?" "I normally don''t mind what people wear, but..." Diala looks down at her new dress, a fountain of red and purple frills which overflow in a grandiose display of rippling curves and extravagant decor. Faux flowers form a ring around the waist, fabric showering down in layers of frills leading to a long skirt which trails the ground. "Is it weird? I think it looks nice." "That''s not what I''m talking about. Can you fight in that?" "Definitely not." "Well?" "I''m starting to see your point." "..." "..." "Let''s call it off for today. You''ve improved well enough already."


    <hr>


    Through the eyes of a dragon


    "It would seem everyone is here. How lovely to see you all again!" Nila stands at the edge of a ring drawn into the pristine white floor, walls of seamless steel surrounding the dimly lit room. The group rest on the other side, Goldy and Fluffy stood side by side while Didi and Lyly sit atop Aleph. "We have received the remainder of the stone held by Mun''s pet. You may take it." A pink gemstone, covered in cracks and seemingly glued together, is flung at the dragon to be caught between her fangs and swallowed. "The others are beyond our reach from here. But we can send you to where we believe the next will be. The journey is one way however. So this shall be our farewell."


    A pale spider with black eyes appears on Aleph''s head, meeting the gaze of the perch''s primary occupant. "Lyla. It was a pleasure to finally meet you. We know not what exactly you seek. But you are strong. In many ways. You will find it." The spider vanishes upon the rude gesture thrown in response, a crystalline demon appearing eye to eye with Didi in its place. "Demon. We still do not know your term of address. The views of those on the surface differ to those held within our domain. We advise caution, especially with humans. They have much war in their history. Many involving demons. We also like your dress." "Thanks!"


    Crystal skin gives way to ethereal black fur, stood in front of a golden reflection. "Gol Dhee. Your training has come a long way. And you will improve more in the days to come. Hold more confidence within yourself. And once more... What is your name?" "Gol Dhee." "What does Gol Dhee mean?" "Gol Dhee means I. My being defines the name. My history, my strength, my nature. This is what defines Gol Dhee." "Correct." A consolidation of identity. Are they priming him to form an anchor? A neatly dressed elf appears in mirror to the green-eyed swordsman, scraggle appearing to somehow be a little more chaotic than the original. "Fluffy. The way you use Aether is absurd. Abnormal. Perhaps even sacrilegious." "Hey..." "Yet there is something to it. We have taught you the fundamentals. Something the revered one proved inadequate in doing." Hey... "Teach yourself from here. Adapt your skill. We expect you may create something new. Perhaps something unknown to even our gods."


    A dragon appears before Aleph, deep, black eyes peering from between pristine white scales. Wings folded behind, legs holding the form tall and proud in a stance far more natural than Aleph''s own. "Revered one. We await the day you return to us complete. Beware of influence from the angels who seek your harm. And be wary of the ancient one. We know not why, but they are not the same as they once were. Perhaps the young one would know." Two dragons bow, the pale figure vanishing between thoughts and leaving behind a sphere of warped space, grey stone speckled with grass and precipitation in place of the pristine floor.


    <hr>


    The golden stars, not associated with gods but instead a symbol of the angels. Due to their uniformity it is difficult to distinguish the individual ones from each other, though it is known that they all appear to remain fixed over the location believed to be Osalaleus. Despite this, one gold star stands out. A celestial body only known to be present during the times surrounding the great wars of the gods. The giant sta-


    [Record stricken by angelic interference]

 Chapter 79: Familiar

    White clouds occlude a sky of grey stone, a faint drizzle of rain coating the earthy ground in a sheen of specular reflections. Mountainous spires of rock loom behind the soft mist of the horizon, muffled lights poking through the white sky just enough to light the world. The thick scent of precipitation and mud carries through the air, transported by winds of wavering intensity. "Does this look familiar to anyone?" Aleph asks the group, slowly roaming forward. "I''ve definitely been to this layer before, but not this location." Fluffy responds, humidity dragging his beard into a slightly neater mess than usual.


    "Get on. The search will be faster if we fly." Aleph spreads her wings, bending her legs as the group clambers into place upon her back. Crack! Tiny droplets of rain batter the group as they gain height, wings stretching into a controlled glide across the rapidly shifting terrain. "Where do we go from here?" "Anywhere. Just keep an eye out for familiar landmarks." The rain grows in intensity as they soar, then fades as they persist, fog dissipating into clear horizons of stone speckled with patches of greenery and small forests. Terrain rapidly shifts below, grassy plains giving way to wide lakes, giving way to swampy marshes, giving way to precipitous ravines. Clear skies become cloudy, become windy, become clear again. Endless swathes of smooth land and precipitous mountain ranges sprawling across an endless horizon, the world''s scale a stark defiance to its cavernous nature.


    Mountain after mountain, forest after forest, storm after storm, rest after rest, and the steadily growing realisation that what they are searching for, is a mountain in a continent. Aleph lands between the narrow points of a mountain peak and its corresponding stalactite, the terrain around her a heterogeneous collection of dynamically blending biomes and landmarks, none bearing a shred of recollection. "Still nothing. How long have we even been on this layer?" "Let me check... Wow, this is so much easier with a better connection. Three days. It''s mid-day right now." "Then let''s eat. I''ll go hunt something and bring it here."


    Through the eyes of an eager chef


    Fluffy watches the dragon swoop down from the peak, stretching his arms as he steps his own way down. "Well it''s Teach, so we can expect her to bring something enormous. I''ll get the firewood." Hopping down and beginning a leisurely stroll to near the foot of the mountain. Accompanied by the gentle brush of warm wind, he finds a nice looking tree and uproots the entire thing, bark crunching and earth crumbling as he hoists it to his shoulder and strides his way back.


    Through the eyes of a one trick chef


    "Well, it''s the elf so we can expect him to bring a whole tree or something stupid like that. Let''s just clear some space." Lyla sets to work, picking up giant pebbles and pushing away enormous twigs while the monkey simply grabs the earth and peels away a layer to leave behind a flat surface. "Well, thanks for the help. Could''ve done it without you though." The trio gather stones into a large ring for the camp fire, a neatly organised structure which falls apart with the heavy crash of leaves and bark. Knew it. "That was quick. Where''s the-" Another slam rustles the dead tree, the empty eyes of a deceased basilisk staring Lyla in the face.


    "Too much." "Is it? I thought it would be just right." "I''m not spit-roasting something that won''t even fit in Avilar''s dome." "Who''s what now?" "How did you even fly with this thing? I''ve seen houses smaller than this." "I just flew. Same way I always do. Anyway, what you don''t want I''ll just have. It''s already dead, so no use letting it go to waste." Lyla sighs at the dragon, skittering back to repair the fire while the elf carves the kill into more sensible portions.


    Wood is split apart and lit by golden palms, rapidly building a roaring pyre of flames as Lyla constructs spits from the loose twigs. Pulling up the makeshift construct, she pauses as the fire meets her gaze. "Demon... What are you doing?" "What? You guys get to eat. I''ll have you know that some types of fire light are actually quite the delicacy in some places. I''ll help you keep the flame going, so just don''t mind me." "Sitting in a fire is a delicacy?" "Well, this is just a boring wood fire, but it''s a nice snack at least." I''m surrounded by weirdos... So declares the poly-sapient arachnid preparing to spit-roast a high-volume snake.


    Meat crackles over the flame, suspended and turned as the rich scent of evaporating oils seasoned with rough hints of carbon puffs through the air. The slow process is accompanied by the formation of a smooth rock plate, atop which the sizzling pops of stone-cooked steaks saturate the smoke with a metallic sapor. As they reach their fruition, Lyla immediately steals the best pieces for herself to nibble. The others distribute, chomping, chewing, and guzzling the tender meat with gusto. Piece by piece Lyla strips apart her prize, peeling and munching away with an almost religious patience.


    As her nibbling comes to a close, the group gather closer, the dragon still mercilessly ravaging the remainder of the serpent while the demon tries to shake the accumulated soot from her dress. "Lil'' Blue, you''re good at tracking time. How long were we in Nilalus?" Lyla looks up at the elf, still chewing her pedipalps clean. "About a quart. Actually... Exactly a quart. We were there a while." "Hmm... I suppose so. What season will it be on the surface now?" "It''s almost the last quart of a falling year, so we''re getting to winter. Centra is pretty tropical though, so I don''t expect to see much snow in the region of Labyrinth City." "Quite the exotic name, I wonder what it means." "Right... I forgot you don''t speak English. It''s pretty on the nose, basically the same as calling it Nilasuun''laleus." "Huh..."


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    "What is this city like?" "I too am curious." The demon and monkey scoot in, ash trailing behind the shimmering figure and rubbing off against the lumbering ape. Gee, curious today aren''t we... Well, I''m not one to deny knowledge to the young ones seeking to tap into my vast swathes of wisdom. I''m a great teacher after all! "It''s a confusing mess of politics and rivalry with the capital. Tourism is like nothing you''ve ever seen because it''s the nexus for domain portals and home to the only real entrance to the labyrinth." "I don''t know about any of that, but they host some incredible festivals. Being the political centre of Centra gives them a dazzling variety of cultural overlap. I''ve never visited the other domains, but I feel like I''ve held the authentic experience of all their cuisine just from the restaurants alone. You say it''s a falling year? They''ll be hosting the reverence festival by the year''s end then. Their crown piece of ancient cultural history." "They''ve already started preparing..."


    Reverence festival, huh? Didn''t my war with the stray cat bastard take place during one of those? I wonder...


    Through the eyes of one who has never cooked


    Aleph tosses the final piece of the snake down her gullet, a beast once in excess of ten times her size devoured and burned away into energy. Shaking herself clean, not that dirt would cling to her anyway, she strolls back to the group and lays down. "Dragon, you know about weird things like true names. Settle this debate." Did I just walk into an argument? "The Progenitor. Their true name is Nila, right?" "It can''t be, Lyla. They are two separate beings, Ni and La." "This rejected drawing of a child''s doll refuses to understand. Ooh, that one''s good. I should write it down..." A deep sigh escapes the dragon, her thoughts carefully navigating the pieces of her scattered memories to consolidate her understanding.


    "First of all, you both have a misunderstanding about true names. The word is merely a part of it. A true name describes an identity, the whole of one''s being. Everything from age, personality, and even your location can affect it. And the confusion you''re having over which word is more correct is probably intentional." "Wait, so is it neither or something?" "Yes and no. Consider, everyone seems to have a different name of them, a different understanding of their identity. To the Haven Kin, they are god of precision La and god of creativity Ni. To the surface they are ruler of the labyrinth, the Progenitor. To the inhabitants of Nilalus they are Sosa, their eldest leader. And to the divine beasts they are Nila, Mother, and Father. It''s convoluted by design."


    "If you want to be pedantic about it then you''re both correct. The fact they are both two beings and one is an intrinsic part of their identity." "Okay, that''s nice and all, but... Which of us wins?" "Me." ""..."" Aleph stands once more, stretching her body before stepping to the edge of the peak. "Let''s go. You can finish digesting while we fly." Small forms clamber upon her back, neck, and head as her wings shoot out and she hops the edge to glide down. "Which way are we going now?" Fluffy yells through the wind. "No clue." Aleph replies with the wind. "See if you can find another basilisk, preferably a big one. I have a hunch." "Sure."


    Soaring her way to where she found her lunch, she lands. Several serpents rear their heads toward the intruder, immediately launching away from the beast which killed and ate one of their own not too long ago. "Now what?" "Follow the biggest one." Before it can flee, Aleph bolts towards the largest of the serpents, tailing the panicking beast as the others scatter away from it. "Basilisks have incredible stamina for chasing prey and fleeing, as well as enormous territories. If you can scare one of of the ones too big to hide, it will flee to safety no matter how far it must go. And what safer place is there than its nest?" Ah, I see!


    Earth is torn as the lumbering beast plunges its way through the terrain and onto a smooth network of obsidian trails, swiftly weaving the paths with a desperate efficiency. The dragon remains relentless, effortlessly charging after with no signs of building fatigue on either side. Hills blur past, mountains swim by, the never-ending chase testing the serpent''s limits until Aleph halts her charge, a familiar sight gracing her eye. "We''re here." A spire of white, standing in stark contrast to the grey stone and reaching through a layer of clouds to brush the ceiling. "So they kept using it as a nest..." Hm?


    "You''ve been here too?" "A couple times. The last time I was here was when I was attacked by the apex basilisk. Bit of a tragedy, really..." "You killed that thing?" Aleph looks upon the enormous skeleton, skull half-crushed and spine coiled into a pillar. "Unfortunately so..." "I guess that''s why it still had so much lingering Aether. It died relatively recently." "If you call years ago recent, then sure." "Aether can be pretty persistent." Aleph leaps into the air again, gliding towards the titan''s remains. "If I recall, those geysers are where we rested upon reaching this layer, and above the skeleton should be a hole reaching up several layers." "We still need to get your yinthong stone, right? Will the mountain lizard still be there?" "Probably. Didn''t seem like the moving type."


    Landing by the geysers, the group come upon an old campsite of discarded charcoal and stones strewn across the ground, overgrown with moss and ivy. "I''m surprised this is still here. Would''ve expected it to wash away by now." "It hasn''t even been a year. Speaking of which, your birthday is in forty-five days. You want anything?" "Spit-roast something for me." "Food... That figures." "Let''s go. We should be close now."


    <hr>


    Date: 2nd day, 1st falling quart, 1231st cycle since the calamity. I have little of note for today. Only that more of my records have been stolen. Once again, it seems the thief is targeting anything relating to the great wars or to angels and demons. Something is being hidden, kept from the public, and I want answers. I will see that my security is increased as of today, my records are to be moved to a more secure location away from the city.


    - Personal notes of the eldest being on Ao

 Chapter 80: Array

    Interlude from the surface.


    Programmer


    <blockquote>


    ghost:~/SimpleHash$ cat main.cpp


    #include <cstdint>


    #include <iostream>


    std::uint32_t Hash(std::uint32_t seed)


    {


    ????seed ^= seed >> 16;


    ????seed *= 0x85EBCA6Bu;


    ????seed ^= seed >> 13;


    ????seed ^= 0xC2B2AE35u;


    ????seed ^= seed >> 16;


    ????return seed;


    }


    int main(int argc, char* argv[])


    {


    ????constexpr std::uint32_t c_BufferLength = 10u;


    ????std::uint32_t randBuffer[c_BufferLength];


    ????for (std::uint32_t i = 0u; i < c_BufferLength; ++i)


    ????{


    ????????randBuffer[i] = Hash(i);


    ????}


    ????for (std::uint32_t i = 0u; i < c_BufferLength; ++i)


    ????{


    ????????std::printf("%X, ", &randBuffer[i]);


    ????}


    ????return 0;


    }


    ghost:~/SimpleHash$ gcc main.cpp -o simple_hash


    ghost:~/SimpleHash$ ./simple_hash


    EE4035B0, EE4035B4, EE4035B8, EE4035BC, EE4035C0,


    Program returned: 0


    ghost:~/SimpleHash$


    </blockquote>


    Why does it keep giving such similar results? I''ve used this hash dozens of times, it should be random... I''m using the same value to declare the array, and to iterate for populating and printing... Wait... Wait! I''m printing the address! No wonder they were all exactly four apart, I''m an idiot...


    Twang! Hm? Shouldn''t that have been more of a beep? And it''s definitely way too loud... Ah, whatever. I''m sure it''s fine.


    <blockquote>


    ??)????: something feels different here :0


    User -5)
rc?? has joined.


    Current users 2/-1


    </blockquote>


    Shit. I think I submitted the wrong build last night... I''m pretty sure this is from the branch for implementing a kick feature. I still haven''t figured out why my descriptors all contain garbage strings.


    <blockquote>


    -5)
rc??: You again


    ??)????: me again :D


    ??)????: why is my name different 8/


    ??)????: i liked it better before "o"


    -5)
rc??: Just a bug, I''ll fix it later


    ??)????: ew bugs XP


    ??)????: why add bugs if they are such a problem ?.?


    -5)
rc??: Shut up


    User ?]F?W(?Z has joined.


    Current users 3/-1


    ?]F?W(?Z: You said it. Why is this thing so loud today?


    -5)
rc??: Also a bug


    ?]F?W(?Z: Then squash it.


    -5)
rc??: Not that kind...


    </blockquote>


    Hey, wait! Why is the user count negative?! How is it negative?! I''m printing it unsigned! Ugh... It''s going to be one of those days...


    <blockquote>


    ??)????: so do you want to know more about god seeds ''.''


    ?]F?W(?Z: Of course :)


    -5)
rc??: Don''t you start with these emotes to...


    ?]F?W(?Z: Why not? They''re cute.


    ??)????: yes join the dark side we have emojis >:3


    -5)
rc??: Just tell us what you want already


    ??)????: fine fine ?-?


    ??)????: around the city some stone tiles have arrays drawn on them ^.^


    ??)????: I want you to activate them :?


    -5)
rc??: What do they do?


    ??)????: they help me see 8w8


    ??)????: mrs runesmith can look them over if you want 8P


    ??)????: they only need mana but i just dont have enough 3:


    </blockquote>


    Cultivator


    Dense energy pools between the pale trees, a thick wall of qi leaking barely enough to be detected, but barely enough is still enough. Faux steps through the imperceptible film holding back the mass, his presence a declaration which is met by a sharp, quantitative gaze. "You again. Have you passed a DNA test yet?" "You are the divine beast they call the white shadow, yes?" Two cyan eyes dig into turquoise, the prickling sensation of being watched from all sides emanating from the uncanny orbs. Pale skin flickers and distorts, hints of something beneath being pulled into the open before the figure jerks away, head tilted slightly too much while joints bend and lock at uncomfortable angles. The figure breathes, yet no air travels, body seeming to just inflate and deflate at sporadic intervals.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "How do you keep finding me? Why do you keep finding me?" "I have some questions I would like to ask of divine beasts." "Ask the hairball. I don''t care." "The city guardian actively avoids me." "Yea, can''t blame him. Even I know your reputation. Still, you''re not getting anything from me, so go away before your gross idiocy rubs off on me." The figure floats out of sight, and Faux follows. The surrounding qi grows more dense as the persistent gazes become harsher. "I said to go away. Don''t think I won''t kill you. It would save me having to move again." "And in the ensuing battle you would be exposed to those you hide from. I won''t tell anyone where you are, I simply have some simple questions I would like answered." "You''re going to be a persistent pain, aren''t you?"


    Transmigrator


    "Have you finally given up this fools errand?" "Nope. Just thinking." Auvic mindlessly picks at his freshly baked bun, rich juices from the meat inside seeping through the porous sponge and pooling on the plate below. "It is still not too late to pull back. We can find a path for your growth elsewhere." "Maybe this is like the demon lord, and the best solution is to fight with allies." "Every time you do or say something involving that man, you bring the attention of one we must not involve ourselves with." Before long, the small plate is coated in a thin layer of liquid, the scent of meat drowning out the fading waft of bread. "The guys I came here with are affected by deprecation, so I doubt they''ll be of much help. What about that bodybuilder? She seemed tough." "Do not ignore me, Auvic. This is no trivial matter." Oil drenches the bun, now more soaked than the meat as a growing pile of wasted crumbs is expanded piece by piece. "And who is it we must not bring the attention of?" He asks, the answer not to be spoken. "..." "That''s what I thought."


    Ranker


    "This the place?" "Maybe? Probably? It''s what they described." "Well, that''s a problem." Aeryth stands over a normal stone tile, no different from any of the myriad paving the city, aside from the complex rune-work etched in chalk with a sizeable smudge spread across. "Do we fix it?" "I don''t think a chalk array would do anything in the first place. Is the real thing hidden?" "A puzzle? I love those! Don''t help me." Cracking her knuckles, Aeryth crouches down to inspect the slab, prepared to spend as long as it takes to crack this mystery. Each detail is devoured by attention, from the shape of the slab, to the strokes of each rune, and even to the chaotic microfacets patterning the stone. Her eyes lock onto every clue, every slight hint, especially the very noticeable gap between the stones with arrows of chalk and scribbled English text reading ''Turn here :D'' "..."


    Pressing her nails between the paving stones, Aeryth lifts the slab to inspect beneath. An intensely complex sequence of symbols carved in concentric rings lays etched into the stone, a seemingly mechanical precision to each line. "Did you enjoy your puzzle?" "Shut up and read." Aeryth shoves the slab into the face of the giggling miscreant, holding it out for inspection. "Well, it''s definitely a communication array, albeit a weird one." "Weird how?" "It only transfers MP... I mean Mana. No form of information encoding or anything, so it just seems... pointless. I guess it can maybe be a simple alarm system? But that''s about it. Not dangerous, but not very useful either."


    Aeryth looks the array over, the runes and patterns little more than noise to her. "You sure that''s it?" "Yep. It''s pretty well made though, and I did see some runes in the dirt below the slab, but they seem to just be impressions of this array." "If you say so." With a hefty thud the stone is put back into place, a small puff of dust escaping from between the seams. "You probably don''t have enough Mana, so I''ll power it." "Hey..." Palm planted on the stone surface, a strong pulse of energy is shoved through, rattling the earth and causing the stone to waver. "There, that should-" Twang! "You really need to fix that sound... Ostende."


    <blockquote>


    ??)????: nicely done ?8


    </blockquote>


    The screen is immediately discarded from thought, eyes tensed and ears focused to an extreme degree. Every minute buzz of air is grasped and parsed without discrimination. The gentle puff of Ghost''s exhaling breath forms a subtle whisper at the corners of her lips, a gentle ripple from the twitching of her diaphragm as it pushes her lungs closed. Soft taps of insects and arachnids gripping at stone from between grooves in the city walls and paved stones echo with the rapid flaps of flies and mosquitoes in an amalgamated buzz of life. Pedestrians press a gentle rhythm of footfalls into the ground, syncopated and unified from street to street, building to building. Wind brushes the leaves of bushes into each other, civilians tap their festival dance and sing their lively songs, rodents scamper within the interleaved concoction of sewers below, water tumbles and splashes in a bisection of the city, and trees rustle loudly within the forest boundary. Each sound heard and parsed, origin deduced, intention ascertained, yet none bear the signs of a possible observer. A sharp twang grates the air, interrupting her search.


    <blockquote>


    ??)????: im not so easy to find (?


    </blockquote>


    Spider


    "I need help. A freak is harassing me." Declares a small spider, nestled within the hair of a bedridden girl. "Kick him in the nuts. Always works for me." "Ew, gross. I don''t wanna touch him." "..."


    Spider


    "So, the dragon is Boundless, the elf is Immutable, the monkey is Dominion, and the demon is Bond?" Queries a rotund spider with stubby legs, watching a boy perform... some kind of dance? Honestly I''m not quite sure how to describe that. His arms and legs wobble and undulate like... I don''t actually think there are any similes for this either... "Yes. Perfect, right?" "Those are shit names." "Your loss."


    Spider


    "Hey, Al." "Hm?" A thick coat of white fur rustles under the amber glow of dusk, milky eyes turning from the horizon to the small spider clung to the arm of his chair. "Oh, it''s back." "What is?" "Don''t mind me. What was your question?" "Right! I''m being harassed by a weird human, but circumstances make it awkward to use my usual methods of laser beams and unchecked destruction. Any advice?" "Have you tried talking to them?" "That''s exactly what I want to avoid." "Peace offering?" "Like what?" "Humans like cake, do they not?" "..."


    Programmer


    "What now? Find the others?" "No. We did work on our side, let''s have them give us something in return." Right! This is a perfect job not for me! I''ll just let her deal with it.


    <blockquote>


    ?]F?W(?Z: Now that we''ve activated one of these things, tell us about god seeds.


    ??)????: you dont trust me to tell you when were done ?


    ?]F?W(?Z: Would you?


    ??)????: of course im the most trustworthy person of all *U*


    -5)
rc??: Not with emotes like that


    ??)????: i jest i jest XP


    ??)????: or is the term jk :/


    -5)
rc??: Please don''t make it worse...


    ??)????: okay ~.~


    ??)????: since you are so untrusting how about a quick qna about myself ^¡ð^


    ?]F?W(?Z: You could just lie.


    ??)????: i could also lie about the fact that a god seed is one in the process of developing a construct around their soul >:)


    ??)????: thats for the array you activated by the way X?


    ??)????: now ask away and i will answer anything ¡ÂD


    ?]F?W(?Z: What is your name?


    ??)????: anything non identifying :|


    ??)????: i thought that was obvious -,-


    ?]F?W(?Z: Worth a try.


    ?]F?W(?Z: What is your goal?


    ??)????: world peace \(¡î?¡î)/


    ?]F?W(?Z: ...


    ??)????: im kidding >.<


    ??)????: just trying to survive and be free in a restricting world :->


    ?]F?W(?Z: Are you from Magnus?


    ??)????: born and raised *v*


    ?]F?W(?Z: Are you an archmage?


    ??)????: depends on your definition =/


    ?]F?W(?Z: Are you an ancient


    ??)????: by shortys standards probably ^?^


    -5)
rc??: Hey!


    ??)????: maybe not to the walking jungle gym =_=


    -5)
rc??: Are you from Earth?


    ??)????: maybe ''`''


    ??)????: maybe not -?-


    ??)????: or maybe both _._


    ??)????: you decide =P


    -5)
rc??: You''re probably just an asshole


    ??)????: i like this one ''v''


    ?]F?W(?Z: You can''t have her.


    ??)????: too bad /:|


    ??)????: well thats enough for today ^*^


    ??)????: ill send you more locations tomorrow .^.


    ??)????: toodle o/


    </blockquote>


    Only one toodle? "What do you think?" "Hm?" "About this Shothas character." "Ohh, right, yea. Weird as fuck." The couple stroll to a nearby bench, wood straining under the immense mass of muscle dumped atop it and squeaking as a substantially smaller mass claims stacks on top. "Agreed, but are they being honest?" "We already deduced that being a god seed has something to do with the soul. That gives them some credibility." "True, but they could have overheard us talking about that." "Only if they have ears in Maroltin and the Tower World. We''ve never mentioned that here, I think." "I suppose not."


    Two mouths expel air in unison, a gentle wind brushing against Ghost''s hood. "Do you trust them?" Ghost asks, lifting her head to meet Aeryth''s eyes. "Not even slightly. But information on god seeds is the whole reason we came here, and this is our best lead." "There was that doll." "And you want to talk to it again?" "No..." "Me neither. Doubt it would say anything anyway." Light of the red sun occludes behind the surrounding buildings, cool shade gracing the pair as dusk takes hold. "So what do we know?" "God seeds are of interest to at least some of the gods." "They surpass their magic systems of their domains and are generally immune to deprecation." "There is some form of a measurable progression to them." "I suppose that progression is related to the soul constructs Shothas mentioned?" "And the Aoan term means infant god." "Sounds like everything we have." "I guess so..."


    "Would you want to be a god?" Would I? Hmm... "I don''t think I mind being as I am, but the security of being strong is always nice." "That sounds like you. I would definitely take the opportunity, no questions asked." "I doubt that. You''d question everything mercilessly, not stopping until you got the answers you wanted. Then you''d take it." Flick! Ow! Worth it... "On a more important note. Who gets the toodle?" "What?" "We might have to fight for it." "..."

 Chapter 81: Reunion

    Sharp gusts of wind batter the group as they traverse the stale terrain, retracing the steps once taken to their repeated destination. The ground shrieks against the grating currents, a sky of clouds suppressing all light to a dull illumination of interspersed green against an ocean of grey. A wide mist consumes the edges of the horizon, obscuring the mountains and pillars which barely poke into view with their enormity. Shortly ahead, an obsidian boulder sits in stark contrast to the matt stone, subtle movements of life taking place within the glassy shell as it hunkers against the tempest. One of the big rock lizards. We must be getting close.


    "I think we''re almost there." "What?!" "What?!" "What?!" This wind... A golden palm sinks into the earth behind her, warping the surrounding stone into a thick half-dome shield against the wind. The world in their vicinity calms, only the gentle puffs of chilly zephyrs and the harsh rumble of wind grinding stone leaking in. "Thanks. We''re almost there. Let''s wait out the storm before we keep going." "Hoh..." "Finally..." "Ah, how relieving." Three figures collapse and slide down against the smooth wall protecting them, sighs of relief harmonising with the whistling winds. "Cheh, weaklings. Giving up after a mere thirty hours of walking. I could''ve gone for a week." "Lyla. If you weren''t strapped to Aleph like that you would have been blown away in the first minute of the storm." "You think I''d lose to a mere puff of wind like this? I could sneeze harder than such a paltry waft of air!"


    Aleph lays down around the group, warmth from her body pushing back against the ambient chill. "What''s the plan for when we find the drake? Fight?" Didi asks, her body emitting a warm glow of its own. "Preferably not. I don''t know how strong it actually is, but with a body that big any fight is going to be catastrophic, so hopefully we can just take the crystal without issue. If it''s as smart as Nila said we can probably talk to it." "But they also said it lost its mind..." "We can only wait and see."


    Through the eyes of a muddled spider


    "So what''s your plan after that?" Lyla skitters to the dragon''s snout, eyes meeting for her question. "Get the other crystals for more Aether." "And then?" "Uh... Apotheosis?" "And then?" "Hmm... I... don''t know." I figured. "How can you expect us to fight for you when you don''t even know what your goal is?" "Oh, no. You misunderstand. I have a rough idea of what my goal should be, it''s just... scrambled. Confused. Like several thoughts all mixed together." The others turn, intrigued expressions and confused squints meeting the dragon. "How do I put this... Someone will survive, but they''re already dead. The universe will be born soon and is about to end. I must not exist for everything to exist. It feels like I have several goals, all jumbled together into an incomprehensible mess. Everything feels correct, but mistaken. This isn''t quite like my obscured past, I think I''ve just lived so many lives that parts of them are mixing together under my fragmented memories as I both try and try not to recall them." "Huh... That''s rough, buddy."


    Through the eyes of a bored demon


    "So, I think this begs the question. How old is Aleph?" Diala scratches idly at the ground, picking up a rock to begin chiselling. "We''ve established this. Less than one year." Lyla pokes at the demon with her legs, tiny clinks sounding as her head rocks with each tap. "That''s if you only include this life. What about if we include all of her past lives?" "What if we include my past lives? Those just don''t count." "You don''t remember your past lives." "She barely does either." Diala pauses chipping away at the stone, her head still being bounced at regular intervals. "Good point..." "You only struggle with your first life at this point, right?" Fluffy interjects, splayed back in total relaxation, not even lifting his head to talk. "There''s a few more recent lives I''m yet to remember, but for the most part you''re correct." "Then if we include the lives remembered it''s roughly two-thousand cycles." "Really? Doesn''t feel that long." So she is the oldest then. But... "What if we do include the first life?" "Then it''s simple. She predates all known history spanning back at least four-thousand cycles. Nobody but the ancients would know."


    Through the eyes of a tired elf


    I see we''re all asking Teach questions, but I don''t really have anything to ask. Though... this could be a fun one. "Hey, Teach. What is the strangest creature you''ve reincarnated into?" "Hmm... Well, there was one time I drifted within the soul sea a bit too far from euclidean space and entered a body which was topologically equivalent a Klein bottle. I died pretty quick because I don''t know how to perceive hyperbolic geometry without Aether. Cause of death was probably something tantamount to cardiac arrest." I didn''t understand a word. Such creatures can exist? Maybe Enri was right and I should learn some math after all...


    Through the eyes of a thoughtful ape


    The space within the shield of earth grows quiet, filled only by the ambient growl of the storm winds slamming around them. One by one the group fall asleep, the bright one slumping across her perch while the warrior of green manages to out-snore the storm. Even the fiery one turns dormant, a rough but discernible likeness to Gol Dhee held within her grip, leaving only two still awake. "You have something you want to ask me, right?" Was I so obvious? Though, elders do always appear to simply know things. Perhaps wisdom aids her more than I once thought. "How do I address you?" "You can call me anything you like. I really don''t mind." Anything... That doesn''t work.


    "My kin have no concept of a name. We simply describe. I thought you the strange ones for claiming words to be your own, yet after encountering other peoples and living amongst those in the city of the gods it seems I am the unusual one." "Often times there is little distinction between a description and a name. I''ve lived several lives where neither were possible, so you are far from unusual from my perspective." "I see... Still. The name I address you with is unsuitable. Hinya Mul is emissary to the great shadow, a being who calls you god. You are no emissary." "Then who am I to you?" Who indeed... Something to revere? A fond companion? An object of fear? A close friend? I do not know... I know. "Um''mah." "What does that mean?" "Unknowable one." "How apt."


    "That isn''t what you wanted to talk about though." Too astute... "Very well... Am I a burden to you?" "No. But my answer won''t help you. That is something you have to decide for yourself." I suppose so. It is my own doubts that inhibit me, yet knowing this does nothing to assist. "I should rest." "I''ll wake you when the storm dies down." Gol Dhee nods, allowing the warm cloak of fatigue to cloud his mind as he rears back and loses perception of the world.


    <hr>


    "Hey! Banana peel! Wake up!" High-power deluges of mildly annoying taps relentlessly assault the eyes and face of the slumbering ape, accompanied by an especially annoying tune of words proving enough to disrupt anyone''s mind from restful bliss. Grasping the irritating critter and tossing her random-ways, Gol Dhee sits up and wipes his eyes open. What is a banana? Thonk! "Ow! Success! He''s awake!" "Well, that does seem like an effective method to wake someone up at least. Maybe I should try it next time." Groggy eyes squint at the warrior who turns away, expression too blurry to parse.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "Storm''s up. We shouldn''t be far now." The unknowable one slides past his vision, tail tugging him to follow. Lumbering footfalls and gentle taps traverse the steadily focusing terrain, shield of earth long discarded by the time wakefulness returns in full. Light from the cores above pierce through the scattering clouds, interspersed patches of brightness building a landscape of contrast across the undulating terrain. Upon cresting a steep slope, a familiar peak graces the horizon, vegetation giving way to stark bluffs and flattened land. A faint quality of essence filling the air, growing, growing, ever slowly as they approach the inactive titan.


    Beasts of stone litter the surroundings, inspecting the group from afar yet maintaining a cautious distance. The gentle hum of energy keeps growing, growing, becoming a growl, a pressure, a mass which tugs down at every strand of fur. Plants vanish from the surroundings, only a flat layer of thin-leaved moss remaining. Observing creatures refuse further proximity, the landscape turning barren as the peak pulls into view as a mountain which eats more and more of the horizon as they grow closer. Gravity gains strength, growing, growing, becoming almost aggressive, an impartial hostility only held by the mindless forces of nature. And once more, the mountain opens its eyes.


    A silent gaze. A powerful Aura. A lacking intent. Gol Dhee looks into the eyes of the titan which once held his admiration, each orb large enough to fit dozens of homes yet bearing a distinct shallowness. Lacking in an indiscernible quality which makes the beast, a far greater scale than the home of his kin with its body alone, feel small. I do not understand. What differs? The unknowable one continues forward, fear not seeming to register as a concept. Atop her head, the bright one waves her challenge, the warrior of green inspecting the motions of the beast while the fiery one returns to chiselling after a brief glance of curiosity. "It feels... different." Gol Dhee murmurs, picking up his pace to keep up. "Looks the same to me. Maybe because last time was more hectic?" No... Something else feels different about it to me.


    The titan grows closer, eyes fixated on the approaching group with a simple, harmless curiosity. Why does it not speak the language of will? Has it nothing to say? The unknowable one stops, positioned within the focus of its eyes. "Are you Andrurra?" She speaks, voice resounding with the air itself, lacking in volume yet encompassing a wide range. No response. No reaction. No hint of acknowledgement. Only the persistent gaze of an innocent, almost animalistic curiosity. "I see..." She steps forward, gaze detached from that of the beast as she approaches the wedged earth defining its circumference. "Why does it not respond? Does it recall us?" "I doubt it. It doesn''t even seem to understand my words, or recognise what should be its name."


    Black wings glide across the crevasse to cling to the beast''s body, the remainder of the group making the leap to begin their climb. "This is what happens when you put a partially awakened soul into an improper vessel." "I do not understand." Upon leaving its view the beast shields its eyes once more, a low rumble of shifting earth shivering the ground as it returns to its silent slumber. "A soul without a pure heart to protect it will imprint on its vessel. This creature''s soul was taken from someone with an awakened soul and implanted into a body which would normally never awaken its soul. Over time, the mind of the lizard overwrote the mind previously imprinted onto the soul, leaving us with something little more than an animal. Eventually, it will lose its awakened state entirely."


    The mind of the body imprints onto the mind of the soul? There is a distinction between the two? "That''s kind-of sad actually..." The fiery one mulls, her jubilant hops growing more reserved. "As far as I''m concerned it''s just an animal now. Cute, but not worth worrying about." "That''s a bit harsh, don''t you think? Regardless of what it is now, it was once a person with thoughts, feelings, and a favourite food." "I imagine it still has those things. The mind of an animal can be surprisingly similar to that of a person." "Then why don''t you care?" "Something to do with pure hearts I think, but I just can''t bring myself to care about anything without an awakened soul." Is there more to this concept of an awakened soul than the capacity to think? How strange...


    "Gol Dhee, what do you think? Surely this is worth being sad about." "I am uncertain. There is too much I am ignorant on to comment on its current state, though I agree the loss of one''s mind is a travesty." "I for one think it doesn''t matter. It is equally as fascinating regardless of its mental capacity. Do you think this is related to the Haven Clan''s capabilities with soul moulting?" The warrior of green interjects, his pace leading the group as they clamber and climb the steep bluffs. "You guys need a lesson on animal ethics..." "I thought demon society doesn''t have a standard set of ethics when it comes to contract worlds." "We don''t. Anything goes within the constraints of the contract and laws relating to other demons and treaties. But this contract is already anything but standard, so who''s keeping track?"


    I still do not understand it. This means it is no different from when we last encountered it. Does this mean I am the one who changed? How strange... "I sense it." "Hmm?" "It''s no wonder I couldn''t tell last time. This thing is huge for one, but the Aether is also being suppressed. Just like that box Nila had, though less effective." "Where is it? How do we get to it? Want me to use my epic laser-beam attack to dig for it?" "Lyla, you don''t have an epic laser-beam attack." "I''ll have you know I have the best epic laser-beam attacks." "We''ve never seen them." "Because they''re too powerful to use carelessly. I''m doing you a favour by holding back." "..."


    Gol Dhee tunes out the idiot pair and turns to the unknowable one. "Where?" "Pretty much in a straight line through the ground. I can dig to it." "And if we agitate the titan of earth?" "If we need to fight for it, then we fight." "Allow me. I can avoid its ire." Violet eyes tilt quizzically, before ushering him on with a nod. Placing a palm to the earth, he pools his essence and focuses his will. Show me. Gol Dhee requests the earth, and the earth responds to Gol Dhee. A wave of essence pushes through the stone, brushing against the thick energy ambient to the titan''s body and echoing across every cavity, every nerve and fibre, every disturbance. An overwhelming concoction of information is pulled towards him, yet in response to his simple request, a simple answer is given, a rough approximation compiling only what he needs to proceed.


    Within the centre of the mountain sits a space, a cavern within which essence seems to warp, lose focus, waver. That must be it. Grant me a path. A second request, a second will, and another response. Fingers pry at the earth, softening the stone and pulling it apart to form a winding tunnel which traverses around the sensitive nerves and fragile veins interspersing the beast''s body. Liquid rock compresses at the edges, hardening into an almost crystal-like wall around the passage. The beast lays undisturbed by the moulding of its shell, likely unable to even notice from the lack of sensation. "We can proceed."


    "Your training has come a long way. When we first met you wouldn''t have been able to even break stone this rich in Mana." Gol Dhee bows to the compliment before stepping into the tunnel, leading the group through the narrow twists and turns. "Hey, monkey! Could you not make this a bit wider? We can barely fit!" Complains the smallest individual in the group, who also happens to be getting a free ride and is thus having the least amount of issue traversing the space. Gol Dhee plants his palm on the stone wall, the gentle thrum of rushing blood humming through the thin shield. "Not without harming the titan." As he steps away, the bright one taps the wall curiously behind him.


    Winding passageways give way to a small opening, spreading out into a cylindrical room of carved stone. Essence seems to still under the soft ambience of a different energy, one without will, without intent, but filled with the dense nature of uniformity and stability. This energy... It feels like standing by the warrior of green or the unknowable one during battle. Is this the feeling of what they call Aether? In the nexus of the space sits a pink stone, gently reflecting incoming light into a colourless glow.


    The unknowable one strides to the stone, prying it free from its pedestal with an energy of her own and swallowing it whole. "That''s one. Now let''s go up and find more."