Chapter 195 Surface Situation
The Queen was in her chamber much the same as she had been over a day ago, covered in workers and resting peacefully. She hasn't had any reason to go out and fight lately so I hope she's enjoying a period of relaxation.
Considering the measly supply of Biomass that the workers have been extracting from the surface there hasn't even been much laying to do. I'm not sure if Queen ants can get bored but perhaps she might be feeling that things have become a little dull?
[Bored?] she responds when I ask her, sounding for all the world like she didn't even understand the word, [why would I be bored?]
[Well, there isn't much to do at the moment?]
[Foolish child] she chides me, [the colony is not under threat and you have provided food and a great hope for our family. I am content, as we should all be]
How is this giant ant monster always so positive?! Such a good mother!
Before I can get too emotional I need to focus on the present.
[So you've received the Biomass we sent up?]
[Yes. The children have been working as hard as they can. They found it and brought it to me]
[awesome]
I stare hard at the Queen for a moment, trying to judge whether she's upgraded herself as we discussed. Rather than accuse my own my own mother of lying, which would be rather tactless, I try a different angle.
[Is it ok if I check on your core? There may be more that I can do to improve our chances]
[of course child]
She answers without hesitation. I seriously doubt that she's even capable of doubting her own children. I wonder if all the ant Queens are like this?
Bringing my antennae forward I activate the core surgery skill and spin my mind up into overdrive to handle the flood of information that nearly knocks me off my six feet. Okok. Here we go then. Ah, this is the bit I'm looking for!
Trying to arrange all of the details in my mind I find the information I want and check in on the Queen's mutation advancements. Oh ho! I would not have been surprised if she had neglected my advice in order to produce more young. I believe that she considers producing young as her primary responsibility and the best way to serve the family as a whole, so it's only natural that she would prioritise it over everything else, but in a pleasant shock she has constrained herself!
In front of me I can plainly see the upgrades to the three egg production organs than she has selected:
[Efficient Biomass Deconstruction Organ +5, increases the efficiency of the organ to produce more deconstructed Biomass per point of Biomass spent]
[Smooth Biomass Recoding Gland +5, the recoding process utilises less deconstructed mass to encode the same material, increasing efficiency]
[Boosting Egg production Gland +5, Gives a bonus +2 to all stats for each egg produced]
Fantastic!
The first two upgrades were exactly the sort of thing I spoke to the Queen about. After studying the organs carefully, I estimate that these two advancements will synergise together to boost the egg production by 10%! Possibly more!
That might not sound like much, but it isn't as if the Queen will be producing ten eggs per year once the colony gets rolling. My dream scenario would have the Queen producing about a million ants a year, so an extra 10% would represent an increase of 100,000 workers. Not a small number at all.
The thing that really grabs my attention is the +2 to all stats in the egg production gland. +2 might not seem like much but it's enough to make my mind boggle! That's a huge deal! The ants will be so weak that +2 to their physical stats is going to be significant enough but +2 to the mental stats is fantastic!
If we were to think of the Croca beasts and how much Biomass would be needed to create one as opposed to a hatchling worker, I would guess that for each Croca Beast that was hatched would be able to make eight worker ants, perhaps more. An extra two stats on one Croca won't make that much difference but for eight workers? The difference is huge!
In fact... I can make use of this...
Knowing that every worker is going to be getting this boost from the Queen I make a few minor adjustments, bending my mind to its limits to enforce them. I trim down on the workers a little, basically shaving one point from each stat and giving clear paths for the bonus stats to slide into.
The end result of this trade-off is that the ants will be produced more cheaply than before but still be a little stronger in the end. Win-win! However there is a chance we can go further.
Withdrawing my mind from the Queen's core I immediately congratulate her on the wise choices she made.
[Those mutation advancements are fantastic! The two efficiency upgrades will mean more workers and the +2 to all stats was perfect. Great Job!]
[Thank you child] the Queen sounds genuinely pleased to be praised in this way. [Are we ready to lay the first generation of new workers? How many are needed? 200? 400?]
[Whoa there! Hold on a second! 400?!]
I can tell the Queen is pumped up to get back to growing the colony and the promises I've made about the next generation are clearly exciting for her but she needs to hold onto them horses for a bit longer.
[No way! Not yet!] I say firmly.
[What? Why?] I can tell she is genuinely disappointed. Sorry Mother!
[First of all we are going to get that egg production gland to +10 for sure. If it's possible to get another +2 to all stats to stack with the existing advancement that will absolutely insane. Game breaking even. I'm not kidding, +10 for the egg laying is a must!]
The Queen is silent for a moment. I can almost feel her sadness...
[It's ok! It won't take long! We brought up a huge feast from below, it'll surely get you to +10! I'll make sure the workers bring every bit of it here for you, ok?!] I say desperately.
[Thank you child] she says gratefully.
[as for the first generation] I continue, relieved her mood has improved, [my suggestion is that we keep it small. Only twenty workers]
[So few? I haven't laid a clutch of eggs that small since the first. Is that really alright?]
[absolutely. These workers will be completely different than the ones in the past. I'll have to teach them a few things and bring them up carefully. Once they hatch I'll start teaching them and you can save up on Biomass. When they're ready you can lay the second generation of 400 and the workers I've trained will be able to take care of them. See?]
[I understand. I'll be patient]
[Thanks Mother]
I chat to the Queen a little longer before sending my crew down below into our little chamber and making my way back to the surface to make good on my promise. I personally lead the workers to the food cache and instruct them carefully before supervising them transport the massive load of food directly to the Queens chamber for her to feast on.
If that organ can be doubled up to +4....
Things are going to get crazy.
Filled with hope for the new workers I wander over the human area and see what the pests have been up to whilst I was below. As I approach I can see they've erected a few crude shelters and unpacked most of their stuff. Someone took the time to use some fallen branches to put up a picket line for the beasts of burden as well.
As I draw closer I observe the people a little more carefully, it doesn't take long before something strikes me as a little odd...
Why are these homeless refugees looking so chipper?
It's true. Where I expected to find weeping, gnashing teeth and fists being shaken at the sky there appears instead calm people, many smiling and joking with others as they go about their labours.
Odd.
Also, aren't there more of them?
-x-X-x-
Once I get close enough I'm quickly recognised by the people and the reaction is a unlike what I expected.
Firstly the humans seem unusually comfortable with having a monster ant wandering up to their area. I guess they've seen plenty of ants wandering here and there over the last few days.
Secondly they seem a bit... reverential. When they recognise me (I look different enough from the other workers I suppose) they fall quiet and still. There are hushed whispers and people rushing off towards the rear of the settlement where the shelter is. Other people are gesturing in my direction and talking animatedly to the people next to them. Even the children are pointing and whispering.
....
Annoying!
So annoying! What are these people doing anyways?!
I wait impatiently on the edge of the settlement, not willing to wander in and subject myself to more pointing. After a few moments Enid and the white robed priest Beyn came rushing over. She looks a bit nervous but he appears positively beaming with joy.
Hastily I weave together a mind magic transformation construct and connect to Enid whilst she patiently waits for me to complete the magic.
[Enid. Have your people managed to stay within their bounds?] I say abruptly once the mind bridge is finished.
[Yes. We've been staying within the boundary you set very carefully] she says nervously.
....
It appears to be true. When I detect the pheromone trail on this side of the settlement with my antennae it does seem to be fine. I'll check the other side before I leave as well.
[There seems to be more people today?] I ask dubiously.
[More refugees from Liria. It appears the monster horde is moving further south. These people arrive only this morning and we herded them in here as quickly as we could so that they weren't...]
[Eaten?]
[... right]
...
[So what are you people going to do?] I ask. More to the point... how long are they going to stay?
[We have nowhere to go. Most of us are content... surprisingly content, to remain here and build a temporary shelter. Wait for the wave to pass and then hopefully return to our homes]
I brighten up immediately.
[So you don't want to stay forever? Head back after the wave is sorted out? Sounds good!]
....
Wait. How long is the wave going to go for? Well.. As long as it isn't permanent it should be fine.
[There are a few things we would like ask] Enid asks hesitantly, [as you know we came with very little and have made do with what we have. We have access to the stream for water but food is scarce and shelter is hard to come by. It isn't too cold right now but it will start to cool soon]
Weather? Honestly I don't even notice anymore. I do spend most of my time underground, to be fair.
[So... you want me to remove the restrictions on movement? This land isn't tame by any stretch. The colony is chewing through a lot of the local beasts on the surface but there isn't any guarantee you won't come across monsters around here. Other than us, I mean]
She nods. [We're aware of that but we need to do this or we'll perish. We have to forage for food, perhaps try to clear a field that we can sow in the spring. The people here are feeling positive about their prospects of living safely here. They have hope again and they want to do something positive for themselves]
She's quite persuasive when she puts her mind to it. Since this area is untamed, uncultivated wildlands there are woods everywhere, plenty of places to go foraging. If they want to clear a field though, that's going to be a heck of a lot of effort. There's ready access to water from a nearby stream which will help with irrigation....
I may as well help them out a little. If they get off to a good start they'll have less reason to come and whinge at me later.
[Enid. I'll help by cutting some trees and bringing the logs to the edge of your settlement and
I'll start work on the stumps to help get your field started. Tell your people they can start foraging but not to come closer to the anthill. I'll mark a new boundary halfway between here and there and I recommend you make sure your people don't cross it] I warn her.
Her expression brightens immediately. [Thank you so much! This will mean the world to these people. Wait till I tell Beyn]
She turns and starts talking rapidly to the priest next to her. As soon as she's finished tears begin to flood down his face and he kneels in the dirt before me, raising his one good arm to the sky and shouting with praise.
....
I'm starting to regret this already...
When the other villagers hear his words of thanks they all beam with joy and many bow or wave in my direction, some go as far as to kneel along with their priest!
I'm getting out of here.
[I'll be back to check in after two more days Enid. Try to keep your people in line]
[I will. Thank you]
Sheesh.
I flee rapidly from the effusive praise and get to work checking on the old boundary as I circle around and erase. It appears as though Enid was telling the truth after all. With that job done I call Tiny up to help me and leave Crinis on defence duty under the Queens chamber before marking out the new boundary in a straight line roughly two kilometres long between the settlement and the nest.
With Tiny helping its fairly easy to clear out trees. After surveying a little we choose an area a hundred metres from the stream and several hundred from the settlement. Using my infused savage mandibles I cut the trees close to the ground and Tiny carries them over his huge shoulder back to the humans before dumping them on the ground. Once we've hauled a few trees over I get digging and Tiny helps me lever out the stumps, leaving behind deep holes in the ground that the humans will need to deal with.
After a days' work we manage to clear almost fifty trees and the human camp is a hive of activity. As we skirt the edges on our way back to the nest the people are bustling everywhere, talking back and forth, hauling the logs about and readying the tools that they have on hand. Looks like they'll be busy enough with that for some time. So long as they don't come and bother me it's worth it.
We've got serious business to be about back at the nest.
Preparations need to be made and the Dungeon below needs more exploring. Not to mention the intense food packing program we need to undertake for the Queen to start mass producing the new generation after the first are born.
When I get back to the nest I high five the workers I pass on the way in and send Tiny down to our little guard post under the Queens chamber and summon Crinis to help me. I need to dig out some farms! With Crinis helping to relocate the dirt I create two large empty chambers accessible only by a narrow tunnel on either side of our guard spot. I get Crinis to haul the dirt back to Tiny and let the ape carry big handfuls into the Queens chamber where the workers get annoyed and take it to the top, dumping it on top of the hill.
Once the mana veins extend into those chambers we'll be able to begin harvesting Biomass from right here near home, if not quite as much as we were before due to the longer gestation time the monsters are experiencing right now.
With that done... time to nap!
-x-X-x-
wwwwWWWACHA!
I'm up!
Snapping alert after my nap I immediately leap into more work. Got stuff to do, no point slacking off like a dumb croc! (yeah I said it!)
First thing on the menu is expanding the farm chambers. I originally thought that two would be fine but now I'm not so sure. I need to be more ambitious if I want to grow the colony to the sort of size it needs to be in order to support itself in a never ending expansion of the glorious ant empire. Everyone wants what's best for their family right? I'm no different. What's best for the colony is obviously Dungeon domination. This is the conclusion I've come to.
To that end I make the existing two chambers larger and dig out another two the same size, relying on my pets and the workers to deal with the dirt issue. The first two chambers have already begun to incubate monsters, I can detect their heat easily. I'm not worried about the monsters taking over the nest either. There is literally two hundred workers and the Queen chilling just above where these farm chambers are. The odds of them overflowing with enough numbers to take out the colony are basically non-existent.
Not to mention the farm chambers connect through narrow passages to my resting place, where Crinis and Tiny will be on guard duty anytime we aren't away from the nest.
The digging also pays off with a level. Taking my excavation to level 8! Every extra level increases my digging efficiency that little bit more and I can't help but be happy to see that happening. After all, digging is the way of ant zen!
Refreshed from my labours I prepare myself for the next task I've set myself for the day. This is one I'm not really looking forward to. I feel nervous about what we experienced in the Marsh Expanse, that formless pressure, those waves of monsters. We can handle the waves ok for now, but what if they get larger? What if more powerful monsters come? I'm getting worried that my current rate of growth isn't enough. Even without laying eyes on the beast in the marsh I'm certain it's going to be a tough cookie to crunch.
I'm feeling some anxiety. There isn't any real direct threat to my family right now but if something were to happen and I couldn't save them...
I refuse to let that happen. I lost my family in the last world but I refuse to let it happen in this one too.
I'll do whatever it takes to make sure this family stays together!
With a surging feeling of determination I unearth my core collection and begin fusing together a special core. I'm so focused that the mental strain barely registers in my conscious, all that occupies my mind is visions of workers marching themselves down the gullet of a brutal crocodile beast the size of a house.
[Compatible special core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute the monster?]
Reinforce!
The painfully familiar process begins once more as the oversized core gradually dissipates into pure energy that is drawn into my own core, enlarging and condensing it within my body. It doesn't take long for the pinch to come, the awkward feeling of being a little too full on the inside that grows more unbearable over time until it becomes an acute pain.
I will endure! This isn't enough! Not nearly enough!
I grit my mandibles and hold on until the entire process is finished. It feels.... Not good! But I can take it! For the colony, I can take it!
Painfully but not less determined than before I move out to take on my next task. Hopefully over time I'll be able to become accustomed to this size core and the pain will fade much like it did the first time I took in a special core early.
Then I'll see about what else I can do ...
For now, I wander over to the Queen's chamber and check in with her. It turns out, the masses of food we sent up had in fact been enough to tip her over the edge and allow her to upgrade her egg laying organ to +10. Eagerly I activate the Core Surgery skill and inspect her choices. Ready to behold the future of the ant race on Pangera.
And it is beautiful.
[Enhanced Boosting egg production gland +10; Gives a bonus +4 to all stats for each egg produced]
DAAAAAYMM!
It's really here!
I immediately retract the skill and perform an excited six legged tap dance in front of the bewildered Queen.
"Yahooo!" I cheer.
"You seem happy child" the Queen laughs.
I refuse to stop the dance. This music must be expressed!
"This is going to make all the difference Mother!" I cry whilst my feet keep tippity-tapping, "the next generation are going to be something very special, just you wait!"
"I have already begun to stockpile Biomass. When I have enough for the first twenty I'll let you know" the Queen assures me.
"Fantastic! If I get a chance I'll head down into the Dungeon and try to rustle up some grub. The sooner we can get this rolling the better!"
The Queen seems quite pleased by my enthusiasm even if she has no idea how to take my celebratory dance. I swear I saw her shuffle her own feet a little before growing still once more.
I don't want to make any more changes to the new generation, they'll be fine the way they are. With all the upgrades in place the egg production will be quicker and produce more powerful hatchlings than I had originally planned for, everything is coming up Biomass.
Full of enthusiasm I waddle my way back down into my chamber and settle in for a little bit of planning. There are a few things I want to look into before we move out again. The challenges are getting a little real right now and I want to make sure that we are in tip top fighting shape, myself and my pets.
For me, this means a little skill point spending. For my pets, it means a little core surgery so I can take a look at their skills and mutations. I need to be able to better understand what I'm dealing with.
There is a skill that allows me to directly take a look at their status but since I can use core surgery I don't really think it's necessary. I mean, I could just ask them for the information and I'm sure Crinis would be happy to provide it but Tiny.... Well, he has communication issues....
If he gets any dumber I'm going to have to shift some energy into beefing up his brain. I'm almost afraid to look at how low his Cunning has gotten...
-x-X-x-
[Crinis, could you come over here please?]
[Of course Master] the tennis ball of endless darkness responded immediately.
I get the feeling that she's able to sense where I am since she manages to roll towards me despite having no sense of sight. Once she reaches a space just in front of me she unfolds a few tentacles and 'stands' up, holding her body up on a few slender tendril like limbs.
[How are things going Crinis?] I decide to lead with a general question.
[Well, Master!] she replies happily, [since maturing I've been able to gain levels and Biomass at an accelerated pace. It feels good to be useful to you Master]
[Yep, you've been a great help]
The little ball wiggles happily in front of me for being praised. Despite her image she really is quite weak to positive reinforcement....
[How have you found spending your skill points and Biomass Crinis? Has there been any issues? Do you need any help or advice?]
She pauses for a moment. [I've been a little hesitant to spend my points Master since I couldn't be sure my choices were exactly what you wanted. I didn't want to make any mistakes...]
What?!
[It's your skills and your Biomass Crinis, you spend it however you want!]
Just because they are pets I don't want to micromanage every aspect of their lives! I'm probably a bit naive about it but I like the idea of my pets making their own choices and finding their own way in life.
Is it because I'm lazy and can't be bothered going through all the menus and burning up my brains working out a balanced strategy where every member of our group functions as a cohesive part of a whole?
...
Maybe.
Still... viva la freedom! Viva la pet choice!
They can work it all out on their own! I don't need to get involved!
[So tell me Crinis ] I say cheerily, [how many points have you spent? What sort of skills are we looking at?]
[.... ]
What is this? ... Somehow, even though she doesn't have a face, I can tell she's looking away from me.
[What's wrong? Have you got a few points stored up? I'm happy to give advice if that's what you want.... ]
[....]
Something is starting to dawn on me.
[Crinis ... How many points have you saved?]
[.. All of them]
[ALL OF THEM?! You haven't spent a single thing?!]
[I'm sorry Master! I didn't want to spend them incorrectly!]
[It's fine if you just spend them however you want! Do what you think will work for you!]
[ but, but, but what if I make a choice that doesn't work out!? Or doesn't work with what you wanted me to do?!]
.....
Sigh. It's nice to have a pet that's diligent and thoughtful, a direct contradiction to Tiny, but she's TOO diligent and thoughtful. She's become paralysed by wanting to make the perfect selection. Unable to make a choice because she's preoccupied by what I might want.
It's time for me to show my understanding side and educate her, just as I educated Tiny.
....
WHAP!
Using my antenna I swing one in a wide loop and whack straight into the little ball suspended in front me.
[M m m Master?!] she cries in shock.
THWAP!
[Go spend your points! All of them! Right now!]
[But!]
THWA PAAAA!
Spinning both antennae I whip one from the left and the other from the right, timing it so that one strikes a moment before the other, cannoning the little ball into the second blow which sends her flying to the corner of the chamber.
[Every point! I'll be checking back on you in an hour!]
I turn aside from Crinis mental snivelling with a heart of cold steel. I know she's only trying to do what is best by me but if I relent and go through the process with her this time she'll come to rely on me even more. I want my pets to be more independent than that. If she can't even upgrade herself without consulting me just how independent could she possibly get?
This is tough love!
You can do it Crinis! This is for your future growth and not because I don't want to dig through all of your menus with you!
....
In truth, a part of me kind of hopes that I can release my pets one day. The idea that they are essentially indentured servants, magically unable to refuse my orders kind of sits uncomfortably with my modern sensibilities. Much as the colony has come to be my family, Tiny and Crinis are also part of that family. I would rather that we teamed up and worked together as fellow family members that master and slave...
Perhaps I'm just too sentimental...
[Tiny! Wake up buddy, come over here for a minute]
The giant ape wearily open his eyes and groans before rolling over and gradually picking himself up.
.....
Is it really that much of a bother to move five metres over here?
Eventually he pulls himself up onto his feet and walks over to me. His dark red bat eyes contrasting sharply with his black and silver fur. He really is an impressive sight. His huge, bunched shoulders and massively thick arms are intimidating enough, but his huge fists, well beyond basketball size at this point, look truly scary.
[How's it going Tiny?] I lead with an easy one.
[.....]
Any minute now.
[Good]
There it is.
[How are those skills going? Spending your Biomass points ok?]
[.... ?]
He tilts his head quizzically to one side.
Well.... I knew it was going to be like this...
[I'm going to use a skill on your big guy. Hold still for a minute ok?]
When he nods I place both of my antennae on his arm and activate the core surgery skill. Immediately huge amounts of information flood my brain and I have to whip m processing speed up a gear to comprehend it all. Using the core surgery skill isn't like directly looking at the status menu of another monster and then making changes. Whereas the status screen is a nice piece of paper with everything written neatly, using core surgery is like sticking your face in a bowl of crumpled sticky notes.
All of the information is there but you need to filter it, sort it and poke about here and there before being able to piece together the full picture.
Eventually I manage to get a handle on what Tiny's status is like.
Name: Tiny
Level: 7 (core)
Might: 154
Toughness: 42
Cunning: 7
Will: 15
HP: 84/84
MP: 210/210
Skills: Ape Boxing lvl 5; Uppercut lvl 5; Leap lvl 5; Smash lvl 5; Stamina lvl 5; Grappling lvl 5; Crushing Blows lvl 5; Fancy Feet lvl 2;
Mutations: Enhanced musculature +4, Bones +4; Legs +4; Heightened Sonic Enhancer +4; Lightning Mana Affinity Gland +4, Lightning Mana Affinity Gland +4, Energy Conversion Gland +4;
Species: Dire Lightning Storm Kong
Skill points: 28
Biomass: 129
....
...
So first off. He hasn't upgraded anything... Like nothing. He has what? 28 skill points and ... 129 Biomass.....
ARE YOU KIDDING ME TINY?!
AND WHAT THE HECK IS FANCY FEET?!
-x-X-x-
What the heck has been going on Tiny? I mean seriously man... You haven't upgraded anything? Haven't spent your skill points at all? The only skill that look like you didn't already have it is 'fancy feet' and what the heck does that do? Have you been dancing behind my back, have you? Little bit of tap here and there?
...
Sigh.
I use my antennae to rub at my temples in an effort to ward off the impending migraine I feel coming on.
I really thought that the pets would be able to handle this stuff without me interfering. Even if Tiny couldn't I was sure that Crinis would be fine. After all the effort I put into enhancing her intelligence .... Still nothing.
Nothing!
With Tiny.. I'd mentally prepared myself for a lot. Nonsensical upgrades that made no sense, no synergy or evidence of even a mild amount of thinking. I'd prepared myself for that. To find that he hasn't done anything at all somehow hurts my head worse than those other options.
I don't think he hasn't done it because he doesn't understand the idea of spending Biomass or skill points. His mind is slow, that's for sure, but I doubt that he can't understand how to upgrade himself. Centipedes and Dragon Wolf Cubs can spend Biomass, I know they can, I've seen them with upgraded body parts. There is no way they can do it but Tiny can't.
No no. The reason he hasn't done it is because he can't be bothered. It's too much hassle.
This lazy ape!
[Tiny, lean down here for a moment, would you?]
Puzzled, the giant ape leans down, bringing his bat face a little closer to mine.
...
THWAP!
I whip my antennae around and smack them into his head on both sides!
[Go spend all your points! Right now!]
[ ..... Why?] he sounds dissatisfied as he rubs at his bruised cheeks.
..... Stubborn gorilla!
He has to obey my instructions so he will spend them, but it would be better if I could give him motivation that would make him try harder to spend them well.
....
[If you spend all your points properly, you'll be able to hit things better!]
...
[Ooooo!] a spark of interest lights up in his eyes.
Tiny leans forward eagerly towards me, hoping for more.
[You'll grow stronger too. Maybe enough to fight that scary thing in the marsh!]
His brow furrows for a moment as he thinks hard before rushing to his feet and pounding his chest.
[OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!]
[That's it buddy! It's a good idea to spend all of your points! Go get 'em, now!]
[OOOOOOOOOOO!!!] He roars in his mind as he turns and sprints out of the chamber.
....
[OI GET BACK HERE YOU APE! Spend your points, don't go fighting!] I cry as I chase after him desperately.
It takes a little while but I manage to calm Tiny down a little and reinforce the idea that spending points good, leaving them unspent bad. I get him settled in one corner where he sits with a glazed expression on his face as he trawls through the various menus. I don't envy him, he has to go through upgrade menu's for literally every upgradable body part he has.
Crinis is still vaguely wobbling in the corner as she also grabbles with the problem of upgrading herself. She won't have nearly as many skill points or Biomass as Tiny to chew through but the fact that she is yet to spend a single thing makes a little worried. Even with my orders hanging over her head she'll probably struggle to make choices. I think she'll be awhile.
Time for me to spend a few points myself!
I've got nineteen points of Biomass to spend and another fourteen skill points. The Biomass will go quickly but the skill points I'll need to spend a little more time on. I've got enough that I can branch out a little and perhaps allow myself a little leeway to pick up a few non-essential skills.
Alright then!
Biomass first!
This one's easy enough. 12 points are needed to take my inner carapace plating to +5 which will leave me with seven points to spend. I think I'll spend the extra six on my acid gland. The fact that I can spin magic now shouldn't take away from the ease of use and deadly restrictive properties of my business zone. I'm also pretty hopeful that there might be some juicy advancements to choose from when I get to +10. I'll keep my tiny little claws crossed on that one.
[Do you want to upgrade Inner Carapace Plating to +5 and Restrictive Acid to +6? This will cost 18 Biomass]
[Yup!]
[At this level you are able to choose a mutation advancement, please select from the menu]
Then pow! The menu hits me right between the eyes again with a plethora of options. I start picking my way through, searching for something that makes sense for me and what I want from my inner plating. What exactly do I want from it?
.....
More defence, I guess? I mean, as far as I see it there are two options for improve defence, tougher shell or faster healing. Generally speaking I like having a mix of both. The tougher the shell is, the more valuable the healing right? I have the regeneration gland to provide sweet, sweet healing in the event I need it and I have my Diamond carapace to provide the hard outer shell.
The Bone Plating right is basically a reinforcing layer underneath the carapace, supporting it and making it more difficult to break through. I don't mind if the plating serves as a double role. Reinforcing the outer shell and helping to repair it at the same time...
Let's see if I can find something along those lines...
...
Bingo!
[Regenerative Inner Carapace plating, helps to regenerate damage done to the carapace in addition to improving its defensive properties].
Nice!
With this my shell is capable of healing itself even more than before! Muahahahaha! All I need now is to bolster my defence against magical attacks in some way. I need to start investigating and training my skills...
[Would you like to confirm these choices?]
Yep!
.....
FFFFFFTAGN!
All over the inside my carapace! Nooooooooooo!
.....
Uhg that's horrible. Now for skills.
For the first time in ages I bring up the skills menu and start pouring through it carefully, looking for options that might help me out in the current situation.
I saw one skill in Tiny's list that I thought looked helpful so I go straight to confirming what that might be.
[Stamina, reduces the cost of actions or skills that drain physical endurance. The amount of reduction increases with skill level].
Hot damn! That is handy. Consider it bought!
Ok what else is there....
I check through the pet related skills again to see if there is something I really want. Increasing growth speed doesn't really appeal, being able to view status....
Well if I think about it terms of what the skills will turn into when advanced rather than what they are then what would those skills turn into?
Growth speed could become... levelling speed? Increase in xp or biomass gained? That could be really handy...
Viewing status would become... changing status? Being able to spend skill and Biomass points?
The second one still doesn't interest me but the first one could become useful. It's worth spending a point on. Purchased!
The joy of spending points and growing stronger is filling me! Or is just the knowledge being dumped into my brain space?
-x-X-x-
The rest of the pet skills don't interest me right now, I don't need to take the skill to increase the number of available pets until the system refuses to allow to. I may as well try and find a third now that I have the faster pet growing skill, presumably I won't be able to level it up unless I gain a new pet.
At that time perhaps the system will refuse to allow me reconstitute a monster and I can easily pick up the skill then. For now, let's look about and see what other skills I can find.
Scrolling through the menus takes a significant amount of time. They don't seem to be organised in a properly logical way, with movement skills mixed with mental skill and magical skills sometimes tucked away amongst physical ones. It's almost as if you need to know what you're looking for and where to find it ahead of time, otherwise your only choice is to trawl through the lists checking every entry until you find something you like.
Which is exactly what I'm doing right now. And it sucks!
This one? No...
How about..? No...
Hmmmm..... No...
Who would want to get better at that anyway?!
Madness!
There has to be some juicy new skills here somewhere. I need to look a little more carefully. I remember when the skill list had only five options on it. I don't know how, I don't know why but that has ballooned out to over one hundred at this point. I'm not sure exactly what causes the skills to become unlocked... there must be some sort of prerequisite that needs to be met. Perhaps with stats... or even actions in the world?
For example the pet skills. I don't exactly frequently check the skill list but they didn't appear until after I had reconstituted my first pet. I didn't go looking for them until after I'd met Formo the Sophos but it stands to reason that they were unlocked somehow.
Which means that other skills must also have prerequisites before they become available. I suppose that humans and civilisations like the Sophos would have had hundreds of years to learn all this stuff and map it out, uncovering the most optimal paths, planning the best combinations of skills.
Well, the ant kingdom will also have to compile this knowledge! Starting the first twenty of the new generation I'll begin the process of learning the secrets behind the entire skill tree! Not a single leaf shall remain unturned!
With renewed determination I start reading through the skill descriptions one by one and I manage to uncover a few gems.
[Mana Miser; allows the user to be able to do slightly more with slightly less when utilising mana. Effect will increase along with skill level]
[Cerebral Endurance; the user will be able better marshal their mental resources, reducing the mental exertion for complex will based tasks slightly]
[Meditation; user will be able to relax the mind and achieve clarity of thought. Each level will make the state more effective and easier to achieve]
Each of these three makes a lot of sense to me from a magic user perspective. More efficiency with mana, better mental endurance and a clearer, more focused mind? Perfect for my spell slinging ways!
Purchased!
....
Man the number of skills I have is really climbing! Now that my skills are starting to climb into the third tier it's becoming harder to train them, meaning I have to upgrade them less, causing my current skill point build up.
I shouldn't go too crazy picking up new skills... perhaps only a one or two more.
I keep flipping through. I've already picked up some skills on the mental side.. Is there anything on the physical side that I could pick up? I start to focus in on skill names that seem to focus on physical prowess but most don't seem that useful.
There has to something that could be interesting... I need to remember not to judge a skill on exactly what it says at the first stage. After reaching level five and then level ten the skills become much more useful. Look at dash for example. I ignored it initially since charging forward when I was just born would be little more than charging forward to my own death. After witnessing the awesome movement skills of the humans it became clear that after being upgraded that dash was almost essential for physical combat.
Ooooo how about this?
[Precise shooting; the user will become better able to target objects with ranged attacks]
This should work for my acid shot as well as my magic right?
Purchased!
Alright then... there has to be something else... something less passive.
One more skill...
Eventually I come across something that catches my eye. Even then... it sounds a bit nasty....
[Ripping bite; increases the users' ability to make bite attacks aimed at tearing away part of the targets body]
....
That.... Is badass.
Purchased!
With the warm trickling sensation of new skill knowledge flooding my brain I feel pleased with my new purchases. New skills to level! New horizons to explore! Who knows exactly what these skills will turn into in the future?!
One thing I do know is that I need to start training up my skills quickly. My current options aren't nearly enough to handle the sort of conflicts we are going to start getting into so I need to lift my game!
Content with my spending for the moment I turn to check in on my pets. Crinis is still bobbling away in the corner and Tiny remains seated, eyes glazed as he contemplates the upgrade menu.
Good luck guys, I wish you well!
....
Since I don't have much to do I may as well start trying to grind my skills.
Who knows? Perhaps I'll be able to unlock something interesting if I can get some of my skills to evolve...
I settle in to wait for my pets to complete their spending and try to activate my meditation skill. It takes a little while but I gradually feel a calm sensation begin to pervade my mind, my thoughts growing still and placid, my emotions fading into the background.
With the proper mood established I call on my mana and begin to practice. There's a lot of work to do.
-x-X-x-
Mirryn awoke with a start.
Instantly wide eyed and alert she turned her head to look around her and her eyes were struck immediately by the austere white room in which she lay. She was lying on a clean bed in a small white chamber. On the roof a glowing crystal provided illumination, a clean white light the filled the space warmly. Just looking at that light nearly brought Mirryn to tears. She'd feared that she would die surrounded by the blue light of the Dungeon, seeping into her body and killing her slowly.
She couldn't remember much of her arrival to the Legion base in the Dungeon. After their long descent down the carved spiral staircase that the commander had referred to as Periclasus' stair. That journey had tested the trainees to their limits. It had taken long days of endless marching to reach the bottom, spiralling ever downwards into the depths and the lower they got, the sicker they become.
None of the trainees had been down in the Dungeon this deep, for this long. Without proper acclimation, the lower part of the first strata would normally be the first place that a Dungeon delver would need to worry about saturation sickness, or 'the blues' as it was colloquially known.
During this wave, which didn't seem to want to end, the mana had risen to ridiculous levels, the first strata was currently reading much the same as the second right now, the trainees were unable to cope. Every one of them was struck with the blues, quite literally turning a light shade of blue as the raw mana of the Dungeon began to pervade their bodies. Mana saturation sickness was an insidious killer and a truly messy death. Delvers, mercs and every being who entered the Dungeon lived in fear of it, their bodies literally breaking apart cell by cell as the excess energy ravaged their bodies.
The trainees got their taste of it as they walked the endless stairs. They began to stumble, their legs no longer responding as they should. The further they got the more the symptoms became pronounced. Their vision slowly overtaken by a blue haze that made it difficult to see, their hands started shaking, then the whole body. The young, strong trainees began to experience the fear that was normally reserved for the aged, the fear of having their own body betray them and begin to fall out of their control.
Through it all they felt no pain, only a giddy, inexhaustible nervous energy. The blues didn't make people feel tired, as the name might suggest, rather the mana suffusing their body and brain numbed them and gave them the jitters, as if they'd been drinking five cups of coffee every hour. They couldn't sleep, couldn't rest, couldn't think clearly, they were both more exhausted than they'd ever been in their lives and completely unable to rest.
With the encouragement and support of their fellow Legionaries and officers they'd barely made it, the only other members of the party struggling as much as them was the prisoners the Legion had mysteriously brought with them on this expedition.
Less capable than the trainees many of them had to be carried towards the end, the soldiers taking turns to hoist the murderers on their backs as they battled the long march.
The last Mirryn could remember was arriving before a large stone door. She could barely see by that point, the door itself was nothing but a blur. The commander had stepped forward and done... something and the door had swung open, vague figures had rushed out, gathering the sick members of the party and bringing them inside. She had collapsed into the arms of the person rushing towards her and then woken up here.
Looking around the room some more she noticed a strange arrangement on the side of the bed. A tube had been inserted in her arm, surrounded by a glowing enchantment that had been drawn directly onto her skin. Nervously following the tube with her eyes she saw it was attached to another enchantment drawn on a nearby flat table. The center of the table held four softly glowing cores.
Mirryn stared at the strange setup, puzzled, after closing her eyes to try and feel if anything was different she noticed that her saturation sickness was significantly better. If she focused hard she was able to feel the flow of mana in her body, slowly inching down her arm being before being leeched out through the tubes and being fed to the cores on the table.
She was stunned, she'd never even heard of this kind of treatment before. Such fine manipulation of the mana in another person's body via an enchantment... How had they done it?
"I haven't heard anything Alberton but as soon as I do, you'll be the first to know!" the commanders voice penetrated through the door.
Soon after the tread of heavy feet could be heard as the Loremaster and commander continued to argue with each other.
"I just can't understand why we didn't make more of an effort to prevent Garralosh from reaching the surface. You know what will happen up there. That's my family dammit!"
There was a heavy thump, as if a fist had smacked into a wall.
"You think you're the only person with family up there Alberton? You think I don't want rip the head off that Croc and protect our people? Is that what you think?" the commander demanded quietly.
There a was a long pause and Mirryn began to wonder what was going on when she barely heard the Loremaster sigh and reply.
"I'm just worried".
"We all are, but we have a duty to get here to HQ and support the bulwark. As much damage as Garralosh can do, would you want the second strata monsters to rise to the surface? Do you know what that would mean? This wave isn't ordinary Alberton and you would should stop pretending that it is. The entire world could go up flames if we aren't careful".
Another sigh and a quiet "I know" before the door suddenly opened and the two top officers of the Liria branch Legionem Abyssi strode into the room.
"Ah, good to see you're finally awake trainee" Titus nodded.
Mirryn nodded in return but felt a little confused, this greeting didn't feel as positive as it should. Something about her commanders tone and posture was off, even Alberton looked somewhat downcast, almost not meeting her eye.
"Is this the HQ?" she asked.
"Yes" Titus affirmed, "you're in the medical wing. The mana saturation was much higher than expected on this journey, we had to perform emergency treatment to lower the mana levels in your body. All of the trainees received the same treatment, you're the last to wake".
Mirryn's head spun for a moment. So all of them had been in this place? Where were they now?
Alberton could see the question in her expressions. "The others are waiting for you. We have to move quickly" he said.
"Can you walk trainee?" Titus asked.
Mirryn tested her legs. "I think so, sir".
She rolled out of her bed and stood shakily on her feet. She was still weak from the blues. Titus didn't wait for her to ask and stepped forward to support her, carefully removing the pipe from her arm as he did so.
In silence the two old officers walked with her out of the room and down a long corridor. The place was strangely empty and quiet, Mirryn didn't see or hear another person as they travelled. They came to a heavy wooden door with a carved, enchanted lock on the door. Titus waved his palm in front of the elaborate carving and it immediately glowed with bright light before the door swung open to reveal a winding staircase carved in rock.
Not another one, Mirryn thought.
Not saying anything the three descended, Titus keeping a steady grip on her shoulder to help her navigate the steps without falling. At the bottom of the stairs was a small chamber with another door in it and gathered there were all of the trainees.
Mirryn felt relief when she finally saw other people. The feeling quickly faded when she realised that the air was tense in the room, the trainees were nervous, the officers solemn.
With the trainees tightly packed together in the small space, Titus took a position on the lower steps, placing him higher than his audience so they could see him and began to speak.
"Congratulations trainees. You have successfully braved the dangers and hardships of this delve and made it here to the headquarters of the Liria branch of the Abyssal Legion. I'm proud of you".
And he really was. Looking down on these young Legionaries filled him with pride. They were good people, strong people. They had sacrificed, fought, upheld the tenants of the Legion and proven their mettle. They gave him hope for the future.
The trainees themselves allowed themselves a small smile at the rare words of praise from the commander, but the serious expression on his face dampened the mood quickly.
"You represent half of the trainees inducted in your year. The others have been weeded out. Not dedicated enough. Not loyal enough. Not willing to sacrifice. Only those that we trust to keep the secrets of the Legion and do their duty make it this far. You have earned the right to become full Legionaries".
Excitement, smiles and joy lit the expressions of the trainees. This was what they had been hoping for ever since they enrolled. They had worked so hard for this!
Titus saw the looks on their faces and it acknowledged it with a nod even as his heart sank in his chest. This was always the hardest part.....
-x-X-x-
Titus was a renowned Legionary above and below the ground. He was known for his strength, his iron will, his leadership and his willingness to put himself in harms' way to protect his fellows, he was a leader who never spared himself.
Most of all, he was known for his unyielding sense of duty. He had sacrificed over and over again in order to perform the role he filled and he would damn well do it again. He never hesitated, did not regret but often, he grieved.
Looking down at the eager trainees below him he felt sorrow grip his heart.
But it didn't stop him.
"You are about to undergo the final trial on the path to becoming full members of the Deep Legion" he announced.
Serious expressions overtook the trainees at the word trial. What would they need to do?
"You have experienced severe mana saturation sickness on the way here and we have done what we can alleviate the symptoms, but we have not cured you. Behind that door lies the greatest secret of the Legion. We will cure you of saturation sickness permanently, the process will also make you stronger, faster, smarter, more powerful than you currently are. When it is done you will be reborn".
A few gasps and disbelieving murmurs erupted from the youths in front of him. Was any of this even possible?
Titus pointed to the door behind them. "Beyond there lies the greatest secret of the Legion. It enabled the first Legionaries to perform the heroic feats deep in the Dungeon that helped end the Cataclysm thousands of years ago and it fuels us today. Every full Legionary you have ever met has undergone this process, including me".
The commander took a deep breath. No avoiding it.
"Let's go in and I'll explain further".
Titus gestured to Alberton who squeezed through the cramped chamber before unlocking the enchanted seal on the door and striding through. Titus waited on the stairs until everyone had entered the next room before stepping forward, closing the door behind him as he did so.
Of all the trainees Mirryn was the only one to note his actions closely and a sudden fear gripped her heart. The way they moved, it was almost as if they had been blocking the exit, making sure that it was impossible for someone to get past them...
Suddenly anxious, she cast her eyes around the room they now found themselves in. The room itself was unremarkable. Light was provided by glowstones embedded in the ceiling which illuminated a simple and unadorned stone chamber. The chamber itself was long, but narrow, with regular offcuts down the right side. Pushing past her fellow trainees, Mirryn saw that in each offcut a narrow basic had been chiselled into the floor, almost like a bath carved into the stone. Counting quickly under her breath she saw that there was thirty such 'pods', each with the same narrow basin that appeared designed to have a person lie down in it.
Closely inspecting the pod she realised the ceiling directly above each basin was not as simple as she had first assumed. Incredibly fine, intricate runic patters had been carved into the surface, the lines so thin she almost hadn't seen them. In the center of the pattern a thin hole could be seen, perhaps for something to flow through and fill the basin? Even the basin itself was covered in intricate runic inscriptions. Just what were these for?
Her anxious musing was interrupted by a sudden clap from the commander. All of the trainees stopped gazing around and turned back to their officer, paying close attention.
"I will know explain the process to you" the commander said crisply, his eyes hard with determination, "listen closely as this will impact the rest of your life".
He paused there to ensure he had their full attention.
"Each of you will strip down and lie in a separate pod. From the ceiling above we will release pure, condensed liquid mana that will fill the basin until you are submerged. The fluid will be absorbed into your body, remaking it into something new. After twenty four hours it'll be done and you'll be a full legionary".
The trainees were staring at him as if he were insane. Liquid mana?! What the hell was that?! Donnelan stood with the rest, his mind flicking at lightning speed. If mana could be condensed into a liquid, wouldn't it be much more potent that the energy in the Dungeon? Wouldn't they just die?!
Titus could see their confusion. He did not move to reassure them.
"This process is exceedingly dangerous. It will be the most painful experience of your lives. Every cell in your body will become super saturated with mana, tearing at the seams. There are powerful healing enchantments built into the basin. You will be ripped apart and remade constantly for a day. One in five of you will not survive".
The deep, stern voice of Titus faded away and there was total silence as the trainees stared back at their commander in shock. They had been prepared for many things, but not this!
Alberton spoke from behind them, his voice weary with sorrow. "To defeat the monsters, to protect the civilisations on the surface the Legionem Abyssi decided that to be human was not enough. In order to overcome the Cataclysm, to make sure that it would never happen again, this was the step they decided to take".
His words fell on the young trainees like stones. This was real. It was going to happen. Fear gripped their hearts as they imagined the agony of having their very cells ripped apart for hours on end. Could they endure it?
Several thought fleetingly of running, of escaping this chamber and the insane ritual about to take place but they quickly squashed the thought. Who was that standing in the doorway, they thought bitterly. Commander Titus. He was a legend in the Legion. If all of them unleashed their most powerful skills at once would they shave even one HP from him?
"Nobody is forced to take the ritual" Titus announced grimly, bringing relief to the trainees. Before they could start to celebrate he pulled the short sword on his hip from its sheath and gripped it tightly in his right hand.
"But you cannot know the Legions secrets and not be one of us. If you wish to spare yourself the suffering, step forward and I will give you a quick end" he said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alberton found Titus staring at the wall outside the ritual chamber, as he always did once the trainees had begun their transformation. Once the process was done they would be remade into an entirely new species, no longer human, but Legion.
They could delve further into the Dungeon than anyone else could hope to, able to tolerate levels of mana saturation beyond what a normal person could ever dream. They would be able to take the fight directly to the monsters, able to chase them down wherever they chose to hide. That was what it meant to join the Abyssal Legion.
This had been done for thousands of years, all over Pangera. The secrets of the first Legionaries had been kept ever since those days. As Loremaster it was Alberton's role to keep the histories of those days and the determination, the sheer will of those men and women had remained within their spirit to this day.
That didn't mean they liked it.
The screams echoed through the chamber now. Down the corridors and up the stairs. On and on, endlessly screaming. Alberton could well remember what it had been like, he still experienced it in his nightmares, his throat ripping apart from the force of his shrieks only to be healed instantly, allowing him to scream some more.
Amidst the howls of agony a tap, tap, tap of chisel on stone could faintly be heard as Alberton approached his friend.
As he drew closer the memorial wall became clear, thousands of names had been written here by Legion commanders through the centuries since this base had been established. Titus knelt on the ground, his hands steady as he added one more name to the bottom of the list.
Alberton felt his heart twist with pain. The Legion did everything they possibly could to test their new trainees before they reached this point. Anyone they didn't think would be willing to undergo the Baptism had been separated, recommended to other forces, placed in the Auxiliary or other surface teams that were not required to delve. Even though the trainees didn't know it, they had been forensically examined for years before they reached this point.
The Legion didn't want to have the blood of their own people on their hands. Unfortunately no system was perfect.
Trelik had been unwilling to undergo the baptism, he had accepted Titus' offer.
Now the commander knelt and added his name to the wall, along with every other trainee who had not survived the final trial. Tomorrow, the baptism would be over and Titus would have to kneel here again.
It was impossible to converse with the horrific cries of their own people ringing in their ears. Instead Alberton walked beside his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder as he let his eyes roam over the names on the wall.
The Legion was the frontline against the Dungeon, none fought harder or delved deeper than they. To achieve this they had been called on to relentlessly sacrifice. None more so than Titus.
Alberton let his gaze rest on one name in particular. Romanus.
How must it have felt, he sighed, when the commander had carved his only sons name into this wall?
-x-X-x-
Her hands hurt like hell.
Mirryn leaned against the parapet of the Legion HQ and took in the view, resting her forearms on the stone.
"How are you holding up?" a voice came nearby.
Mirryn turned to see Donnelan approaching from along the wall.
"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" she asked him.
"Not a chance in hell" he muttered.
Neither of them wanted to talk about their baptism but they couldn't help thinking about it. When they had finally been taken out of the basin the trainees had immediately lost consciousness, their minds longer supported by the complex enchantments that had surrounded them.
Upon awakening they learned that three of their friends had died.
All things considered it wasn't a bad number. Below average. She could see the relief in the officers faces that they hadn't lost more. It seemed stupid, to be thankful of only three deaths but she understood their logic. Would the situation be somehow better if four had died?
No.
The commander and the rest of the Legionaries had been past to visit them in the days since. The trainees had been placed in a convalescence unit, comfy beds, good food, medical staff around the clock, counselling specialists, the works.
On the surface Mirryn would have been shocked to think of the cost of the lavish treatment, the Legion was legendarily thrifty, they made most of their own equipment, ate nutritious but brutally unflavoured food. It was a regular sight for the trainees to be seen cleaning their leathers and polishing their swords outside the barracks in the dawn light right next to their officers.
The trainees were learning just how many things they had thought they'd known had been an elaborate deception. The Abyssal Legion they thought they'd known, the Dungeon they'd thought they'd known, indeed, the world they thought they had lived in were so far from the truth.
"Did you ever think that something like this could exist?" Mirryn asked Donnelan as he joined her.
"Absolutely not" he answered flatly, "In fact I specifically remember being told such a thing was impossible".
Even though she was looking at it, Mirryn still thought it was impossible.
It was a city.
In the Dungeon.
A vast egg shaped cavern of impossible size, kilometres across and many more high, filled with people. The buildings covered the bottom of the cavern and then extended up the walls, carved into the rock face. A gigantic glowstone at the top of the space provided illumination in the day and faded at night, regulating the time for the thousands of citizens here in Railleh.
Through some mechanism she couldn't imagine the cavernous space managed to keep the Dungeon veins out. There was no risk of monsters spawning within the city itself. Such safety within the Dungeon felt weird to her. She'd spent every moment underground up to this point being completely alert. To be this relaxed down here felt, unnatural.
From her vantage point Mirryn could see the city bustling with activity day and night, the people moving like ants in the cramped streets below. Even now the light of thousands of lamps lit the city at night like a sea of candles in the darkness. It was incredible.
The Legion headquarters was about halfway up, a citadel that occupied a position of great standing, looking down over the rest of the city. She hadn't been able to explore much yet, the trainees were basically confined to recovery. Not the trainees actually... Full Legionaries now.
Mirryn had longed for that for so long...
"How's your hand?" Donnelan asked.
She glanced down at the heavy bandages that wrapped her forearms all the way to the tip of her fingers.
"Better" she said, "they've been healed but they're worried about damage to the bone so I'll be under wraps for a few days yet".
Donnelan's expression twisted a little. Unable to contain his curiosity he eventually asked "Is it true how they got injured?"
"What did you hear?" she answered.
"That you punched the commander in the face".
Mirryn shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably. "it's true".
Donnelan whistled his appreciation. "I can't... I cannot even imagine it. Did he say anything?"
He hadn't. The commander had visited each trainee personally upon their wakening. When she'd finally opened her eyes and got her bearings he'd already been there. He didn't explain, or justify. He just sat there. On seeing the man that she'd trusted so much, almost like a father, who had done such an unspeakable thing to her and her friends ... she'd lost it. Rage and fury had exploded in her.
She'd been able to contain it at first... what would be the point of hitting him?
When she asked how many had died and he told her she'd leapt out of the bed and punched him right in the face with both hands. He hadn't resisted in anyway, willingly accepting her strikes, but, the end result was she broke both fists. She didn't think the commander had even moved.
She'd spoken with some of her fellow trainees, especially Donnelan. There were feelings of anger, of betrayal and of fear. Fear of the pain that kept them awake at night, fear of the never ending horror of it and deep down, fear that the Legion was right.
They could feel now. Ever since they'd awoken they could tell that something was different. Their bodies were absorbing mana out of the air, breathing it in and out through their pores. Mirryn felt stronger, healthier, her mind felt like it moved more quickly, with greater agility.
They hadn't even begun training or using their new bodies yet but they could already tell that they had been fundamentally changed. She didn't think it would end with just this either, she thought there would be more secrets to come.
She knew that her officers were good people. The impression she had of them from years of living alongside them weren't wrong. They were indeed the kind of hard line, duty bound hard heads that would put people they cared about through such torment, so long as they had good reason to.
The torment was over but Mirryn was afraid to find out why it was necessary.
The Legion had done this for thousands of years, why? What exactly are they fighting down here?
She turned back to Donnelan. "When do you think they'll let us out and into the city?" she asked.
He smiled. "Hopefully soon. After everything that's happened I could do with some leave. A few refreshments wouldn't go astray".
Mirryn shook her head. "A whole new world to explore down here and the only thing you care about is getting drunk?"
"Yes" he said.
After a pause they both laughed and turned back to the city spread below them. Growing up in an undeveloped frontier country like Liria had stunted them in many ways. They'd very rarely met members of the other races, didn't come into contact with the rare and powerful artefacts of the old empires. The frontier nations had been established in land that nobody had wanted by people with the grit to try and carve out a new life for themselves. The kingdoms, empires and alliances that had endured from the Cataclysm to today were far off legends to them. Here and now, looking down on the impossible city below them they felt as if those fairy tales they had heard were so close they could reach out and touch them.
A cough sounded behind them and the two jumped, turning quickly to find Tribune Aurillia behind them.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you, Legionaries?" the older woman enquired.
The two stiffened at being approached by their officer. It would take a long time for any sort of trust to exist between them again. Aurillia was not offended, or even surprised. She naturally knew how they felt, she'd gone through the same thing herself.
"The commander has called for you to assemble. It's time to find out if what you endured was worth it".
-x-X-x-
The rest of the new Legionaries were gathered together in a cluster at the end of their ward under the watchful eye of a few Centurions.
The young soldiers felt restless. They still didn't know how to feel towards the Legion and the seniors who had cared for and trained them for so long. The pain of the Baptism was still fresh in their minds, the scars still raw. Many of them felt a strange dual emotion towards the people they had once admired, equal parts anger and respect.
Aurillia stepped forward to address them.
"Thank you for gathering young Legionaries. You have endured the pain of the Baptism and suffered the loss of friends, as have we all" she looked each of them in the eye directly, letting them see that she knew of their pain, shared it.
"I'm sure you've felt it already, the changes in your body. You are no longer what you were before. Your very flesh has been infused with mana and this means a few things will change. Firstly, you can never live on the surface without regular doses of liquid mana to support your body. The mana there is too thin. Here inside the Dungeon you'll be fine but in the upper levels you'll begin to feel a bit weak".
Murmurs erupted from the new Legionaries at these words. Unable to live on the surface without liquid mana? If the Legion were the only ones who knew how to make it, isn't this just another way for them to be controlled?
"It also means" Aurrilia interrupted their thoughts, "that so long as you are able to absorb enough mana you will be able to do things that you had never imagined possible before".
Now she glared at them. Impressing her will on them. All of them wilted before the strength she held in her gaze.
"I know that you are questioning the Legion, I did once also. When you have experienced the fight we are engaged in for yourself you will no longer hold any such childish notions! If you truly want to protect you loved ones from the horrors of the Dungeon, then you've come to the right place. The Abyssal Legion stands on the frontline against the true threats and for thousands of years we have done battle far beneath the surface, an unending war that few people in Liria have ever heard of".
She glared at them once more.
"Come".
So saying, she turned and pushed open the heavy wooden doors that separated their ward from the rest of the Legionary building before marching briskly through. The former trainees followed closely behind, trying to not stare at the bustle around them. Legionaries in their customary blackened leather armour stood in guard positions down every down corridor or passage they moved through, auxiliaries dashed about, delivering papers, meals, equipment or any of the million other tasks that the Legion needed done in order to operate. The new Legionaries were hardly spared a glance as they followed behind Aurillia, escorted by the Centurions who followed them.
The castle was carved directly into the wall of the space in which Railleh was situated. As with all things the Legion constructed it was built on very clean lines, straight corridors and square rooms, giving the entire structure a very austere feeling. It was easy to tell that the structure was old. Possibly too old.
Mirryn looked around and made a few estimations in her head before she came to the shocking realisation than this base, indeed, the city of Railleh itself, probably predated Liria by a considerable amount of time. The Legion had been here long before the nation of her birth had even been created? This whole city?
It didn't make sense. Why would the surface be so neglected that it was the last place to be developed, to be made habitable for people? She thought of her family and their humble history, working hard to carve out a life for themselves in the frontier kingdoms and the pride they had felt at what they achieved in such trying circumstances.
Was it all a joke? There's an entire city down here! Long before her ancestors had even thought to join the expedition to the frontier.
As she muddled through her conflicted feelings the passage they were travelling through suddenly opened into a vast hall. Mirryn gasped, shocked out of her thoughts by the grand scale of the space they now occupied. A high arched ceiling, buttressed by powerful columns of stone and been carved straight into the rock, ornate, almost delicate supports stretched across the empty space to give strength and proportion to the stone.
Clusters of glowstones illuminated the room in bright light, causing Mirryn to squint against the sudden glare. Down the center of the room, between the columns stood two rows of stone statues raised on marble plinths. Each of the figures was a masterpiece. Incredibly detailed, perfectly proportioned. The level of skill that would go into making such a perfect piece of art boggled the young Legionaries minds.
Each of the statues was a Legionary. Men and women in full battle armour, weapons in hand, standing ready. Most of them were of advanced age, clearly senior officers or veteran soldiers. Scars criss-crossed their faces and arms and their expressions were hard, as if there was little they hadn't seen. So lifelike were they that it felt as if they could jump down from their plinths and stride into battle at any moment.
"This the hall of remembrance" Aurillia said over her shoulder, "here the greatest members of our branch have been immortilised in stone, preserved for history and for the battles to come".
She pointed to one of the figures towards the end of the room as they continued to stride through the hall. "Over there is commander Titus' father, Magnus".
Almost despite themselves the young Legionaries felt their heads snap around to stare at the statue in the distance. A tall, bull shouldered figure stood there, a great two handed hammer resting on the plinth and held casually in one hand. Even at this distance Mirryn could see that the statues features, broad chin, stern eyes and thick neck were the same as commander Titus.
Some of the trainees were somewhat surprised to learn the commander even had a father. They'd felt as if he'd walked fully formed out of a mountain side...
Once through the hall they were quickly brought into the armoury. Before a large ornate door stood the commander himself, a rare half smile on his lips as he watched his newest Legionaries assemble before him.
Oddly he didn't say a word to them. He simply turned and pushed open the door before indicating with his head that they should walk through.
Mirryn had somehow found herself in the front. Feeling somewhat nervous she stepped through the grand door and into the darkened space on the other side, cautiously letting her eyes adjust to the gloom before moving too far.
As her vision improved her footsteps slowed until she was completely still, dumbstruck.
Lining the walls on either side of the room where massive suits of armour of obsidian stone and polished steel. An endless network of enchantments webbed the plates, the glittering blue light of residual mana providing most of the illumination in the space.
'What the heck are these?' Mirryn thought in wonder.
The commander grinned. "Who wants to suit up first?" he asked.
-x-X-x-
Titus didn't wait for the Legionaries to answer and immediately started calling names, lining everyone up before him in name order. The young soldiers were so accustomed to following his orders that doing as he said was almost instinctual.
In the dim light the commander looked as impressive as always. His solid frame and clear eyes were reassuring to everyone in the Legion, even if they didn't know how to feel about it at the time.
Once everyone was lined up appropriately Titus raised his voice to address them.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Legion!" he smiled at them warmly, a rare sight indeed, "welcome! You have endured the pain and come through the other side. It is time to add the finishing touches to your induction as full Legionaries".
He turned and gestured to the armoured suits that lined the walls. "What see here is more Legionary tech developed thousands of years ago during the Rending. Magical theory was highly advanced at that time and in their desperation the creators of the Legion experimented with hundreds of different ways to increase their strength to defeat the monsters and preserve the light of civilisation. The Baptism you endured is one such technique, these suits of armour are another".
He walked towards the nearest suit and knocked against the melded steel and stone plate. A hard clang rang out, ringing in the air. The armour was massive and bulky, impossibly so. Even Titus, as powerful and broad as he was, looked like he would struggle to move when weighed down by the sheer mass of the suit.
Donnelan in particular was confused. He was a mage, used to wearing only light leather armour. Anything heavier would reduce his mobility to the point where it would be difficult for him to impact the battlefield where and when he was needed. The Legion didn't subscribe to the 'soft' mage approach of cloth armour and little combat training. Some forces preferred to have their mages spend all of their time in study. The Legion took a different approach and Donnelan had been forced to endure harsh physical training, maintain his own leather armour and equipment as well as learning how to defend himself with his staff or even bare hands.
But surely they wouldn't expect him to clunk around like a turtle inside one of these things?!
"This is Abyssal Armour" announced Titus, a touch of reverence coming through in his tone, "Even now we struggle to reproduce the incredible level of craftsmanship that was achieved during the Cataclysm but these suits have been made right here in Raileh".
There was unmistakable pride at that announcement. Was this Abyssal armour really that special? The former trainees stared hard at the oversized suits and struggled to see the value in them.
Watching them, Titus could only shake his head. It was hard to understand just what the Abyssal Armour could do until you'd experienced it for yourself. He didn't blame them too much for looking down it.
"Before you can test out the suits we have a little item on the agenda that needs to be taken care of first. Class change!"
Mirryn went wide eyed at this. Class change? Now?!
"Every single one of you has met the requirements for your class, we aren't stupid" Titus laughed, "I'll ask you to step forward one at a time and we will enact the change. I'll be the trainer for all of you".
He gestured for the first person to step forward and soon after the soft glow of the class change radiated from that persons frame. Titus pointed to one of the suits and the first person moved to stand beside it before Titus gestured to the next.
It was soon Donnelan's turn and he stepped forward nervously.
"Don't be shy lad, it's fine" Titus smiled at him.
Donnelan eyed the commander. It was rare to see the grizzled veteran in such a good mood. "I'm not done with current class though Commander" he said, "is it really proper for me to change right now?"
Titus nodded. "You'll understand in a moment. Step forward".
Donnelan took the final few steps to close the distance to his commander and Titus raised a hand to place it on his shoulder. As soon as he did so Donnelan received a system prompt within his mind.
[Would like to change class to: Abyssal Legionary?]
What?!
Donnelan was stunned for a brief moment. The Abyssal Legion was actually a class within the system itself?! This was almost unheard of.... The cases where the system actually changed to recognise organisations that existed in the world were so few you could count them on the fingers of one hand.
Yes! Donnelan hastily confirmed his choice. To inherit such a rare and unique class, who wouldn't be willing?
The familiar trickling sensation washed over his mind as the system imparted new knowledge and skills to him along with his new class and Titus directed him to stand next to a suit of Abyssal Armour towards the back on the left side.
Still somewhat shocked, Donnellan stumbled over to his designated armour. As he approached it he could see it was built lighter and more slim than the other designs, clearly more mobile and manoeuvrable that the more bulky versions. Judging by the size of it though there was still no way he could possibly move whilst wearing it.
Or... could he?
Donnelan quickly flipped open his status and took a look at his new skills. Sure enough, Abyssal Armour operation level 1 was there. As time passed and more of the new Legionaries undertook the class change, Donnelan was able to absorb more of the knowledge being fed into his mind until he reached the point where he was able to understand the suit next to him to some extent.
Even what little he didn understand was enough to shock him. This wasn't armour! This was a priceless masterpiece! The enchantments, the crystal filament wires, the incredible alloys that made up the plates, all of it was insane!
When every trainee had changed their class and taken their place next to a suit the commander instructed them to suit up.
With the newly imprinted knowledge fresh in the minds they were still hesitant to follow the instructions within their head. It just didn't seem real. Donnelan decided to just go for it and stepped in front of his suit. Raising one hand he placed it on the chest plate of his Abyssal armour and waited.
....
Perhaps he could feel it?
According to the knowledge he now possessed the suit was powered by mana, not by his own physical frame. Without excessive use of incredibly dense monster cores, moving something like these suits of armour would be nigh impossible but the suits didn't use cores at all. Instead they drew on the mana infused within the bodies of the Legionary wearing it!
Something like this could never be done by someone that hadn't undergone the Baptism. The Legionaries' very flesh was infused with mana and they absorbed it from the Dungeon at an accelerated rate. Thanks to the incredible magical engineering within the suits they were able to supply enough power to move it themselves.
Gradually Donnelan became more aware of the flow of mana from his body into the suit. As time passed the flow increased and the thousands of tiny enchantments carved into the ornate surface of the armour began to glow with the light of mana. The light spread throughout the suit, starting at the breast plate he had his hand on and then flowing throughout the suit until the entire thing was powered.
Gradually the armour began to float, piece by piece, onto his body, the various plates clicking into place around his arms, chest, neck and then legs. He had to lift his feet to allow the oversize boots to snap together around his ankles. Once the helmet had settled into place and locked onto the pauldrons it was done.
The feeling was strange, almost like being locked in a tomb but at the same time, the armour felt like a second skin, as if it were connected to his body and mind. It moved so fluidly and naturally. It just didn't seem real.
"Get yourselves accustomed to the feeling Legionaries," Titus said, "we are going to be training in these suits for next few weeks until you advance your skills to the third tier. This is how we fight down here. Welcome to the World Below".