Chapter Five Hundred And Ninety Five – 595

Chapter Five Hundred And Ninety Five – 595

Light, but this is excruciatingly boring.

The thought was inescapable as Mervin trailed behind the Dwarven Chanter Tzfell. She had requested some assistance from Loquis and had instead volunteered Mervin for the honor. Mervin was originally going to refusehe had planned to get some extra training in with the other Bladesbut thats when Loquis hit him with those dire hound eyes.

The things I do for friends, he thought with a scowl. Loquis had apparently made plans. That Half-Orc better actually make a move on her, or Ill be so very cross.

Come closer, lad. I need to see this with the lantern, the Chanter said.

Cant you summon a magelight? Why do you need me? Yet Mervin walked up, holding the mage-wrought lamp up so that it cast its bright light over a wide mural. It had been hacked at with some sort of weapon, cracking the myriad tiles and sculpted shapes until it was almost unrecognizable. For all his bellyaching, Mervin did find the halls of the Kingsrock fascinatingand sad too.

So much beauty, lost, he said.

Chanter Tzfell nodded solemnly. It is a travesty of the highest order. She ran her hands down the mural, following the brutal gashes in the stonework. You can see here, where they heated their blades so that it would disfigure the stone beneath as well. Tough to do, especially with high Tier materials.

The fires, the wanton destructionits like they were trying to make it worse for all that came after them.

It was absolutely an intentional act. See here? This was a glyph once, an anchor for any number of wards that laced these halls. Tch. It is likely the invaders were chasing down protective enchantments and disabling them first and foremost.

He noticed she often referred to them as invaders, not Dwarves. Mervin wondered if she wanted to pull away from her connection with such heartless devastation, or if perhaps it had another meaning he was missing.

Was there sigaldry here, or here? Mervin asked, genuinely curious. He pointed to two other gashes that sliced down through the mural and into the floor itself.

No. Thatthat seems to be a stray blow.

Mervin didnt know if he believed that. They had passed many places where things had been melted, burned, broken, or smashed in a way that seemed spiteful to him. The Chanter, however, was reluctant to admit that though.

Have you written down the mural and its description? she asked.

He grumbled, but he shifted the ring handle of the lantern onto his wrist before retrieving the paper and pen hed tucked under his arm. He started scratching out their location, Tower 2, Floor 12, Passage E before jotting down a quick summarization of the art. Looks like a big soldier, maybe a giant, wearing full plate. Swirling colors surround the figure. Mountains, snow, and a setting sun in the background. Broken with weapons, slashed.eleven times by Dwarven invaders.

That was the real reason the Chanter needed an assistant. She was cataloging things around the Stronghold, and had been doing it for days on her own, judging by the ream of paper on his board. Why was anyones guess. Mervin figured she was compiling an account for the Autarch. The Chanters work for him, right?

Oh. Oh. Lad, come closer. Down here. Chanter Tzfell was crouched low on the ground, apparently inspecting the breaks Mervin had pointed out. He crouched as well, putting the lantern to the floor. See this? And this? What do you think this is?

More cracks in the floor?

No, no. These are too regular, too perfect. If youdo you have a way to visualize Mana? She waved her hands at his blank stare. Nevermind. It doesnt matter. There are sigils here, formed into the stonework itself. Hidden, like most Nymean enchantments. They cross the floor from the wallfrom the muraland endhere.

The Chanter scooted back until she was standing in the center of the mural alcove. Mervin followed her gaze, sweeping the mage lantern over until it illuminated a shallow depression in the floor. Three grooves met there, forming a nine-pointed star where they all intersected, as if the star was throwing off rays of light.

Blessed Night, she whispered. I see.

Mervin certainly didnt. It just looked like a weird tripping hazard. What is

Felix grunted. He didnt believe that, but it wasnt worth arguing. Alright, so if these go all over, where doesaha. Perfect. Felix turned to his assembled team and the ice sleds that were beside them. Those were packed with supplies and drawn by a team of Hoarhounds that were cautiously sniffing at Pit. Everyone! Follow me.

They started down the boundary path, walking with a steady, distance eating gait. Most of the Claw were afoot, with only a few driving the sleds in lieu of their Frost Giant friends. Felix led the way, but Vess, Evie, Beef, Harn, and the Chanters were close behind. The path was lined with small stones and it crunched beneath their feet, a steady counterpoint to the hum of the inscribed stones beside them.

Will your new Chanceller have any issues with her duties? Vess asked.

Nah. Kimaris has a good head on her shoulders, and shes ambitious. She already made it clear to them that the Title they value so highly will be revoked if they break their Oath, and everyone seems eager to toe the line.

It is an impressive Title, considering who it is drawing stats from, Vess admitted. Do you have any clue what percentage it is?

Just about ten percent. Vess whistled appreciatively, and Felix grinned. Thats what they said.

The transition from path to elsewhere was a subtle one. The sound of crunching gravel faded as the hum of the stones increased, and the effervescent light slowly muted itself, until only a chill white sun shone upon them all. By the time Felix noticed that, he was standing among a collection of upthrust rocks. They werent standing stonesthough some sigaldry existed among some moss-coated nubs nearbyand instead seemed to be the remains of some ancient geological feature, worn by wind, ice, and time. Outside of the broken tor was flat tundra, unrelieved for as far as even Felixs eyes could see.

Wherere we now? Harn asked. Tzfell climbed up onto the rock behind him, peering off into the distance.

Much farther southeast than I could have hoped. Felix called up the golden map again through his Authority screen. He had puzzled that out while walking, and with an effort of Will he added a series of dark tunnels across the map. And if we walk about a mile south, we can hop a ride through a Dark Passage. Cmon.

A bit further on, Felix tore open the face of reality to reveal a patch of star-drenched night. It felt a touch easier than before, though he wasnt sure how much of that was his imagination. He did know that Labyrinthine Wing had gained a level after claiming Khalheim, and instinctively he knew it was because of that fact. The knowledge had beamed itself into his brain the moment he contemplated the issue, coming from the pattern that constituted his Skill, and any time he added more Territories it would level again.

While it may not have been easier to open, it definitely was a larger opening than before. Now it could easily accommodate their oversized sleds, and his team filed into the Dark Passage with little issue. Felix grasped his hooked blade and sent a pulse of his Will through it.

Karys, were entering a Dark Passage now. Mark it down. Ill contact you when we emerge.

The sword buzzed, green-gold. Of course, my Lord.

Felix and Pit were the last to enter, closing it behind them.

Inside, the normal pitch darkness was lightened; still Void-like, but now with a touch of gray. The mountains in the distance were more detailed, and the stone platform they entered upon even had the start of some sort of workmanship. It appeared ancient and dilapidated, brickwork worn by feet over a thousand years, pitted and cracked.

Hm. Is this a feature of Labyrinthine Wings level up? Felix scratched his head as he entered, studying the changes. Or was it just already here?

Zara and others had told him that when she had utilized the Dark Passages in the Verdant Pass, she had been forced to expend her Will and Mana to create a physical construct. A bridge, something that everyone could interact with so they wouldnt fall into the Void, never to be seen again. It had also been easily affected by the Wills of others, enough that many of the soldiers had been required drugs to dull their senses.

His experience with Dark Passages had so far been wildly different, but then Zara didnt have the same Titles as Felix. Chthonic Traveler was potent, indeed.

Felix! Make the Sailwhale! Pit shouted from ahead. He was already at the edge of the broken cliff, bouncing among the Claw. Several of the soldiers watched him with half-hidden smiles.

Ugh. I thought we werent calling it that?

Oh no, were definitely calling it that, Beef said.

Looks like a fish, flies like a fish Evie paused. Something something Sailwhale.

Great, Felix muttered. He mustered his Will, and the nature of the Dark Passage shifted to accommodate it. Wonderful.