Chapter 48: To the Depths

Ann fluffed her tail and the fur on her legs, trying to get it back to normal. The dip in the lake had left her feeling scummy, and being covered with Warped, and a bit of Bren’s blood, sure didn’t help. She’d washed a bit in the pools, but there was only so much she could do without soap.

Groaning, she joined the other three, who were waiting at the exit to the room. “So, hear anything down there, Kat?”

“Nae, quiet as the grave,” the Protector stated ominously

“Feeling dramatic after resting, are we?” Bren asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Just gettin’ a li’l more anxious the further down we go,” Kat grumbled, looking around. “More ‘n more water above us. More ‘n more weight tae come crashin’ down if it wants.”

“I get it,” Rosalyn piped up, running a hand along the icy wall. “Even enchanted to be resistant to heat and that kind of thing, it’s still ice, right? Who knows if it can break. Though I guess it’s a Seed’s terrain. It can do whatever it really wants to do. Magic is pretty awesome like that.”

“Indeed,” Bren agreed. “I do not believe we will have to worry about a cave in as long as we do not cause extreme damage to structural points.”

“When the walls are all that’s holding water back, isn’t everything a structural point?” Ann asked, taking her place at the rear as they began to march down the tunnel.

“Correct, however there may be places that bear the load of the weight more than others. Pillars, struts, any type of reinforcing geometry should be avoided. My parents taught me some about maintaining pressure and withstanding it due to their research, and it seems to be largely applicable here, only on the inverse.”

“So don’t break the walls. Gotcha,” Kat said, tapping her sword against the ice. “So, we’ve had fish, crustaceans, amphibians and an otter. Any other bets on what else we’ll find?”

“Well, we did run into plants in Estvall’s seed,” Ann said, remembering the Croaking Oak and the vines. “Down here, I’d think it’d be more grass or reeds. Not sure what that could do to us. Maybe make it harder to walk?”

“Harder tae walk while somethin’ harries us. That’d be a bloody problem fer sure.”

“You know,” Ann thought out loud, “I’m Orenous’ champion, right? Kinda surprised having a divinely blessed person coming in here isn’t changing anything. Wouldn’t a divine domain react to that kind of thing?”

“A question we will need to explore the more Seeds we investigate,” Bren advised. “It is possible that your patron’s influence may affect the Seed, but these are fresh waters. Theoretically, I would wonder what such a thing would manifest as.”

“Knowin’ Orenous, probably somethin’ lewd. Or heartwarmin’? Maybe a bit o’ both,” Kat posited, guiding them around a bend in the tunnel.

“Ooh, I wonder what she could come up with. Or what her Seed would be like. Do any of you know where it is? It shouldn’t be far if Annita wound up here just from walking.” Rosalyn asked.

Ann stumbled and fell behind for a moment. Had she really heard Rosalyn being intrigued by that? Looking past the Druid, she saw Kat’s wide eyes looking back at her, before they shared a grin. Maybe this sheep wasn’t as innocent as Ann had been interpreting her.

“It is southeast of the Keep. It is one of the largest Seeds in the Kingdom, and thankfully well within our borders. The problem with it being the largest is that it is one of the most difficult Seeds to conquer. To this day, it has been bested a total of five times. Every time, it was by a once in a generation talent. The stories they brought back were all, well, scandalous would be underselling it,” Bren recounted with a blush. “She is the Goddess of her domain for a reason.”

“You’re making me want to try this out,” Ann laughed, letting her imagination roam. “A whole seed full of lewd stuff? You’re coming too, right Rosalyn?” she asked with a playful elbow to the Druid.

“I would… oh wow, that would be a lot. I don’t know. Maybe? Maybe in the future? We still haven’t, ya know,” she bumped her fists together. “Just give me some time and I’m sure I’ll warm up to it?”

“Oh, we’ll make sure o’ tha’, little lamb,” Kat grinned back at her, wiggling her ears and eyebrows. “But, aye, sounds like fun. Not sure what ye’d get intae, Bren. Doesn’t seem like yer scene.”

“I would remind you all that just because I do not want to engage with someone who’s with my all but blood sister does not mean I do not have my own desires,” Bren huffed. “I have no conception of what a Seed affected by Orenous’ influence, or her own seed, would include, but if necessary, I would participate.”

“Oooh, didn’t think you’d actually be all right with that,” Ann whistled, the sound echoing off the walls in an odd, almost musical way. “Now I’m really curious, and I haven’t really asked. What are your desires? Who’s your type?”

“I will keep the former private,” Bren huffed, keeping his chin held high in an attempt at dignity. “The second, well…” he took a moment for thought. “I do prefer women, that is for certain. Their body type does not matter much to me, though taller might be nice? It is hard for me to have much of a preference. Personality compatibility is key when seeking a partner.”

“Ok, cut the shit, boobs or ass?” Ann asked, a randy grin crossing her lips as Kat cackled in front of them. Rosalyn, who was walking just behind Bren, looked slightly mortified at the conversation.

“If I were forced to make a choice, ass, as you so crudely put it.”

“So, a tall lady with a great ass. Hmmm…” Ann thought. “I mean, Polaris does have both. Though she’s a lot older. You’re not into that, are you?”

“Gods, no, not her,” Bren gasped, taking his turn to look mortified. “Let's put aside that she’s known me for a good portion of my life, the pressure of that position must be immense. Also, with my obligations to this team, I would have to leave that person for extended periods of time. I do not feel that would be fair.”

“Guess I’ll have to keep looking, then. Maybe we can find someone who’ll be down to traipse through hell and back with us. I’ll see if I can ask Orenous for some pointers,” Ann teased with a wink.

Bren just sighed and refused to reply, focusing on the cavern.

“So, ye thought o’ anythin’ ye wanna do fer a date?” Kat asked Rosalyn as the cave made another turn. “Shite. Hold tha’ thought,” she grumbled as they heard skittering up ahead.

Around the bend, chitinous legs scrabbled. A mess of Scuttlefish charging at them with reckless abandon. With Kat forming the bulwark, they easily defended against the rush. Ann squeezed to the side, moving past Bren and Rosalyn to help cut down the creatures on the front lines, while Rosalyn made do with her Thorns. There were only seven or eight of the monstrosities, so the crush wasn’t the worst, but Ann still suffered a cut that snuck past her guard. Kat suffered a similar cut across her cheek as one of the Scuttlefish’s haphazard legs managed to clatter over the edge of her shield.

Bren patched them up with ease, and they took quick stock, once again covered in the white pus and black blood as the Scuttlefish popped upon death.

“Man, they’re not tough, but they’re fucking nasty,” Ann grumbled, wiping gunk from her gloves.

“Not my favorite, nae,” Kat agreed, taking the lead again. “Where were we? Oh, right, Rosalyn, date?”

“Hm, I’ve been thinking. I don’t really know much about how to date. I’m a mockingbird with how much I’m repeating how alone I was. Don’t know how you city people really do stuff. Could we do something more comfortable to me? Maybe take a walk or something? Somewhere quiet and alone? Preferably outside the walls, if we could make that safe. Just, not too intense. That’d overwhelm me and then I get light headed, and then I pass out and make you all worry, and that’s not great and, and…” Rosalyn’s words became a waterfall as she got wrapped up in her own head.

Annita rested a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, we can do that. We’ll figure out plans later, but that can absolutely work.”

“Not like the city is the only safe place, neither,” Kat explained. “There’re farms an’ other smaller towns all o’er the place, like River’s Crest. Us bein’ outside the walls fer a date shouldn’t be a problem. At worst, can ask Polaris tae give us a shadow, not like she won’t have one watchin’ anyway.”

“Then I guess that’s what I’d like to do. I can make us lunch and we can go out on a walk and just be out in nature. Not all geared up for a fight, but just to be out and about. Sounds perfect to me,” Rosalyn sighed, clearly imagining her plans.

“As long as it’s what you want, I’m cool with it,” Ann said with a smile as she ruffled Rosalyn’s wool affectionately. “Nature walks are really nice. Just looking at trees, plants, and all the animals that live out there.”

“I know. I had sketchbooks I’d work on when I went out,” Rosalyn said, turning to face Ann as she walked backwards. “Full of little drawings and notes. All the birds, little critters, bigger critters, rocks, trees. There was so much to learn and study out there. Then there were the Warped. Oh, I want to write more about them. It seems like there’s so much to learn from their bodies. How do all these pieces work together? Especially when they’re from different animals. Where do they connect and how? Why those species, and not more varied ones? Ugh, I want to know more!”

“And here I thought I was the scholar,” Bren laughed. “Different fields, I suppose, but you certainly have the curiosity of one.”

“I do? I guess so. Just always been like this. See something, need to figure out why it’s like it is.” Rosalyn shrugged. “Nothing too special.”

“I disagree. The commitment to learning and knowledge is not something everyone possesses. Take our lovely Katlyn here,” Bren joked, laughing at the rude gesture Kat sent back at him. “She knows much of battle and martial strength, however when it comes to a book or the more intellectual pursuits, you would have better luck teaching a stone.”

“I got plenty o’ education in me first thirty years, thank ye,” Kat huffed. “Just got tired o’ it. Might be able tae pick it up later, but fer now? It can sod off.”

“Little Katlyn, all dressed up by her maids and sitting with her tutor. Oh I hope your mom has pictures,” Ann laughed, with Rosalyn tittering politely as well.

“There are… paintings,” Kat grumbled, hunching her shoulders as she stalked forward.

“Bren, please, I need to see these,” Ann all but begged.

“I will let Katlyn be the decision maker on this topic,” he laughed. “Or her mother. Gods know if you convince her to do something, you will never sway her.”

“So, a lot like you, Kat?” Ann asked.

“Kinda pisses me off how true tha’ is,” Kat huffed. “Get called the spittin’ image o’ someone enough o’er fifty years an’ it puts a chip on yer shoulder. I’m me own damn woman, cocksuckers. Not some doppelgänger treamsgal.”

“Ok, touchy subject, sorry,” Ann apologised, cutting herself off.

“It’s… fine. Ye’ll get tae know it all soon enough. Better ye know the problems afore ye meet everyone,” Kat sighed.

“Don’t want to intrude, but I’ve heard an ok amount about the Queen. Is she really that similar?” Rosalyn asked. Before Kat or Bren could answer, she continued. “’Cause I’ve heard she’s nice. Overall, a good queen. Maybe a bit distant and militaristic? Keeps us safe, though. Graven Keep’s never been stronger and the outskirts never safer. The king… honestly, I haven’t heard much about him, just that he’s the queen’s husband and that they’re really different. Like really different.”

“Aye, aye. Can confirm all o’ that an’ more. Da’s not someone who puts any focus on ‘is body. Politician through and through. He’s… all right,” Kat sighed again. “He means well, but ‘es all proper an’ wants tae ‘ave us all be like tha’. Can be a bit overbearin’. But, overall, he’s da’. Love ‘im an’ all tha’.”

“They do good by the kingdom, too,” she continued. “At least, the best they can while workin’ with the courts an’ nobility. There’s a traditionalist faction and an expansionist faction. They’re part o’ the traditionalists. Defendin’ the people, promotin’ stability an’ diplomatic everythin’. I tried. I did. Wanna make me da’ proud. Just never was me strong suit.”

“Katlyn was always at odds with her mother,” Bren explained. “Two headstrong women that are convinced their way is the right way. The friction was inevitable. King Farragher, however, is someone I look up to aside from my own parents. He has a tact about him few others possess. A polite word, placed in the right place, can move nations, and he seems to be a master at this art. No doubt a product of a couple of centuries of practice.”

“Starting to see the picture,” Ann said. “Families never change, era to era.”

“Nope. Or at least I assume they wouldn’t. People change a lot, but how they interact with those who raised them? Gotta be pretty similar,” Rosalyn laughed.

“Oi, somethin’ comin’,” Kat called.

A soft slither filled the tunnel, seemingly coming from everywhere. Ann watched the back of the group while Kat was readied in the fore. The sound got louder, and louder, until whatever it was made the turn behind them. A dark shape at first which quickly clarified into a massive snake. It was big enough that it all but filled the tunnel. As its yellowed eyes spied them, it let out a hiss that shook Ann’s bones and opened its mouth.

“RUN!” Ann shouted as she picked up Rosalyn and bolted, the rest of the group following suit.

The thing was fast, and it gained on them quickly. The ice around them shook as its length writhed against the walls, speeding its pursuit. Kat and Bren were in the lead, Bren breathing hard as he sprinted forward. They made a turn, not sharp enough to stop the beast. A long passage stretched before them, but they had no choice of a retreat.

As they reached the end of the stretch, the snake was almost on them, and Ann could feel its hot breath whenever it opened its mouth to hiss its fury at them. Rosalyn cast a few prodding Thorns at it, but they all shattered off its scales unnoticed.

After the left turn at the end of the straight tunnel, they reached a fork. One went further down, and the other up. Making a snap decision, Kat called to head further down. The three runners took off down the path, and were wonderfully surprised to find the tunnel narrowing as they descended. Not by much, but after a few seconds, it was to where Ann’s ears were scraping the ceiling.

Behind them, the snake tried to force its way down, pushing hard against the walls. The ice shook, pieces falling off and skittering down the slope past Ann’s paws, but the beast had reached its limit. Glaring at them balefully, it gave them a final hiss before backing itself up. As it did, Ann saw through the gaps between its side and the walls, hundreds of small lizard legs working in unison to pull it backwards.

“Centipede snake. That’s… interesting,” she panted.

They all slumped to the floor of the tunnel, waiting for their breath to return. Rosalyn took up the guard, though anything coming from behind them with that snake up there was unlikely.

“At least we’re a lot closer now,” Kat said after taking a deep breath that finally steadied her breathing. “Judgin’ by what we saw on the surface, the Core should be nearby. I hope. Tunnels suck arse.”

“Gods, I hope so,” Bren gasped, still desperately trying to recover. “Where was my carry, Kat?”

“Too big, sorry,” she apologized. “Only so much I can carry, ye know this.”

“And she’s light,” Ann pointed out, hooking a thumb at Rosalyn, who was doing her best to look protective as she watched the tunnel.

“Well, let’s take a few. Wouldn’t be great to walk into a Guardian out of breath. Take your time, Bren.” Ann said, patting him on the shoulder.

He gave her a weak thumbs up. Poor guy had been put through the wringer in this Seed. Stabbed and fighting the Scuttlefish alone, torn up by the otter, then this. Ann put in a silent prayer to Orenous that the next Seed be a bit kinder to the poor healer.

After a few more minutes, Bren recovered and stood, joining the three women. “Let us be done with this. I would like to be headed home soon.”

“Only a few hours down here, not a bad expedition so far,” Kat said.

“Yes, but the tunnels are wearing on my mind. I would rather not be in them any longer, if possible,” Bren grumbled.

“Fair, fair. Looks like there’s a light up ahead. Let’s hope that snake thing was the Guardian, an’ we can just skip tae the core,” Kat said, giving him a reassuring smile.

“You have cursed us,” Bren moaned, rolling his eyes.

Sure enough, she had. The room they walked into was not the Core chamber, but a large cavern once more. No pools of water this time, thankfully. It was lit by glowing algae embedded in the ice, from what Ann could tell, with a nice bright blue. Rippled walls lined the edges of the room, giving the impression of waves frozen mid motion. Stretching from the ceiling were four stalactites of ice, connecting to matching four stalagmites on the floor, forming columns. An alcove on the opposite side of the room, with a small entrance, was the only other distinguishing feature of the cavern.

“Guards up. This is gonna be the big ‘un,” Kat ordered, raising her sword and shield.

“Then we can leave,” Bren said, reassuring himself that they’d soon be free.

“I hope it’s interesting. Can we at least stay long enough to sketch it once we’re done?” Rosalyn asked, staff gripped firmly in her hands as her eyes darted left and right.

Ann just laughed, but was scanning for danger. She couldn’t see any, and that was driving her senses wild.

After they took a few steps into the cavern, the Warped made itself known. A dramatic crash echoed as the far wall exploded, ice shards flying as the thing barrelled out of a hidden room.