Chapter 484

Enjoy!


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Sunken Ward is level 22!
Adamant Discord is level 83!

When the last of the chaotic maelstroms released their party a full two days had passed, and all of them were exhausted. The War Naga had taken the brunt of the punishment, of course, but even clinging tightly to their backs had proven a real challenge. At a certain point, Felix and Beef had been forced to fashion harness and saddles for all of them, if only to allow them some modicum of rest.

So now, as the roar of the riptide faded and the wild chaos of water Mana was tamed into the steadier currents of the deep, their party descended to the pockmarked and pitted stone shelf just beyond it all. Toa'ut groaned as they came to a stop, while Beef and Felix dissolved the constructs with a brief flaring of their Skills. Isla and Vess slid gracefully from their Naga's back, while Pit and Hallow flopped somewhat ungainly onto the lake bed.

<<My legs are numb,>> Pit complained. He wobbled in the water, afloat but unable to stay properly upright. <<They feel all tingly!>>

<<I cannot feel my limbs at all,>> Hallow added, her voice reverberating more than usual through the Sunken Ward.

<<You're a rock,>> Pit pointed out.

<<Yes.>>

Felix slipped from Toa'ut's back with less grace than usual, still feeling the all-over feeling of strain to his Aspects. He stifled his groans, however; he'd had worse. The exhausted Naga settled themselves onto the thin layer of silt atop the stone shelf, their scales grinding audibly against the grit. Toa'ut let out a tired, hissing grunt. <<We need true rest, my Lord. A time to recuperate will allow us to press farther, faster.>>

<<That's fine. You folks went above and beyond, back there.>> Felix turned so he was including all of the War Naga in his statement. <<Without you, pressing through those whirlpools would have been impossible.>> Toa'ut, Rou'd, Lavix, and all the others bowed, their heaving chests and haggard expressions easing now that they were at rest. <<You have been here before. Where would you normally take a break?>>

<<There are caverns. Hidden. Follow us.>> The Naga propelled themselves from the lake bed, tails lashing with the dregs of their Stamina.

Felix and his team followed.

Outside of the Mountains That Howl, the water was easy to move through, especially for people with their stats. The rocky shelf soon split, fissuring until they were surrounded by a network of cracks that grew larger with every hundred feet they swam. Thin canyons formed, within which more and more plant life began to swell, until it was like flying over a miniature jungle. Felix kicked his legs and knifed his arms through the water, his Endurance and Strength more than enough to keep up with the tired War Naga. Easy enough that his Mind wandered, turning over the problem he still hadn't resolved.

After the fight against the disturbed Den, Felix had propelled them onward with all of the force he could muster. Adamant Discord yanked aside currents and grasping plant-monstrosities, hauling their party in its thunderous wake, but he could only keep that up for so long. The tendrils of connection he'd established with the Fathom twinged with every casting, almost calling out to him from the shimmering ooze far below. Once he'd established enough distance from the site of the battle, Felix had ceased using his Skill, instead trusting the War Naga to lead them through as before.

There was a large part of him that was afraid of establishing contact with the Fathom again. It was powerful, of that there could be no doubt, but more than that: it was familiar.

He just didn't know why.

The familiarity was even more upsetting than the sheer, rampaging power behind the Fathom's roar. When it had turned its focus on him, it was like a burning brand that twisted and writhed, a living thing of fire and heat and pain. It was the writhing, the sense of chaotic disorder, that allowed Felix the time to erect his Bastion of Will. Without that beat, the Fathom could well have blasted through Felix's Mind and more. Instead he'd been able to cut it all off in time, feeding the potency of the ooze to his every hungry abyss.

More, it rumbled at him.

Quiet. Felix wanted to rub his temples and lay down for a week, but instead he had to focus on the notification that still floated in his periphery.

Attention!
A Challenge Has Been Issued!
You Have Been Challenged For Your Authority!
Child Of The Nym! Do You Accept?
Y/N

He'd shown it to his friends and followers, hoping for someone to pipe up with an explanation, but all of them had stared at it in confusion. <<Is this anything like how I Challenged the Grandmaster of Ahkestria for Territorial Authority?>>

Isla had been the first to respond. <<There are many kinds of Challenges, Felix. Some are System born, but others will find their genesis within Skills. Those are often self-focused, Skills of the enhancement category meant to improve your Aspects directly, and are exceedingly rare. The more dire the stakes, the greater the rewards.>> She had pursed her lips in that way she had, adding a severity to her face that seemed to add decades to her deep eyes. <<This one is System born, that is clear...and somehow, this Fathom holds enough Authority in the Ghreldan Hills that he can access such an option.>>

<<But that should be impossible,>> Vess had said. She looked just as shaken as Felix by the roar, but rage was catching up to her fear. <<A ruler cannot Challenge a visitor, only the opposite.>>

Isla had only shrugged. <<A wrinkle in the System's rules is not outside the realm of possibility. There are many depths to the Grand Harmony that we are not privy to.>>

Vess had frowned at her before regarding Felix, concern briefly winning against her battle fury. <<What will you do?>>

<<Ignore it? For now. I've no need to challenge this thing.>> Felix had paused. <<I can ignore it, right?>>

<<You can,>> Isla had confirmed. <<And I would suggest it as the best course. Even rejecting the Challenge would give this Fathom an answer from you...ignoring it will keep them guessing. As the Grand Harmony's progeny, the System demands a willing choice. Consent must be given for this to have any effect.>>

<<So why issue it?>> Beef had asked. <<That's kind of a waste.>>

<<It is a dragon. Dragons are arrogant and willful; they will always expect their foes to act as they do. And no dragon would shy from a Challenge.>> Vess had explained.

The notification glimmered at Felix, bright gold and deep azure. There had been no further sign of pursuit by the Fathom spawn since their battle. The brief connection Felix shared with the dragon was not enough for it to pinpoint their location; how he knew that, Felix was unsure. Yet it sat within him regardless, solid and certain, like the knowledge that such details would change were he to choose either 'yes' or 'no' on the Challenge. He closed it again, without choosing.

Below them, the crevices had split open into large gorges, and the proliferation of frond and wriggling vine continued. Felix looked up, gazing into the hazy distance, and could see that the cracks in the lake bed only grew wider and wider. He wondered how far they went, when the Naga dove down into one of the thinner crevasses. Felix and his team followed.

Toa'ut led them deep into the verdant canyon, past narrow lips of pockmarked stone and among the twisted sea grasses, thick bundles of crimson algae, and luminous, gelatinous orbs. Those floated in the invisible currents, glowing golden and warm, tethered to the cliffs by knobbly tendrils and thick roots. The foliage was deep and varied and surprisingly colorful for so far beneath the surface; Felix would have expected muted greens and pale whites, but he supposed the light that emanated from the odd bio-luminescent orbs helped with that.

The path wound further and further, eventually hooking a sharp turn around a ridge that completely hid it from sight. Toa'ut swam ahead, whipping through the waters with renewed energy as he entered a dark cavern. <<We may rest here, for a time, my Lord.>>

Felix coasted to a stop just outside the mouth of the cavern, pressing his Perception forward into the dark hole. As far as he could tell, the cavern was relatively shallow and completely free of monsters or other threats. He nodded to Toa'ut. <<Looks good.>>

The other War Nagas arrived seconds after him, and his friends just behind them. As the giant serpent people settled in, Felix realized they all carried bushels of crimson algae, fronds, and even a pair of those gelatinous lights.

Vess floated to the ground beside him as the others swam past, each hurriedly claiming a portion of the sandy floor. She held her hip with her left hand, partisan floating effortlessly beside her, and was grimacing. <<What is the plan?>>

<<First is rest, like I said. We all need it, even me.>> Felix nodded at her hip. <<Are you okay?>>

<<Simply saddle sore.>> Vess waved his concern away, but her cheek dimpled with a half smile. <<Let me fight a monster horde and I will not complain, but set me on an avum for a few glasses and I shall ache for days.>>

<<Careful how you talk about them. I said one of the Naga looked like my friend Jimmy's pet iguana and he got real bent outta shape.>> Beef float-stepped his way toward them. He was quite heavy, but still his small hooves were having trouble finding purchase in the thick layer of sand underfoot.

<<I shall be sure not to offend them,>> Vess promised, her soft smile turning wry. <<But...rest sounds good. I had thought myself ready to keep pressing on, but this swimming has revealed a few aches I would be a fool not to address.>>

<<Uh yeah, what she said,>> Beef added in. <<I could sleep for days, I think. Wait. We're underwater. How does that work?>>

<<My Skill will continue to provide for us, even if we sleep,>> Felix assured the teen, and Beef let out a loud sigh of relief.

<<Oh thank god.>>

Felix could use the sleep too. According to his memory, he hadn't slept in six entire days. That was entirely too long to go without sleep, even if his Endurance and Vitality made sleeping more of an optional thing. <<Zara and the others will reach Haarwatch in the next few hours, I think,>> he said.

<<Hopefully to find things as calm as ever,>> Vess added. <<Has Karys sent any word on how things are progressing in the Verdant Pass?>>

Felix shook his head and tried to ignore the sensation of his long hair wafting in the water. It was weird. <<No.>>

Karys had stayed behind in the Stronghold, but he had direct access to Cal, and as Lady of Haarwatch, she would have reported if the Hierocracy had shown up. Felix supposed he would call his Chancellor in the morning. The old Nym still wasn't particularly pleased with Felix for staying behind, so the conversation was unlikely to be comfortable, but it'd set some minds at ease.

<<I hope the ships are working well enough,>> Beef said as he came to a wobbling halt. His fingers toyed with the haft of his war club. <<Still can't believe my Risen just fell apart like that.>>

<<Failure is a constant companion, Beef. What you choose to do after, is what matters.>> Vess patted the Minotaur on his bicep as she swam away. <<I believe I will attempt to get some of that rest. Much to do tomorrow.>>

The two Unbound watched Vess leave, both lost in their own thoughts. Felix couldn't stop thinking about his friends heading into a dangerous battle, which looped into his concern over their own coming fight. Beef, on the other hand, seemed to be worrying at another issue entirely.

<<Wasn't anything I could do,>> he said. <<The thing turned to sand and Hallow and I lost control immediately. We're still not sure why it happened.>>

<<Life's a learning process,>> Felix said. <<Only thing you can do it keep moving forward.>>

<<Yeah, I guess,>> Beef said, more than a little sulkily. <<I just wish I didn't have this ringing in my ears all the time now. Would've been way easier to maintain the connection if it hadn't gone squealing.>>

<<What?>> Felix glanced at the young teen in the enormous bull-man Body. <<What ringing?>>

<<Oh, it's so weird. Ever since I got a new Title for sending my Risen so far away and maintaining control, I've been hearing the worst stuff. Like music but it makes no sense.>>

He unlocked at least one Harmonic stat. It was likely to be Affinity as well, considering what he was hearing. <<What was the Title?>>

In response, Beef just swiped something at him. A blue window rolled into existence before Felix, displaying an impressive new Title.

Congratulations!
You Have Earned A Title!

The Puppeteer (Epic)!
You have learned to operate your servants from a great distance away, while still maintaining precision. Increases Endurance and Agility of all Risen by 5%. Increases control limit by 5.

<<Oh wow, that's a great Title for you,>> Felix said.

<<Agreed. Except for all this ringing, I'd have actually enjoyed it.>> After the battle, Beef had spent a good portion of his time trying to capture and Rise one of the Fathom spawn. Control limit aside, the new Risen had been too weak and ungainly to navigate the pressures of the Mountains That Howl. They were ripped down into the vortexes, time and time again.

<<It sounds like you unlocked your Affinity. Is that it?>> Felix asked.

<<Affinity and Resonance, it says. Honestly it's been freaking me out. I know about them, right? You told me. But that ringing isn't the only thing I'm hearing. The whole time we've been swimming, it's like something's been singing to me.>> Beef shuddered. <<Like something hiding in the dark water.>>

Felix immediately knew what he was talking about, though at this point he unconsciously tuned it out. <<That's the water itself.>>

<<What?>>

<<Well, remember what I said? About the Grand Harmony? Everything has a vibrational frequency, and all of it sings out to us all the time—>> Felix started saying, but a slender pile of platinum curls and flowing blue gown cut him off.

<<Michael! You didn't mention you had unlocked your first Harmonic stats! That is excellent!>> She flowed through the water with more grace than Vess, her movements clean and natural-seeming, as if she routinely walked along the bottom of a lake. <<I shall take any education from here, Felix. I am, after all, his mentor.>>

Felix tried not to frown. <<I was simply telling him what I knew.>>

<<And that is appreciated. Now, Michael—>>

<<Beefhammer,>> the Minotaur corrected.

<<Michael, what you need to know about Affinity and Resonance, is that they can both be trained. What are your values right now?>>

<<Um, 34 and 22.>>

<<Excellent. Plenty of room to grow. Utilizing a few specialized exercises will aid in training your technique, though it is hard.>> She sniffed. <<It takes far more work than lifting heavy things and setting them back down again.>>

Felix repressed a sigh, letting Isla take over the conversation. He'd get with Beef later and tell him what he knew; there were other things Felix needed doing. <<Beef, Isla. Make sure you get some rest.>> He kicked off the lake bed, sending up a small cloud of sand and silt.

<<Felix! We'll talk later, yeah?>> Beef shouted after him.

Felix gave the kid a thumbs up as he shot away, deeper into the cavern to where Pit and the others were settling down around food and impromptu beds of sand.