Toyo Supra. 126 days after Expedition start.
We’ve finally reached an egress point from this vile bog. The cloying stench, burning vapors, and deafening burbling will be cast behind them. Still, this is a job, and no resource can be completely ignored. I make sure to properly chart it and have my other Pathfinders do so in their own ways.
After everyone has gathered and the proper traveling formations have been erected, with some major cleansing spellwork pulsing through the group, “Alright. Everyone knows the drill and we repeat it anyway. I want no losses on my trip, got it?”
A far more synchronous affirmative comes back than I got when we initially set out. These new batches always need some real hellscape experiences to help make them know that our rules are best. There are always some that make it through the selection and training and yet still think they can innovate on their shakedown journey. Even if they’re right, they’d be right for the wrong reasons and with lives on the line the why matters as much as the how.
I concentrate for a moment, straining my reserves to cast my strongest abilities in tandem. First, I soften the membrane, then I shift the possibilities towards something a bit more pleasant but still unknown. Fjording paths long traveled won’t teach people how to deal with the unexpected. Once the path is fixed in the stars I call out to the group, “Alright, time to move out!”
[Follow His Feet] activates and the mana drain is immense for the first few steps. Paying the cost upfront is a brutal requirement for a travel skill, but the secondary effect makes mine more valuable than any worldly possession.
The star trail we’re on is an interesting one. Usually trying to traverse from somewhere horrible to something pleasant is a more jagged experience. Perusing the path as everyone finally steps out of that |Noxious Swamp| I notice the trace of the System’s touch upon the Ways. We’re heading for somewhere undoubtedly new, if not for how long I’ve been at this I don’t think I’d recognize the signs.
“Make sure you pay attention to every detail you can notice. Your trailblazing will likely function differently than mine, but you’ve been on my paths enough to get familiar with them. Any deviation from the norm can be significant. Always collect as much information as you can and don’t just rely on your skills.”
The return chorus of “{Skills drive caravans. Wills build roads,}” eases at least some of my tension. Stepping onto something wholly untested isn’t something I’d particularly like with a group of greenhorns but there are always surprises in life. Besides, I’ve got a couple veterans with us that can pick up the slack if they need to and a quick glance at each of them gets me the nod, I knew I’d see. They recognize what the system interference entails.
The journey beyond takes the rest of the day, so I have us make camp before walking into the unknown. After we’ve rested it’s between one step and the next that the starscape vanishes, replaced by some old growth woods. Massive trees not quite blocking out the light from above, but thick enough to have their own ecosystem in the canopy.
The symphony of ready checks announces that everyone made it through fine as the veterans and I especially sweep our senses through the ingress zone. A new location shouldn’t have been able to trap one of these places, not with system help feeding it at least. Yet I’ve never found an abundance of alertness to be remiss out here in the wilds.
So, while I maintain my vigilance it takes a little while for my second-in-training to finish his inspection, “Everything’s squared away with the group, Boss. A minor contamination risk from some of the supplies after the hike through the bog, but the healers say they can get it sorted in a day or so.”
I nod along to his report, some instinct of mine not relaxing despite the calm atmosphere and lack of quarry to disturb me. Prioritizing scouting the here and now I ask, “Name of location?”
“Map tag lists it as |Tranquil Glades. May we rest in peace|. Quite a nice place here. Relaxing, but not suspiciously so. I notice you and the babysitters are on high alert though, so what am I missing?”
His listing off the description of this place sets off some background suspicions that haven’t quite made it into full consciousness. Stretching out my senses once more as I turn towards the trainee, “Focus your senses on the area ahead. Once you’ve got a good stable recreation of them, block your hearing, do it again and tell me the result.”
I watch as he follows the seemingly oblique instructions. Major illusions and domains aren’t typically covered this early, but the circumstances warrant special measures being taken. My suspicions on what is out there continues growing as I feel what seems like a weight moving around in the woods. Perhaps it might be better to call it a wellspring, redirecting the currents of arcane flowing through this place, the eddies shifting as the source location changes as it fills this limited space.
“As best I can tell, if seems the same, Boss. What does that mean?”
A glance over to our arcane specialist and a quick hand sign confirms my hunch and the tracker with us affirms my fear, “It can mean a lot of things. A good illusion will try to adapt itself to what sense you’re trying to use to identify it. A bad one, or perhaps something more sinister, may just try to force feed you with the information it is meant to convey. This time however, we’re dealing with a Domain.”
Signaling for everyone to get ready in defensive formations as the tracker whisks out into the woods in search for our evac point. This landing being unfortunately not a two-way access for our group and my pathfinding being too expensive to forge something for everyone else to use as that inflection axis approaches us steadily.
“The problem with this domain is that it’s powerful. Tier 3 at minimum and backed by a considerable will. Ordinarily everyone would have been alerted to the kind of arcana we’d entered when we took our first step. Undeath has a way of grasping at those not apart of its specific band.”
My speech doesn’t settle the group, focused on me after the alert was called. At the revelation of which arcana was present one of the newer scouts speaks up, “Undeath is supposed to feel like gnawing hunger and hatred to most people. Not to countermand you, but are you sure? Whatever this is, it doesn’t feel like that.”
I gesture to the man as I keep addressing our group, waiting for the arrival of the one to make us move, be it the domain holder or the location of our exfiltration coordinates, “Good point. When there’s time, always be willing to confirm information when it conflicts with what you know. That’s also true for the most part, Undeath is supposed to feel like you’re being hunted, that you are prey for it. Most of the places where it is this thick are like the bog we just left, haunting and hostile.
“That’s why I said this one is powerful. Whatever that’s controlling it is so strong that it doesn’t need to see us as food, or at least it may believe that to be the case. Arrogance is a heady thing, but the will to shift everything in the area into compliance is not to be scoffed at.”
The alternative is far rarer and not worth mentioning even as much as I might hope it to be true. Tranquil, rest and peace are an interesting set of words to describe a location, and Undeath has aspects of life just as much as death. Though many would celebrate one and fear the other, it is notable that the former is far more likely to cause the latter than most other sources.
The hunger to kill others or create more into its kind is more an aspect of life than any other attribute, but not all life seeks those things. Much the same that not all death is a torment. Not a particularly ideal bit of philosophizing considering our position.
When the tracker returns, she brings unfortunate news. The exit is where the domain originated from before it started moving towards us. Considering that the aura started moving directly towards them shortly after they arrived, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to effectively hide a group of this size from it. Combined with how strong it must be for the results it has; this could be a fighting retreat through suddenly hostile territory very soon.
The plan set, I give instructions to get everyone on the same page, and now it’s just a matter of waiting. Some of us could manage a fight on the run, but there’s too many inexperienced with that style to ensure cohesion. The pack animals are necessary too, without their supplies to give me a break, I wouldn’t be able to manage a path back to safety for all of us if we did get to the exit.
All those thoughts are tread into the mud when I get my first real look at what’s coming. It’s smaller than I expected, after I acknowledged how strong a presence it has. But even with that in our favor it doesn’t matter. Good people are going to die in this battle. A hydra is something that takes a specialized team to take down without casualties. Our group would be lucky to have survivors, much less manage to slay it.
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With a steadying internal breath, “Good news people. It’s a slow base creature. Even with the amp that Undeath can give it still means we’ll likely be able to outpace it,” I can’t help but pause as I gather myself for the next part, “Bad news. It’s a Calamity Creature. A hydra.”
The lapse of discipline in the bunch is forgivable but an interruption, nonetheless. I find myself having to speak louder to ensure I’m heard, “More good news! This one is young, very young. Heavier than is typical for its size as well, so don’t get trampled, but it should be proportionally slower too. Everybody, just listen to your squad leaders, keep your head on straight and keep focused.
“We’ll make it out of this one yet,” the lie on my tongue feels like chalk. The plan is solid, we’re not fighting to win, just to move, to flee. The assessment is as accurate and likely to be true as things can be in the wild. It just feels like a heavy weight on my shoulders, the shame at knowing I’ll be failing some of these people today.
All the while, a steady approach brings it closer to our position. In moments the trees will no longer be blocking line of sight for those still reliant on mundane senses. As these last moments of silence and tension continue to build up the pressure on the new recruits, I make sure to make my next order abundantly clear, “No. One. Projects. Without my express order. A calamity isn’t something you just attack on sight. Only through coordination will we make it through this. If you trigger it without my permission, you’ll likely get us all killed.”
Its reveal is somewhat anticlimactic. As it comes into sight, the noises it was making get louder, but not overly so. Once it is fully in view it slows and then halts outside of casual reach. While a hydra doesn’t have a good top speed, both its biology and arcana aspects allow for explosive lunges.
[System Redacting “{Ah, here they are. The travelers you called for, brother. Mostly humans it seems, not unexpected, I suppose. All of them do seem rather tense. You need not worry little ones, our brother and us are mere drifters, looking for the next leg of our journey.}”]
It seems almost casual as its hissing quiets down and I get periodic callouts for people noticing an inspect ping off them, “Stay focused, stay calm. Nobody makes the first move.” After I speak, I meet the gaze of one of those swaying heads and feel that ripple up my spine of being exposed. The nest of heads starts hissing once more as they each take turns keeping an eye on me while still sweeping the rest of us.
[System Redacting “{We suppose that makes you the leader. Tier 3, interesting. You don’t suppose you’d be willing to tell us what the difference between a ‘class’ t3 is from a ‘base monster’ t3 would you? We’re almost curious enough to ask the system but feel it would best be told from a different perspective rather than hear it from our brother.”}]
Partially through its hissing a distinct bit of body language of laughter makes it through, massively ratcheting up the tension in my group, “Hold. Hold! I say. Do. Nothing.” The idle bickering and chatter pulling the creatures’ attention this way and that. I can feel the edge approaching rapidly, this situation will quickly escalate out of hand, and somebody will snap. Then all the hells will break loose.
[System Redacting {“We can’t look at our own system because we engaged something called [Ironman Mode] almost by accident. Sure, our communication could-… You don’t understand what we’re saying, do you? No. No, you don’t seem to be reacting properly for that. What to do, what to do…}”]
All the heads stop hissing and settle their gaze upon me. The pressure of the moment is changing as it feels less likely that someone else will lose their mettle while my own is surely being tested. But the extra focus helps me relax. This would be an ideal scenario for this disaster. If I can keep all its attention on me, the rest can make it out of this.
“Alright. It seems to be focused on me. I’m going to move left, the rest of you back away to the right. Be slow, be careful, be mindful. Be nonthreatening but not harmless. Don’t worry about me, I can make it out of anything. Listen to your squad leaders. This all goes well, and we’ll meet back at the guild tavern, where you’ll each owe me a pint.”
As I keep my eyes locked on one of the heads and begin moving from my position in the group to the outside. My other senses track the muttering and quiet, gruff commands as I hear the rest of the group moving away from me. All the while, even with the sway of the necks and the shifting angles of the heads, I can see and feel all its eyes on mine.
It begins mimicking my soft and gentle movements. Stepping as I step, hissing as I speak, and as my focus strains to the limits I notice something more. The swaying of the heads isn’t random, they are moving in time with my breath. When I hold it, they stop. Even the angles the heads are facing aren’t random, they’re shifting with my primary focus, noticed only when I sweep my senses away from the group to ensure I don’t misstep.
“You’re not just imitating me, are you?” That hissing again in response while the head my eyes are locked on also seesaws at me, in an… almost mocking manner? A thought races through my mind, “[System] Disable monster speech suppression.”
“{Ah, so you can hear. You just choose not to for the most part,}” a rumbling echo spills from one of its maws, “{Makes sense enough, we suppose. Being limited to a single mind would make parsing the wilderness more difficult.}”
The flood of relief at hearing song instead of hissing, and one full of reasoning is almost more dangerous than the tension that preceded it, “There are too many alien threats amongst monster kind to allow unfiltered speech for most people, explorers especially. Better to have a policy of retaliation against those with the intellectual capacity to choose not to fight us, than fall prey to that which feed and attack through understanding.”
The rote speech so familiar I find myself responding as a teacher, despite the obvious differences from my typical students. No longer pantomiming with my body, the hydra has relaxed its stare and looks around again, while always keeping one set of eyes on me.
“{We thank you for the notice. A mesh polyp focused on mental defense is a worthwhile new project, but we lose ourselves. This meeting was not of our design, it was our brother who put forth the call. And considering your [Classes], you might be just what he’s looking for.}”
Minor instructions and keeping the group at the ready but no longer actively maneuvering takes no real attention away from my focus upon the calamity. Despite how well things have gone thus far, it is never in one’s best interest to disregard power as an authority unto itself. The wild speculation racing through my mind about what their brother could be is quickly answered as a wolf enters the glade.
It’s the eyes I first notice. They are captivating in a way that screams both sapience and ferocity. An animal that has sprouted beyond its base nature while maintaining its roots. Absolutely wild, yet brilliantly bright-
[Chilling Gaze- G: Pack, A: Permafrost, M: Sapient (Canine); Friend or Food?]
“^Pack? Travel? I am Serene Boreal, the Freezing Howl^” The words or meaning flow through the stare that tethers us together. Ironically, him starting a [Gaze] allowed the rest of him to come into focus. Another young monster, a dire tundra wolf, who has not yet even grown into his oversized paws. Vaguely iridescent white/clear fur refracting the abundant light with an improbable adeptness considering his youth.
A comfortable smirk alights my face and a final relaxation course through me as I unveil [Stargaze]. I meet this challenger, answering and asking in equal measure, “^My pack, my rules. Always seeking- training- learning. I am Toyo Supra, [Trailblazer].^” The lesser power shattering under the weight of my own, he looks away in deference.
“{Fascinating display. We dare say that gives us some rather intriguing ideas. We must thank you again, Toyo. Ah, where are our manners, we haven’t introduced ourselves. We are known as Singing Mountain… Hmm. No. We were known by that moniker, but that is not who we are. You may instead call us: Requiem.}”
---
It’s startling for the newbies how quickly the extraordinary can become mundane. Boreal has joined our group on a probationary contract. Alongside him came a trio of haunting undead wolves, now affectionately dubbed Bones, Flesh, and Spirit as well as a rather timid hellhound we’re calling Smokey. Boreal is responsible for keeping his pack out of trouble and has been assisting with scouting and food preservation.
If things go well, I imagine his arcana will be tremendously useful in stabilizing long or difficult paths. His permafrost is astoundingly resilient, though the revelation the pair were Drifters makes the incongruities of their apparent age and ludicrous potency more understandable. The relaxing journey to the center of the woods, a welcome respite from our prior location and the tension that mounted on our arrival.
As I have one of the other pathfinders begin their ritual to take us from this place, having taken to heart this trip’s allowance for potential catastrophe at my fatigue. My musing on what the future may hold is brought up short by the erstwhile obstacle.
“{How strong are we? Honestly. This place has been good for us so far, but strange as well. Meeting such a group of [Humanoid]s and seeing less than a claw worth of our own tier… We worry about the future. About our past…}”
The melancholy thick in their song, with them so unfocused not a single eye met my own during their question. These last couple days becoming acquainted with the siblings and my centuries of experience reading voices and moods lead me to offer adventure instead of comfort.
“Where we’re from- even as newborn as you are, you’d be a calamity as we’ve dubbed your species. But ours is a village of explorers catering to a small city that’s part of a larger kingdom. I’ve stalled out my advancement for decades, content with what power I have, the life it lets me live.
“But I’ve seen our Capital. A vista and experience so grand it would make even these mighty trees seem paltry. With men as nigh gods walking in place while the world around them shifts to be beneath their boots. If you want more? It’s out there. The paths I know not to tread with others. Horrors and terrible beauty. Land with weight under it enough to crush an ordinary man into a broken puddle.
“It’s my job to teach these novices to recognize the [Ways] and their own limits. Not to tell them what they are allowed to reach for. Find your truth. Or perhaps I should say, pursue your Truth. As you seem the type to already know what you seek. It is out there, and inside you all along.
“Mine is still here for now. Apparently teaching your brother our ways, should he prove worthy. Though should you wish to change from monster to sacred beast as we are, there is always a path, as well as consequences to following it.”
---
We bid each other a wholesome trip and part ways in those |Tranquil Glades|. I know that experience will stay with me forever. It will crop up in my dreams and nightmares. That last final look they gave me after we spoke about their strength. Despite the young body there was a weight of ages in its eyes, its teeth glistening with saliva, and their jaws vibrating with anticipation, “{Good.}”