Sector 44 was desert like any other, trapping moisture, dry heat, and light under many corners. Even some mountains were scorching hot, looking like seeping flames from the distance. Around a hundred individual mountains were around this Sector, with each having mines in a single digits, or more. That was where the money lay, so it went without question that there were dangers within them. Most likely information that Lisa was seeking was somewhere around them, though with David's gone, all she had was her previous guesses and current doubts. Ip'ur Mountain was closing at least, and that enchanting and great sun in the distance looked more and more insane.
Plans were about validity, claims, and trustful sources. She was weird about it for a long time and didn't know what to even tell Murai.
The type of words that she planned for since she started this Gate were long gone and her lofty ideas came up short. Now, she was half realizing that she was too confronting and less like her usual self. David was a partial help and half lost his purpose when she thought about him. Almost everything was her own fault. Her expertise, words, and plans. Most were unfilial and she didn't like it.
Finding reasons for the Ip'ur Mountains portal was harsh and accepting that some Gods would scrutinize her effort was angering her more than it should. She should know this place. Not Gods above, or the reason that shouldn't be good. This was about Hellscape and this former temple. She was supposed to be great. Excellent! No one knew if some portal was even in her mind, and she frankly had no idea if there was even one.
But she remembered Lorry and his little comment and it frustrated her ever since. It should have some trust. Something... Lisa didn't know it, it seemed. Thus, pushing into unknown boundaries called research and looking deeper into something she should know, came next. Some legends, or digging into this place was the sole concept that Lisa could think about.
Murai would agree that was great, but he didn't know a thing about it yet. For the most part, she kept him in limbo, telling him that she needed to work on it by herself and how she would give it justice. It was her stubbornness.
She didn't want his help because she was a unscrupulous little ghost with way too heavy and lofty head. Murai knew it since the beginning. Her past was like that, and she didn't want to change.
Murai would not have a problem with that if the world itself didn't want his neck. This involved him far too much for some compromise to matter. So he pestered her until she told him about some bits of her doubts and personal issues.
It was childish. Not her plan. That one was laughable because it wasn't about her but the surroundings and what they could say, or influence.
The history of most mines went according to years, decades, centuries, or millennia. Those were simple tiers for worth and history, describing mountains, people, and treasures.
Each mountain had many of them, and each mine had a unique number for how long they operated underground. The ones that were barren of resources closed and lost their number a long time ago. The better the mine was without losing that privilege, the deeper they went and the better number they had.
Sector 44 had many Millennia Mines, but pretty much every Sector had them, followed by many Century Mines, or Decade Mines. Millennia Mines were the most prominent and lasted many generations and many wars and hunts for their resources.
The smallest ones usually held a couple of issues: they were newly set up by some companies, unexplored, their location was an issue, or their structure was poor. Underground could be dangerous, or the mines would run out of resources quickly without expanding enough. It was about incentives, worth, and company mines.
Murai found that somewhat interesting that mining was so adamant and popular in this sort of place. He wondered what were they mining, but Lisa never talked about it. She argued it wasn't important before changing the topic.
Their current destination wasn't part of the plan. Lisa decided to rest Bagus in an old town of Mine 493, depicting one of the many Century Mines. There was a small city hiding far from the heat, built into crevices and above large cliffs of a mountain.
Murai rode Bagus to that place, followed by everyone. It was an interesting party, so hopefully, no one would cause trouble for them when they arrived.
Lisa hoped for something. Murai didn't know the details because she had been acting strangely ever since they came close to that bright sun. She took Bagus as her most prominent tool, whereas Itrosh was below him. If things go south, they were powerful enough on their own, and as a team, even some gangs with those mastering the Laws shouldn't crash them outright.
That was one of the reasons she was upset about David and Ultium.
But when she thought about it deeper—and after listening to Murai's arguments and quacks—she figured it wasn't a bad thing because it was their choice. They were behind, probably around the starting Sectors of Scorching Light, waiting for things to change, or for Razmund to show up.
Frankly, they could've met Razmund long ago or were already fighting. David never called. While Lisa didn't think they would die, they better not get in her sight.
It had been half a day since they entered this cursed desert. Murai accepted this place, glancing at the approaching mountain. He was on top of Bagus, meditating and taking this place for granted.
“This sure is odd... This heat, Anatidae, and mana of this place are weirdly linked. Does it mean something is going on with my cores, or is my little Flame better than I thought? It doesn't feel like improving, but... It does make me feel hotter and comfortable, and my body and feathers take it for a hot spring.”
“Could be because of your stupid ass,” Lisa argued beside him, speaking to his mind.
“Oh, you are speaking to me as if you care...”
“Hearing you all the time does that to me...” Lisa said, floating at a good pace beside huffing Bagus, whose feathers were loose, tongue out, and his hunched head was trying to hide under one of his wings. The other was above Itrosh, who was clutching it as it was her last resort against the heat.
“Then tell me, what is going on between me and this place?” Murai turned his head, passing his meditation for a trick under Heavenly Shaping that touched some part of his passive Mana Replenishment that had never left him. It was a peculiar flow that was created between this word, him, and mana when he evolved into Anatidae Panacea. Back then, he had no real pressure on affinity. He felt the craze of his vast mana and felt small ever since. It changed a little bit in this desert, where he started to feel as if he was slipping into the heat. It felt homey if it made sense.
“Why should I say something about it?” Lisa asked.
“Because you've been here before.”
“That doesn't mean I know you or what it even means.”
“But you've guessed something. I can tell that.”
Lisa eyed him next, hands folded and her dress-like sona flickered behind her like little waves of flames. “I think your magic is out of my reach. Heavenly Shaping is a peculiar technique, but Anatidaes are at the same, if not much larger heights. Why? I think it has something to do with this world, Gods, and their Bloodline. If you combine that with the soul, and conflicting nature of their legends, then we have what if you come and become it?”
“So... Does it feel bad because of me? How? I am feeling mana as usual. It can't change just because of my body. It does change only when it is within me, but outside? It feels as if I am taking part in something unnatural. It makes my feathers tense and cores weird.”
“Cores? Both?”
“Yes. This heat is getting intense and I feel if I constantly cycle, I could improve four times faster with half the effort. Shame I can't keep up with it. I think a few months in here would get me somewhere where I could see the truth.”
Lise took his comment in silence gaze and seemed to read and feel his body. She felt it would be great if he could do that. She was never able to figure out methods of his mana space, or Core Defying Fusion Technique. It was an ancient kind of technique that had a rough foundation. In a sense, it was akin to a power of ancient words that might no longer exist.
“So you are worried about time? Too bad. We can't keep it. We go into the mountain so try your Mana Veiling next. There will be demons that will see you for sure. I hope nothing bad will happen.”
Murai agreed and grumbled about how she could worry about this visit. Sure, his Water was getting less and less useful in increasing heat, but it was still good. He improved and felt his Flame and Water reached some weird symbiosis. He wondered if getting into this upcoming city was clever, but Bagus didn't complain at all.
If David wanted to act independently, so be it. If he lost his life, it was his fault for being overconfident. That was all about it. Lisa begrudgingly accepted that idea, which was why they were going into this city with half of her promising team. Having Ultium would help, yet why would she rely on a questionable devil? That was unlike her.
Upon entering the rather open layout of the city, Murai wondered what would happen next. He was part of a rather unique party. Lisa was glowing and flying, Murai was an Anatidae, while Bagus and Itrosh were probably the most normal out of everyone, yet their appearances were... well, there was nothing wrong. Demons had weird bodies, while races like beast-folk or demons were diverse.
Lisa and Murai were simply way out of the norm. Murai was oblivious to what he looked like. He didn't care for the weird looks either, and there were a lot of gazes upon them. Unsurprisingly, some citizens recognized them even if this Province took this Hunt for an outside problem.
But if the outside problem arrived like a cheap invasion, they might as well take part in that fun. Thankfully, information gathering in this city was dogshit. Most individuals held either outdated information or simple rumors. Caused by the lack of connections, enemies, or simply because this place was chaotic on its own merits, there was some roughness here. News between mountains and mines was like many gangs looking at each other, or many tribes scattered and looking out for themselves.
That was an advantage Lisa could work with, but she didn't know how far she could take that because one couldn't expect the unexpected.
After all, the world changed. What this place would do if they strolled into it so brazenly? Well, it came as no surprise that everyone took them with some doubts and fears because an Anatidae on top of splendid Grifhart wasn't normal.
The big fella didn't look as crazy, but his reputation around Hellscape was terrific. Pushed by heat, he looked irritated in this place, so many took him like a pissed beast looking for trouble. Bagus seemed as if he was ready to kill anyone who would look at him funny, or he simply looked for a shop with some drinks.
It was a good spot and sufficient as far as Lisa saw that. Everyone should be fine to be a Hunter, eying their heads or badges for prizes, yet if they weren't Hunters, they shouldn't touch them.
That was false. Even unaffiliated denizens could sell some news to the official Hunters or simply kill the prey and sell it off. It was either up to Mindarch how harsh the Hunt had to be, while anyone without a license could gamble everything, or see some remedy with Mindarch or the Hunted. Everyone around them was a potential competitor or friend that they could share some news, Hell Points, or rumors.
Lisa looked at those demons and various beings of many races. There were big Orcs, fiendish humans with many demonic aspects, and regular beast-folk. Everyone was looking like a bandit with sharp eyes and close weapons at hand. Watching their reaction, seeing their faces and acts, Lisa saw their reluctance and Murai felt it more. As long as there weren't some alliances or some nasty lawful fools who would make their move, everything should be fine.
Her party didn't want trouble; just rest and some information was everything Lisa wanted. Unsurprisingly, denizens of this Province held money in high regard. Their existence would leak, rumors spread, and such news would come with rewards.
Lisa hoped for fake news and false reporting, yet without David in a way, what could they do? Perhaps they won't leak shit because they might get greedy. It was how they grew up, saw money, and felt their value. Worth and power that moved between them were like a loose reward and betrayal.
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Money spoke countless languages. For those powerful, it meant even wisdom or endowed riches that one took for reputation or direct accumulated power. For weaklings, it was about dreams, less weight, or potential. Those tended to lose some money because they couldn't bear such desires or burdens.
In a place where gangs and wealth hid in people or the ground, money was simple, second to power. Sometimes, there was no distinct line between them.
Lisa got that long ago, as this was a place too vast for a single gang or individual to handle. There were many of them because this mountain was big. Deaths and various conflicts could arise with very few pokes or words. The winner took it all, while the losers lost everything. It could be no different now. The rules of the world didn't matter, for what was the Hell, if not a Chaos where rules mattered less?
Will of the Battleworld was keen on inequality, and it had its roots even in places like this. This planet had its ideals; its Laws written and bent by godly Will.
Powerful could slaughter weaklings like ants. That was a fact of the Endless Sky which many Gods feared and saw with tense apprehension. So in a word with less weight on that rule, what could it create? Lisa feared no rules. She knew that utter freedom was an endless act, and some free things were often the harshest, hardest, and most costly. Without some reserves, this world would long cease to exist, which was a wonderful cause, if things would go properly. They never did. Vermillion spitted at that idea, turning this world back to the Old World and perhaps even further.
Undoubtedly, many would take advantage of this Chaos and take it for something immense and fearless. But before that, many had to regard the rules for fearsome repercussions, Gods for envious positions, and take bravery for a chance and choice. Bearing the punishment of loss was inevitable in this world.
Will of the Battleworld could only do so much. It often couldn't do enough, or it didn't want it to begin with. Some stuff stank of unfilial duties a long time ago and Lisa was not that brash about it. She spoke to Murai about it yet with that silly duck and places around, her choices had limits like her voice.
Some places cherished some Chaos, bathing in it, turning situations into benefits and advantages. It was possible to turn everything into something rigged or taken advantage of.
Bagus walked at the front of this group, acting like a pissed leader of a gang as he looked for trouble. Be it a glass of water or a filthy pond, he would take anything for something cold, or a bath.
“Oh,” Itrosh said as she poked her head behind a wing. “Finally some good fucking shade...”
“Keep it for yourself,” Lisa said sternly. “We got a lot of bridges to burn before we can keep our positions high.”
They wanted no troubles. It was false under some suggestion because of Bagus and Itrosh who were familiar with such places. They had no trouble looking at others, take them on, let alone kill them.
Looking for portals or hidden and secret places was a specific topic that Lisa supervised. She wanted some records that were kept in mining documents scattered around this Province. Most of what David found in Helltrim City wasn't enough and Scorching Light was vast and complicated because of how mines worked. Frankly, she had uncertainty about David's findings, and he and she knew why.
It was about the circumstances, Murai, and his location. The history of portals around here wasn't that good because of unkempt Chaos Space and roughly maintained links and needs. There were still many portals because of the upper echelon of this place, trading, military, and Levandis. For regular companies or miners, let alone gangs, they didn't mean much. They weren't even meant to traverse this Gate because of the leaping expenses they came with.
There were even portals that got destroyed in the past, or they stopped working by losing touch with reality. Those needed repairs or they simply disappeared into obscurity, but one thing was better than another. Lisa was aware of how Levandis created this big web of portals. One destroyed link could destabilize everything, which led her to where? Records that were always available to buy or look for were public were David's last resort, followed by one in the Ip'ur Mountain
Ip'ur Mountain had few choices whatsoever, so Lisa decided to dig around in the second place possible.
This place called Tagg's Mine City will do. It wasn't an original name at all, thanks to the owners who always changed the city's name when one died, or lost their ownership. Usually, the name of the owner becomes the town's name after some buyouts, wars, or giving it up. Many such cities took care of it by a deeply rooted greed, or competition. The strongest and greatest mining company or gang would win the city and get some great benefits or cuts from the competition. It was about culture.
The city itself looked as if it was part of the mountain, knocked into the shades of the cavern, crevices, and stones. The heat was almost unnoticeable when one got deeper enough, thanks to the hundreds of meters distance away from the sand, and wide cliffs overhead.
Sunlight came from a couple of glass-looking pillars that supported the cliffs above, representing humongous crystals that appeared like large towers or spears. Light came from them, looking soft and not hot.
Murai bet they were coming from the end of the mountain, bearing sunlight and letting life touch this city, or it was an empowerment? Mana here was peculiar, and these big rods continued to the ground. They looked like glass that glowed, giving this place unnatural light and mana.
Thanks to the pillars a dozen times thicker than Bagus, and taller than Giants by many times, they gave off a feeling as if they were forged and left alone a long time ago.
“Oh, those are?” Murai asked from his elevated and shaking position. Bagus forgot about buying anything. He looked like a dog for a pond to jump in.
Lisa felt the onlookers were suspicious and losing some edge. They didn't approach them, nor did they seem afraid or too interested. That was good and weird at the same time. She expected at least someone. “Look around and think about it yourself.” Lisa dismissed Murai's curiosity when some demons began to flare around the place.
Her sona picked on it.
There were demonic miners or gangsters of all kinds, ranging from rough soldiers wearing robes, looking like thugs with many eyes, evil smiles, and human limbs. Then, there were those looking like wolves, but weirder, protected by scales, fogs, or flickering long fur or spikes.
Everyone looked weird, Murai's group included, so they fitted quite well.
Orcs were filial to Murai's memory. He swore they looked almost identical to other worlds, but their muscles held differences and their faces were a bit more rough. They looked like raging stone waves that turned as if their skin was wooden, wool, or metallic filled with many lines.
Most intelligent demons were close to humans in appearance. Some were almost identical, obvious by devils or succubus. Besides these, many high-class Bloodline races among demons could change appearances, looking for perfection, or temporal power by influencing their bodies, or permanent physiques. Those with little demonic features tend to be better than others. It was about a royal-like status that many Gods had. Mortals wanted to follow the same principles as their mighty Gods, thus many races and Bloodline came with their perks and appearances, and many mortals wanted to be the best. As for the rest, history or power was vast like the Epochs or vast amount of Skies above countless planets.
The most notable way to look at perfection was skin. It could be yellow, red, green, purple, dark, white, or others, yet scars, roughness, or bad patterns were no good. Weird colorations were no good either. That seemed to be the norm across many races. Not just demonic.
But beasts were far from that ideology. They had fur, feathers, spikes, and many other specialties that described their history and Bloodlines. All kinds of colors were respectful and great for most of them.
As Lisa gave Itrosh a rough look, some Brutes—looking like tough and burly half-apes and half-humans—jumped from the buildings and looked at Bagus and his group. They held weapons, laughed, and surrounded them by dozens of members.
They were part of some gang, obvious by a crescent-patterned symbol etched into their flesh or clothes. They watched what was their—or potentially their—thus all visitors fell into a few categories. Those worthy entering or angering. Some were easily dealt with, and others should be far out of their sight for their own good.
Violence in such cities and mines was subject to how owners wanted to follow the jurisdiction around the mining or fighting. It was less about rules but more about reputation and death. Some had rules put in place akin to a Pivotal City: no fighting unless one had a permit from the owner. The second idea was good ol' duels.
Other groups besides Brutes viewed that curious group with curious eyes. Then, they stopped looking, turning their eyes away, and not knowing what to do.
They heard rumors.
They feared those that could be threatening and real.
Bagus and Itrosh were there, but those weren't everything. A single Grifhart above Level 70 was a big deal. Itrosh wasn't worth all that much, as she wasn't even Level 70, but her weaponry and killing potential were quite high against fodder.
Bagus was eye-catching. Then, there was that little clothed Anatidae wearing a hoodie, sitting on top of Grifhart's head. Most onlookers recognized it quite quickly and felt it was incredible and impressive.
That mighty and precious beak glinted in the pillar light, wings folded on its back, and those little eyes looked at them with arrogance as if they were ants. There was also some fun in them as if it wanted to try to eat them and kill them right now.
Ducks were hardly seen in the entire Gate, let alone this desert. They were animals of the Surface, though some beasts and demons had greater characteristics because of some bloodline or simply because of some ancestry. Birds have many characteristics to duck, giving evolutions and demonic Bloodlines various aspects, such as greater wings, beaks, size, or feathers.
Murai was definitely not normal, yet still looked like a normal duck by size alone.
Most of the onlookers realized that Hunt was whatever it could be. Anatidae rumors were not only true but right there before their eyes.
Right about now, a series of rumors spread again and went to other mines, or out of this Province. Lisa knew it was not the first or last occurrence, yet how many times they had fought against some foreign enemy? Not once. Sure, Bagus crashed some Flame Scorpions, Sand Snakes, or Heat Elementals, but these were natives of this place. There were no gang ambushes.
Clutter of words echoed, followed by whispers and even loud laughs and jokes. Then, about a dozen Brutes became scraps when Bagus swung his wing in annoyance over some pests. “Get lost.”
Clutter of weapons dropped, followed by body parts and gore.
Sounds echoed quite far in this place, but thanks to the vastness, most were incoherent messes due to many kinds of sounds or languages. Most demons lingered around when Bagus and others stayed in place, not doing a thing. The rest of the Brutes whispered in sharp, loud, and melodic sounds, and a bunch of them fled straight away.
Tagg's City held about a dozen big main streets in total, ranging from shops, places to stay, living streets, large-scale mining factories, various warehouses, and big industrial buildings. Mostly made of plated metals and dark-looking bricks, they looked thick and sturdy. Murai saw no smoke rising anywhere, and the temperature in town and streets was much more comfortable than outside.
Housing was wooden, or made of bricks. Not much care was put into designs, apart from the mining sections of the city. Considering nearly five centuries behind this city, it was in decent shape for its size which changed numerous times throughout its history.
That was this place's weakness. It couldn't advance in size. There was only so much some companies could mine here with limited surface and mountain. Going deep sounded easy, but with limited infrastructure, it was like hoping for a better harvest with a lot of seeds and not enough cultivated soil.
Still, this was enough for what this city could do and qualify for. Stagnancy in worth wasn't wrong. As long as there was a constant volume of resources running in or out of this place, it would keep living and going for centuries to come. Not beyond, unfortunately. It will never become a Millennium Mine, regardless of reaching that mark in years and history.
Brutes became like dogs. Other gangs surrounding Bagus hesitated until some of their members attacked, causing yet another swing to cleave the flesh and walls apart. Then, many cluttering noises spread when Murai leaned on his Shaping and sent raging Sharpblades forward, slicing at them, or leaving some demons on their knees, frowning in pain, or surprise. “Tsch... Not a single one?” Murai complained and figured these fools were at a higher level than anything from the previous floors.
Almost everyone here was around Level 50 and above, but many of their talents were lacking because gangs weren't that good. It was about talent and they had less potential to be powerful, so they took his Sharpblade with intact lives. What surprised them was the sheer speed and power of this magic that spread like lighting from that Anatidae. It truly felt like a wind or like a swing of Bagus.
Bagus walked on without any further interruption, stepping on the corpses, and leaving others to flee. He wasn't in the mood to look for something he didn't want. Problems came and fled. That was it. Lisa was hiding in Murai's hoodie, whispering something to Bagus's ears, but he only huffed and walked away from the street. She led him to a great part path and pointed to a small restaurant.
They ordered nothing, which angered the owner—a True Orc of quite a stature—who carried a big cutting knife and wore chef's attire. It was a true sight to behold, but upon noticing Bagus, he shut up any complaints. He left them be, knowing that this wasn't worth any trouble or hustle.
“You are sometimes quite handy, do you know that?” Itrosh teased Bagus by poking his neck, giggling.
“Bah!” Bagus sneered, flinching his tail, and selected a nice shade fas his rest. Uttering useless words to Itrosh wasn't his forte. Her teases always ended in more flirts.
“Or was it you?” Itrosh pointed to Murai next, but he ignored her comment by looking away.
“Sector 44 and a city, huh? Why are we here again?” Murai wondered, looking around on top of the resting Bagus. “This city doesn't seem special at all. A rundown place and mining mess with little to offer. It is full of fools that fear this little me. It feels weird when I see myself in the past. They all run away, eh?”
“Why do you care?” Lisa asked from his hoodie, oblivious to his habit of thinking without knowing she heard him anyway.
“Oh, I don't care. Why would I? I just speak out of spite that I am heard by a ghost hunting my spirit. Feels terrible, you see. Interesting and fine feelings to my heart are besides power and questionable hopes.”
“Hopes and power could be the same. Also, you are annoying me with your constant shift in ideas. At some point, you didn't care for my plans or myself. You fought your way onwards without a willingness to catch my words.”
Murai laughed. “You do the same thing. There wasn't anything to catch besides me and my patience. I had things to worry about. It is called a healthy focus on stability and growth. My training lasted days and exceeded my expectations. What does it say about you, whose plan seems to shift to shits and changes? Now, I need to practice and understand your ideas in a century if I wanna live. It is like a riddle.”
“Good joke.”
“Was I too obvious?”
“Yes,” Lisa nodded. “Training or not, you need to listen to me next. Reaaaally listen to me if you want to get me.”
“You should do that to me. Sometime. Not every time, otherwise I would fall apart. Adventure is good for a soul. Almost as good as some long wisdom conversation. It could be soothing and carry a weight that lifts the spirit.”
“That is coming from you of all souls. That is really something else, Murai Hisagi,” she sighed, coming closer to his face, which amounted to nothing much but glaring and slightly glowing Soul Render closing to his feathered face. Murai didn't even see her thanks to the hood that she forced on him, but her shine was notable.
“Wanna hear a story?” She offered.
“Story? From you? I am all ears if we are supposed to pass the time here before raiding Ip'ur Mountain. Why are we here again? Wait. Never mind. I am listening.” Murai snuggled on top of Bagus's head, figuring that hearing her sounded like a good time. Perhaps Lisa was waiting for something else than time.
Itrosh took a seat aside from Bagus, resting like him. Arms crossed, hands folded in her lap, and fingers wide open, she started to meditate, breathing irregularly while maintaining a balance of air, sound, and calmness.
Bagus was snoring and felt great after the owner brought out a big bowl of fresh water with some big open jars with cool drinks aside. They all knew that what was before them was essential. They should be ready for the final push.