My attention on the flag is broken by a man walking toward us with a spear and… an atlatl in the same hand as well? I think those are used for throwing spears. Not that they are widespread for anything but bear or buffalo hunting. And the man in front of us isn't what I would call normal.
His skin is more similar to the flesh of a corpse, and within his eye sockets float bright white flames with specks of gold inside of them. Based on how he looks at us, I feel a vague sense of threat from him, and I use Chain Eyes to investigate him.
This Headman is wrapped in bright yellow chains, the signature of a 3rd Sigil. Only the chains are a bit odd. They have flickers of white come off of them constantly like sparks in a flame. That must be the sign that they are undead and Death's power in bringing the Undeath.
He notices us but only speaks once he gets close enough to see us all clearly, and us him. The Headman is tall, very tall, over six feet tall at the minimum, and has a thin white line around his neck. Other than that, his garb is quite normal compared to the warriors. He is a little worn, but he is fully clothed with nothing torn or destroyed. He speaks to us first as we are all surprised by everything happening.
But he seems to be just as surprised as we are. The headsman does recover quickly, though, and tries to take us to someone who would know what to do.
"Are—are you four living? Oh, Death, you are. Oh my… This is way above my pay grade, haha. I'm Cleveland; nice to meet you, I suppose. Come, come, come. Silas will want to see you. Even you, Stoneclad. He's over there in the brick building."
Cleveland then walks away from us, using his spear as a walking stick as he moves past the tents and toward a brick building. We look at each other for a second before just following him. Seems like a pretty nice guy, and we have no idea what's going on.
Lennox has given us some ideas, but I feel like the gargoyle is more trick than treat when it comes to talking. His questions alone are suspicious.
We follow Cleveland's steps as we walk through the series of tents. Dozens of other Headmen look at us as we do so, gawking at each and every move; the weird light made of people's literal eyeballs gives just enough light in the camp to see clearly. I guess the living are truly a miracle down here. Makes sense, though. Getting through the Gate Of Death not only requires a particular trait, but you also have to find it. I can't imagine surviving the removal or crushing of a heart is very easy for anyone, nor is finding your way to a legendary location located deep in the earth.
Before we move too far, my curiosity overrides my sense of shame. I imbue Ether into my ears as Listen becomes active, and I catch a small conversation before we get too far away. The voices are a bit muffled as they come from inside one of the tents, but it isn't too hard to understand, at least at first.
"Tomas, did you hear that the crazy lady is moving?"
"No way!? Who told you that!? Do we need to hide?"
"Rupert told me he said when he went to report for Silas, Chief Birdie mentioned that Iva was looking for something fun to fight. I think we're fine, though; we're only half a day's travel from Heights. Surely she wouldn't do anything crazy with Sir Issac so close."
"That's true, but she doesn't act like most. Who knows what she's doing…"
The conversation interests me, but I have no clue who they are talking about. Issac, Birdie, and Iva are just names. They mean nothing to me. However, I do note the characters in my mind for later.
The walk isn't very far, as all the undead seem to be quite close together. The brick building is at most a few hundred feet from the series of tents, and as we near it, I can see in the distance, in what I can only assume is north and south, more fires of Undeath. Seems like each of these bases has a few dozen Headman and maybe one Brave. Many of these bases together likely have a chief that looks over them, and many of the chiefs likely have a Supreme watching over them. At least, that's my guess. Makes sense based on what I've seen so far and my knowledge of Hunter military formations.
Above the surface, a town usually has a 3rd Sigil or so guarding it, with a more extensive region being protected by someone stronger, and so forth, until it reaches a whole territory with a Pillar overseeing it. Now, this isn't a very hard rule as Hunters go out commonly to hunt, at least near the Wilds, but it stands pretty strong deeper into the Territories. Sometimes you can find regions bereft of a single Hunter because most are out killing, while it is also possible to find a small town with a group consisting of all Wondrous Sigiled.
My thoughts drift from the surface to the depths as we arrive at our destination. The brick building we arrive at is simple yet proud. Unadorned with anything but the flag of Hope on the outside, it gives off a sense that the man inside is… well, brave. Cleveland walks up to the stone door and knocks on it.
"Uh… Silas! There are some people here you're gonna want to see!"
A voice comes from inside, slightly muffled yet clear in pronunciation.
"Is it Andrew or Calvin?! Tell 'em I'm busy! I'm smelting right now!"
Cleveland shuffles from foot to foot as he yells back nervously.
"Uh, it's not either of them! They are still in their houses, as far as I know! We have a group of living out here!"
The voice inside the house doesn't reply for a moment, but when it does, it grows curious.
"You said what!? A living?"
Cleveland nods to the air as if the man can see him.
"Yessir!"
I hear a muffled curse from inside the building, and after a few seconds, the door is ripped open, revealing an undead with disheveled blonde hair adorned in a variety of jewelry. My eyes are first attracted by the gold all over him until I notice they are just coins hanging on necklaces, earrings, and even rings. One side has a lady with a scythe and the other a man with a scale.
The man with fire in his eyes, Silas, looks at us all with obvious surprise on his face before waving us in.
"Come in, guests. No, not you, Cleveland. Go and calm down everyone else. Oh, and not you either, Stoneclad. I don't want any of my things to go missing."
Lennox's face sinks as he is pushed aside by Silas's words, so he just goes to the side of the house and goes still like a gargoyle. I feel a bit bad for Lennox, but something about the Stoneclad just puts me off.
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Silas then moves to the side as the gold on his body jingles and jangles. I wait to walk in just in case it is a trick or something. I'm being as careful as possible right now. I don't want to let Johnny or anyone else down by killing myself through exhaustion and carelessness. Otto, instead, is the first to walk into the small brick house, and there seem to be no tricks whatsoever.
The bejeweled man leads us through the small house adorned with very little. Only a few pieces of furniture and literally nothing else besides a deck of cards on top of a chair. After just a few seconds, we are taken to a dining room with eight chairs surrounded by several lights on the walls, once again made of the fires of Undeath. It is really starting to gnaw at me that these are eyeballs, but I guess it's just normal down here. Silas sits at the head and waves for us to take the other seats. He leans forward and puts his head on his palm as he looks at us all.
"Sit, sit, sit. I'm sure you all came here for a reason, right? Enlighten me; I wish to know how I can help you… and… if you have a way out, I'd be glad to help you get out, if you know what I mean."
I give him a brief look with Chain Eyes and am pretty surprised by the result. Light blue, almost cerulean chains wrap around Silas, and they seem to congregate on his coins. Is his Sigil money or gold based? Do those even exist? What combination could possibly create that?
Johnny seems to share none of my curiosity, or I guess my vision to realize how strong this man is. And especially for a Brave, he's on the higher end and tries to get more information from Silas.
"We did indeed, and we do have a way out. I'd be willing to take you to it if you guide us a bit. The Underworld is not quite what we expected."
Silas nods repeatedly as he thumbs a gold coin between his fingers.
"Hmm… I heard about another living who made it down here a while ago, and he is said to have spoken the same thing. Something about records being shitty. Funnily enough, it's the only thing we ever heard him say. What you need to know, fellows? I'm happy to take you around, I got a little bit longer of a break, but if you want to go into No Man's Land, no can do. You'll have to find a Chief for permission. Isaac is strict on living fighting without someone to look over them."
We all pick up on the fact that another person was down here, and Johnny inquires about the man.
"This other man who made it down here, do you know what his name was? And when?"
Silas twists his head in thought before answering. He points to his neck, where two white lines wrap around like scars.
"Not sure of his name; it's been at least fifteen years or so, and I've died since then. That's why I'm out here and not fighting. Takes a while to fully recover from a death. Coming back does quite a lot to your memory, mind, and personality, and I've died twice so far. Only got a few more in me, I'm afraid. Would like to see the sun one last time, if I could, though. If you want to learn more, I'd reckon Chief Birdie would know better. She ain't died in close to fifty; the lady specializes in healing and defense, after all."
His answer solves multiple mysteries. The scars on the neck must dictate how many times one has died. I'm a bit disappointed we couldn't learn who made it down here, though. It'd be nice to find someone down here who is still alive.
Johnny rolls with this answer and asks another question.
"How long have you been down here? What's the average… Undeath like?"
Silas shrugs and only has a general comment on his unlife down here.
"It's been… a while. Not sure how long exactly because there is no sun or moons, but I'd have to guess at least fifty years. I think I died in the 1640s. Hard to be sure with the memory loss. Most people down here fade within one year, though. All new souls are sent to the frontlines to fight and serve. Only those that live a year are given rest, and most souls that come don't even have a Sigil. What year is it for y'all up there?"
I answer this question as I follow up with one of my own.
"It's the winter of 1685. The new year passed a few weeks ago. Where could we find a soul that died three to four months ago? Do you have any ideas? Lennox said he could guide us, but he only brought us here. And frankly, none of us really trust him."
Silas agrees with my thoughts on Lennox and presents us with some courses of action for finding recently dead souls afterward.
"Damn, it's only been forty? Shit. Eh, whatever. Who cares. Well, yeah, if I were you, I'd get as far away from a Stoneclad as you can. The children that were put in those things are long gone. All that remains are fragments of what they used to be. Millennia have passed since even the most recent one was made. None of them are right on the inside, but no one wants to kill them. So we just deal with their odd presence here and there."
Silas then stands and moves away from the dining table to a drawer on the side, also made out of stone. He pulls it open while we watch and brings something from the inside of it before placing it on the dining table for us all to see.
It's a map. A very crudely drawn one, but a map nonetheless.
Four sections are on the map, with the farthest right one being Old Fields. Currently, we stay in a blood-red dot named "Drachma Camp" that is alongside over a hundred other ones in the New Fields. There are three big dots, each labeled with a name and a place. One is very close to "Isaac: Heights," written by the dot. The other two are "Warren: Apathy" and "Iva: Depths". And only a little ways away from the other camp is a large strip of land that goes from the top of New Fields all the way to the bottom. A long "No Man's Land" runs across that strip of land, and on the other side rests a massive portion of land, one much larger than the other three put together, that is titled "Lost Steppes". Within the Lost Steppes, several other smaller places exist that are written in small ink. The Cardinal River is one of them.
Silas briefly explains each of the regions to us but focuses on the New Fields and No Man's Land. His fingers trail each one as he talks about them.
"You all seem to have come from Old Fields. That is our final resort and where we will retreat to, should New Fields fall. It is also where we bury the nameless dead that die eternally. At this point, really only Fading that reconstitute from a death away from others and lonely Stoneclads stay there."
Silas slaps his finger right on the red dot toward the edge of Old Fields.
"Camp Drachma or Drachma Camp, either work, is mine. About half a day from No Man's Land and Heights. Souls are allowed in the Old Fields to rest, recuperate, or practice new skills should they be allowed to. Each of the Supreme's bases is also here. Iva, the Vicious, One Eye Issac, and Warren the Gray. Should you need to speak to them, I can ask Chief Birdie to arrange a meeting, though I recommend you speak with Isaac or Warren. Iva is quite… insane. It is said she will top the Depths Of Depravity when she is finally put down."
His index finger trails a line to the long vertical strip of land. As he does so, though, Blake buts in with a surprised pitch.
"Iva? As in Iva the Butcher? She's still alive? She died over a hundred years ago in Sinscreak?!"
Silas nods at her in confirmation.
"Yes, I believe that is another name she used to go by. The woman is not a good person, that's for sure. But any and all will be taken down here, well, except for a few, but I don't know all about that. Someone like Isaac or Warren would know best. Her Majesty has her discrimination against those who would go to the Dungeons or the Court, but their skills are needed. One may hate Iva as a person, but no one can deny her skills in murder."
Silas shakes off her follow-up questions before putting his fingers back on the strip of land. He makes me think back to the two men in the tent. Iva… Why is a woman like her on the move? I thought people with that level of power don't move very often to keep the balance of power. Like if the Prime were to move, then so would the Binary Lords to meet him. Maybe it's different down here, though.
"Now, this is No Man's Land. Where most of the fighting occurs between us and demons. Sometimes they make it over to Old Fields, and sometimes, we get to the Lost Steppes, though the latter is rarer. Those you are looking for are likely somewhere on this edge fighting if their fires have not yet already been extinguished. I can take you there, but I am not allowed to fight for another… three months or so, I believe. Chief Birdie wants me at my best if I am to fight."
Then, his finger moves to the last region on the map, the Lost Steppes. Johnny does give me an eye as Silas mentions fighting as his best. I blush a bit in embarrassment but just take it in stride and focus on the information.
"And this is the Lost Steppes or just the Steppes. Most of this land used to be the Black Dungeons or the Gray Salts. Thankfully, the Red Judge moved the Red Court beneath the Old Fields when we started to lose a lot of land. Demons come from below like crazy without stopping, and it has only been getting worse over the years as well. Supreme Warren believes that the Mother Below is slowly waking up for some reason. I'm inclined to believe him as he's the eldest person still down here."
Silas then claps as he leans back from the map.
"Anyway, I believe that answers most questions you might have. I know I went into decent depth for things you might not have asked for, but I figured I'd get it out of the way."
Johnny thanks him for his information and offers for him to come with us.
"I appreciate your help. You've been accommodating so far, and I think we'd all appreciate it even further if you would guide us to find who we're looking for."
Then Johnny leans in close and whispers. Curious to hear what he's talking about, I Listen closely.
"Just between the two of us, we have an extra slot to get out. I'm not sure if you can even leave the Underworld, but should you help us, Silas, I'd be happy to let you come up with us."
A great big smile emerges on Silas' face as he nods to Johnny. Then he flips a golden coin in his hand before holding it out to Johnny.
"Take a Drachma as a gift, then. It has a bit of my Ether in it. I have three very rare Sigils among my five, a trio of Hawkers, three of which I found down here. The rest are a mix of Augur and Trapper. Should you ever need to make a decision that only has two options, flip the coin, and it will lead you in the right direction. Probably has two to three uses in it, depending on the fate of the decision and how long you wait to use it. All things have a price, y'know. I can only get a bit of a discount. I can do the same with any coin myself, but I am limited to one a day."
My mind correlates his Sigil's name, his coins, and all the gold all over him together. Most of his Sigil skills must be focused on money or something like that. I do grow curious how he got three of such rare unconfirmed Sigils, but it must be from the demons. From what I've seen so far, they have more rare and unique Sigils. And the rule from Lennox about not having a Metamorphosis has already been broken. From the sound of it, Silas came here as a 2nd Sigil and fought his way to be a 5th. Either a sign this man is more special than he lets on or that Lennox lied.
Johnny takes the gift with a smile as he slides it into his pocket. That could be very, very useful. Silas then starts heading to the door after rolling up his map. Once he makes it to the stone door, he turns back to us with an undeniable aura of anxiousness. He must really want to get the fuck out of the Underworld and see the sun.
"C'mon! You are all in a hurry, are you not? Let's go find whoever you're looking for."