42. What Lurks In The Deep

Essence of Magic Shaping

It didn’t bother Lukas that Penelope’s essence had come late. He didn’t see it contributing much to upgrading the Essence. Instead, he believed it was a contender for Shadow Clone’s next tier alongside the Essence of Dusk. Alternatively, he wondered whether he could slot it into an arcane focus and make the shaping of shadows easier.

“Shaping goes hand in hand with compression,” Esther had told him not long after her lecture on magic compression. “It’s not just about turning a block of ice into a spear or wall. Vapor to water, water to ice, and back again is all shaping.”

“So I need to master Shaping if I want to solidify shadows?”

“Correct. Most mages get a focus to help them with the task. Shaping can be simple or incredibly complicated. Since it's channeled magic, it gets taxing pretty damn quickly.”

The ascension had more than doubled Lukas’s magic stores. He had ample magic for shaping but lacked the time for training. So he didn’t worry too much about it. His money was better invested in protection than a focus that he wouldn’t get the most out of. He didn’t want to rush into committing the essence to something either since he’d need an expert’s expensive services to extract it again. First, Lukas needed to ascend Altered Mass and unlock his first conjunction ability. Only then would he settle on a decision regarding the Essence of Magic Shaping.

For the time being, he put all his efforts into preparation. Lukas knew it was going to be anything but a simple task since not even Penelope was taking it lightly. Despite the containment field around her room, he could feel arcane threads pulse and twist. She was preparing something big. He didn’t know what or how her magic worked, but he imagined she was powering up Bass and layering defensive spells to ensure success and survivability. It wasn’t a simple trip into the undercity to investigate a strange phenomenon. They were heading into battle against foes of unknown numbers and quantity.

The pair had another talk after Penelope had slept. She relented. Informing others was far too risky, especially when they didn’t know who the Elder Wyrmkins’ topside allies were. If it was the strange hooded woman, as Lukas suspected, and if she was a person of political power or influence, the mission would be in jeopardy. The pair agreed that they’d only turn to the guilds if their initial strike failed. Otherwise, they’d use whatever evidence they found to find the perpetrators.

Even though Lukas lacked tangible evidence, he was almost sure that the Grey Rats and Stefan Santana were indirectly or directly tied to the Elder Wyrmkins. He had studied the other gangs, smugglers, and several other organizations in Iskander as fly-on-the-wall couriers or through the stalkers. He was sure none had the means or network to sneak the draconic people, their equipment, or reagents into the city. If they had come over land or the traditional docks, there would be records, whispers, or at least rumors. 

The slavers regularly brought in merchandise. Some got away and almost made it to impartial authorities. Usually, Stefan’s inner circle or the rats recaptured them and put them in chains. None were dragged into a back alley and executed like the woman Lukas had seen. He guessed none of them wanted to waste valuable merchandise.

Lukas intended to set Nightcrawler and Stalker clones on stakeouts after he returned. If his suspicions were correct, the targets were bound to react once news of the Elder Wyrmkin’s fall became common knowledge. He intended to leave the life of spy, assassin, and thief behind. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t put the expertise gained over a lifetime to good use. Even if he didn’t directly do something about the situation, screwing up the lives and plans of slavers, warmongers, and anyone who saw innocents as collateral damage always put him in a good mood.

The final hours before the delve were spent on last-minute practice and experimentation. When he created shadow spheres, they were now smooth and stable, almost appearing solid. However, when thrown against surfaces, the results were the same except for marginally louder thuds. He attempted to reshape the sphere into a cone or stretch it out into a spike. Unfortunately, the shadow construct failed to maintain stability and broke down.

“Bryna,” Lukas said, hoping to shape and sharpen the ball simultaneously. A spell thread formed, and he wrapped it around the sphere. Much to his disappointment, it didn’t take. The spell fell apart, and the sphere collapsed not long after. Figuring out the potency and limitations of Arcane Thread would require a fair amount of experimentation. 

Next, Lukas turned his attention to Shade’s Mantle. He had successfully hardened its edges a handful of times. The mage clones had greater success with the task, but things were different now. It took a moment’s focus, but he managed to grant the edges moderate tangibility. They swished as he moved instead of floating or hanging inert and hardened, picking up a glinting edge when he cast the spell again. Putting it to practical use was still beyond him, but it felt like a decent start. Lukas treated the exercise as a means of practicing fundamental magic techniques. 

It may become a tool for capturing or disabling people.

Finally, Lukas developed an old favorite spell. It was a stark contrast to his general themes. Before testing it, he covered his face with a thick veil of shadows, building layers over his eyes. Once satisfied, he cast Blinding Flash. He had attempted creating and casting the spell before, but the necessary focus and modification left him with a nosebleed. It was like a standard Skina—Shine—but with all of the magic focused in a brief second. Instead of a prolonged dim glow, a flash of incredible luminosity filled the room. Despite the layers of protection, Lukas’s eyes tingled.

Best of all, now that they had figured out the spell, it was simple enough for any clone to use, specialization or not. Magic Elvis would need to resist. He had instructions not to use any magic besides the Blinding Flash and Haste spells unless instructed. He’d be fighting with an arm tied behind his back, but that was the cost of maintaining their lie.

When the time for the delve came, Magic Elvis reported just as Elvis, wearing his new armor, carrying his new hammer, and wearing the supposedly fireproof coat. Neither Bass nor Penelope seemed to have yet realized that he was also a product of Lukas’s ability. In fact, the familiar seemed to like him and found him amusing. Penelope still treated him with indifference. Meanwhile, Lukas donned all of his new and best pieces before creating a mage-specialized cone. It reported to Penelope as him, along with a stalker clone acting as a shadow construct.

By the time the group of four descended into the undercity using the guardhouse elevator, Lukas was already present and waiting. He and a nightcrawler clone stood in the farthest corner of the cavern, draped in Silencing Shadows, having descended a couple of hours prior. Then, they cautiously followed, careful not to let the concealment fall and hoping Bass’s keen senses didn’t detect their presence.

They maintained a healthy distance. Thanks to the Nightcrawler clone, Lukas didn’t worry too much when the distance between him and the group got too much. Tracking them through the dark wasn’t much of a challenge. Low-mass and Frar would ensure he covered the distance between them in seconds. In such an eventuality, he would have to reveal Shadow Clone to Penelope, but he believed that in the worst-case scenario, she’d only choose never to work with him again for the continued deception.

The stalker clone played the convincing job of a shadow construct, keeping himself completely covered in shadows and only speaking in husky whispers. He scouted and circled the group, occasionally drifting close to Lukas and the Nightcrawler—El Four. If necessary, he had the mobility to speed to either group and join combat. 

The undercity’s lower levels were different. It was significantly more quiet than during the clones’ previous visit. A heavy silence hung over the area. Usually, growls, footsteps, and skitters echoed down to the lower levels, bouncing between pillars and impossibly tall walls. The sickly smell of rot hung over them. Lukas—more accurately, El-Two—wondered whether the Elder Wyrmkin were reacting to multiple intelligent forces encountering their camp and sending forth powerful creatures to keep everyone and everything at bay.

Unlike during their previous delve, Penelope insisted on silence, aiming the direction mostly at Elvis. It amused El-Two how she was still blind to the situation. He was sure of it. The woman was either overconfident in her abilities and didn’t think their Silencing Shadows would also fool her. Alternatively, she cared so little about El-Prime that none of it mattered. Penelope needed tools for the job, and that’s precisely what they were: competent but disposable tools.

It also seemed to El-Two that their dynamic had somewhat changed. He wasn’t sure if he was overthinking things—that was usually El-Prime’s department—but the withholding of information regarding the investigation appeared to have pissed off the sorcerer more than she let appear. It could also be stress, but El-Two wasn’t so sure.

“All clear,” the stalker whispered before disappearing into the darkness again. He was having way too much fun in his role, and it annoyed El-Two to no end. 

Why does he get to have all the fun?

Meanwhile, El-One fell into the role of Elvis brilliantly. El-Prime didn’t like to think about it, but the clones believed that Elvis was the person he used to be on Earth prior to his first transmigration. Cheerful, charming, and generally fun to be around. Now, the memories from the time were clearer. They saw someone carefree who didn’t think things through too much and wasn’t bothered about coming across as a fool. The clones channeled the persona into the role of Elvis. It was much easier being someone they knew and understood well than developing a new personality.

It took them half an hour to find the tunnel into the depths. The undercity had changed. Bridges and walls had collapsed. They had to descend down to the canal level and rely on Bass’s sense of direction to find the way. The Stalker stayed on the above level; his low weight made climbing and leaping between still-standing structures reasonably easy. One of his primary responsibilities was keeping an eye on El-Prime. Since he hadn’t said anything yet, El-Two hoped it meant the others were fine.

The few creatures lingering on the level gave them a wide berth. El-Two believed they had Bass to thank for it. The familiar had grown to almost his full size, or at least the form they had seen during the previous delve. His wings sat folded along his sides as he confidently strode onwards. Occasional warning growls rumbled deep in his throat. Nothing got close, but something told El-Two that it wouldn’t last for long.

He was right.

A mutant found them not long after they emerged from the tunnel and reached the canal on the other side. The Stalker whistled from above, drawing all of their attention. He pointed further up the canal, back the way they had come. Bass immediately fell into a defensive position; he appeared annoyed that the ‘shadow construct’ had noticed danger before him.

El-Two saw nothing despite focusing on Shadow Sight. He had the knowledge of how Lukas cast the spell after getting Spellweaver but didn’t have the shard ability’s ascension. They needed more practice before it became second nature. 

First came ripples. Then, a long sail. The fin was membranous and spiny. 

Bass’s warning roar went ignored. The creature leaped from the water and lunged at him, giant maw full of teeth open and muscled arms outstretched to grab and claw. The creature resembled the larger reverse mermen they had faced during the Pearl Hunt but was significantly bigger. Unlike the other specimens, it also had a long, scaly tail and thick natural armor along the back of the neck and spine.

A giant paw swipe knocked the creature aside, but not before it clawed Bass’s face, drawing a deep line from jaw to chin. Despite its size, the mutant was fast. It submerged straight away, and Penelope’s ice spell failed to capture it. She immediately moved on to preparing another piece of magic, and her familiar’s injury stitched itself closed.

Unlike during their last delve, Elvis and ‘Lukas’ couldn’t just wait and watch, letting the sorcerer and her familiar do all the work. More ripples. More sails. The mutant hadn’t come alone.

“Focus on the big one,” El-Two said. “We got the small fry.”

“It’s the least you could do,” Bass announced, putting himself between Penelope and the ‘twins.’ The position gave him the mobility to jump to either’s aid.

A reverse merman burst from the water, leaping at the duo. They were big but lacked the tail and armoring. It seemed they had fallen in line behind the mutant, treating it as a leader of sorts. El-Two didn’t think about it too much as he positioned himself behind Elvis. A slender specimen leaped from the water, swiping wildly. A kite shield caught the attack, and the new hammer struck down its companion. El-Two darted out of cover, wielding the three-stage spear in its short spear form. He held it with both hands and thrust the head into the first reverse merman. 

The spearhead, with the speed of low mass and Bryna behind it, punctured through the thick hide and thorax with no issue. El-Two twisted the handle, retracting the weapon and returning it to its shortsword length. 

The dark undercity lit up with the bright blue of cold fire as Penelope completed her spell. A melon-sized blob of liquid flames struck the water and spread rapidly across it, growing and expanding like a burning azure oil spill. Several reverse mermen leaped out of the canal onto the embankment. Any that caught in the blaze froze almost instantly. 

Bass charged at the mutated monster, growing to what Lukas assumed was his full size. His wings remained folded along his flanks. The channel wasn’t wide enough for him to outstretch them. He reached the giant in a flash and knocked it off its huge, flat feet. They clawed and bit at each other, wrestling for dominance.

“With me,” Penelope commanded, putting her back to a nearby wall. Elvis and El-Two fell into a discussed formation around her, guarding either side.

The sorcerer started casting another spell while the clones engaged the charging monsters. El-Two squeezed a lever on the inside of his new shield, and it expanded to its full form. He expanded the three-stage to its full length before adopting a defensive form.

Kwame’s endless drills and training finally paid off. The clone attempted to redirect incoming blows over, blocking them. Lukas had created him at neutral mass. He wasn’t super fragile, but catching the powerful monsters’ attacks on his shield was bound to result in injury. Whenever possible, he didn’t let the monsters get in close enough to strike the shield at all. The long spear successfully kept most attackers away and gave them pause. He also flared Shade’s Mantle to make himself appear larger and give the more cowardly reverse mermen pause.

Meanwhile, Elvis fought up close and personal, bashing the monsters in the face with his shield and hammer simultaneously. Teeth, claws, and scales rained around him. Unlike El-Two’s opponents, who retreated, regrouped, and returned, often nursing weeping wounds, all who Elvis struck lay motionless in growing heaps around him. His high mass and the bludgeoning attacks made for a terrifying combination. El-Two imagined the bruiser specialization would make him even more terrifying. Instead, Lukas had made him magic specialized, considering the ability to use spells, suffer less mental strain, and recover magic more valuable. 

Azure and crimson spikes formed around Penelope, forming a halo of hot and frigid flames. El-Two needed to take care not to retreat toward her. The conjurations were high enough not to directly cut or impale him, but the fluctuating temperatures came with varying degrees of discomfort. 

A couple of reverse mermen got around El-Two’s guard. He suffered a scratch to his right forearm and took a glob of slime to the face. The cloned leather armor wasn’t as potent but still ensured the damage wasn’t serious. A creature had tried to spit in his eyes but just about missed. Elvis’s armor came with far more protection. He let his opponents strike him a couple of times. They scratched his breastplate or gauntlets but failed to do more. Their overcommitment gave him openings to land divisive blows.

In the end, it was Penelope who finally ended the fight, showing off the terrifying power of a potent magic user. All of her azure spikes targeted the mutated giant. They avoided Bass and planted themselves in its body, spreading frost from every point of penetration. The rest of the projectiles sought out its surviving minions and burnt them to a crisp within seconds. Her spell didn’t kill the mutant but froze off chunks of its limbs and body while also significantly reducing its speed, giving Bass the chance to finish off the monster. 

An essence sphere rolled out of the remains. Penelope didn’t pay it any mind and moved on straightaway, letting El-Two claim it.