Despite my expectations, The Network's appearance was rather lackluster and mundane. The flooring and walls seemed to blend together monotonously into the same dull-grey colored foundation. Yet despite its shortcomings, the atmosphere was inexplicably eerie. Though the foundation and flooring was paved with some sort of stone, pathways were spread across its corridors. Without any sunlight, I imagined the depths to be dark and cold, however we could see relatively well. There appeared to be these peculiar blue lines that seemed to highlight the numerous pathways which helped illuminate our surroundings. It was still rather cold, however. In comparison to the staging ground above, The Network's staging ground was vastly more expansive, We could barely see the ceilings far above us, and the halls were far wider than needed, stretching for what seemed like miles in each direction. It was far too accommodating for mere humans, it was possible it could even fit the colossal machines of the old world twice over.. No doubt, this place was built for beings far larger than us. Cohorts of the Ninth Legion had already arrived through the Dizwiz stone and began to set up a base of operations to relay information to those above ground.
"All milities, clear the staging ground and maintain your distance." A Kindorian legionary declared. "Preparations for Legate Verus and Patrician Flavius are underway."
"Calculating distance needed… 120 meters minimum. An additional 20 meters included to minimize potential harm. Total recommended distance from Dizwiz stone is now 140 meters. Calculations complete. Centurion Marius, countermeasures taken to prevent temporal anomalies are complete." A Kindorian technician called out.
"Very Good.." A prominent legionary spoke over the makeshift radio. "Hail. Centurion Marius reporting. Confirming status. Staging Ground is clear for transport." He confirmed.
"Hail. Relaying information to the immunes. Prepare for transport." A voice crackled over the radio.
"Final warning, milities within 140m of the staging ground are to leave the immediate area. Final warning, observation of Dizwiz activiation has been confirmed. Final warning."
All legionaries began to stand at formation a great distance away near their base of operations and telecommunications post. Afraid of what was to happen, all of us who served as auxiliary units such as the forward advance and the standardized groups began to follow suit and positioned ourselves at the same distance. An immediate change in the air could be felt, we observed the Dizwiz act in a way we've never seen before as a great burst of pressure began to push outward from the obelisk. The force of pressure was enough to push some us back a few steps, for those closer to the front it was enough to bring them to their knees. It was nearly impossible to get any closer to the Dizwiz stone now, even if you wanted to. It was almost as if it had erected some form of invisible barrier to prevent any interference of what was about to occur. The runes on the Dizwiz stone began to glow unlike anything I've seen it do before, what looked like visible streaks of white lightning seemed to whip around inside its boundary. As the runes grew brighter, the sequence of events that followed afterwards returned us to a familiar scene of a blinding white enveloping the area. A metallic groan could be heard through the blinding white, as our vision gradually returned to us we were welcomed to the colossal image of Lady Gloria.
"Transport successful." A technician announced. "Hail. This is technician Cyrus of Cohort IV, please respond." He spoke over the radio. "Repeat. This is technician Cyrus, please respond."
"Status?" The Centurion questioned.
"Sir. Still awaiting confirmation." He responded. "Repeat. This is technician Cyrus of Cohort IV, can a lead technician please respond. We have witnessed the transport of Lady Gloria, will you please observe the situation."
"...Hail. Confirming Status…" A voice crackled over the radio. "Communications were down temporarily due to temporal interference. Requesting clearance to disembark."
"Hail. Staging ground is clear, proceed."
"Crazy bastards, who would have thought it possible to bring that huge chunk of metal down here." A man called out.
"What? You think they'd leave it up there? What'd have been the point?"
"I don't know, I just figured… I don't know." He scratched his head.
Amidst the success of the transport of such a colossal machine, the kindorian legionaries began to offload communication equipment and other devices to further fortify the base of operations they've set up. We were given time to rest for a brief period before being given further orders. I felt my mind begin to wander as I reflected on the words related to me whilst I was in the twixt.
"A child that slumbers... to think there were more… of all times, why does she come to mind now…?" It was then I felt my body begin to ache, my stomach growling in response...
"Hm? Hah, guess the twixt must have taken a physical toll on you as well. Might want to stop by the quartermaster near the stockpile to request some rations. I hear he has some muspelkin on staff so I imagine the food must be served hot. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water… Benefits of having Republic funding, I reckon. But you don't see me complaining, hah!" Harlow joyously related.
"Ah, there you are. Oh? Seem's the trip took its toll on you." Inca came unannounced.
"You must be part of his group! Ain't that something, seems you got people that care for you."
"Ough…" I groaned.
"Yes, thank you for looking after him. I tried my best to prepare him for what to expect, but it seems the effects of the twixt still managed to affect him."
"No doubt! How else do you think it would affect a newbie who has never experienced a twixt before? Hah, but you'll be feeling better in no time. Hang in there, champ!" Harlow slapped my back, I felt myself slump over onto the ground. "Woah, you're worse off than I thought."
"Ah, this isn't good. Friend, help me get him on his feet."
"A-Ah, right." Inca and Harlow managed to pick me up from both shoulders. "Hang in there, bud. It's gonna be alright."
"Come, let's have him rest near the stockpile."
"This place is huge, and I can barely make out the stockpile tents in this dim darkness."
"The staging ground is indeed quite large. Its size and capacity seem capable to hold a large audience not unlike the many coliseums in Kindoria or the grand theatres in Svarogrod. I'm not the least bit surprised they could fit the entirety of Lady Gloria here."
"...Just put me down here…" I muttered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah… just need a little rest…"
"Alright… I'll keep you company. And you…"
"Ah, Harlow's the name."
"I thank you for helping us out."
"Not a problem! And hey, it's his first time experiencing the twixt. Fatigue is just par for the course, happens to all the newbies."
"Indeed."
"Yeah… Well, I better find my groupies and maybe get some food. Hang in there, you'll be better in no time."
"Take care now."
"...hungry…" I groaned. Edith was perched on my shoulder, still pecking at my cheek. "...stop… that…" But she continued nonetheless.
"Yes, yes. We'll find you something… hm? Ah, it might have to wait, seems our kindorian elites have a few words to share."
"Hail! Legate Verus at command, I commend The Forward Advance for their efforts thus far… There are three branching paths before us, as such I would have everyone scout each area ahead for further investigation. The Midkin and lesser cohorts will head down the right path led by Senior Centurion Marius, the upper cohorts and myself will head north, as for those of you in the Forward advance, you will head down the left path. While being cautious of any potential threats, be on the lookout for anything of notable intrigue or value. This includes ancient artifacts, general commodities and trinkets, signs of Vykin or Jotnar communes and should you come across them, the remains of our recently departed yet brave members of the excavation team. Should there be any obstacles obstructing the path, send a scout to report back here to inform us of the situation. Now, I urge you to request rations from our quartermasters, you will have an hour to conduct yourselves accordingly. "
I was beginning to feel better… Seems Patrician Flavius or Magistrate Lar will be staying near the staging ground along with their personal guards. I'll assume they'll likely wait here at the staging ground to avoid any possible conflicts that might be encountered on any of the paths. They'll likely have use for their Lady Gloria once scouts are sent back with news of valuable artifacts that require the use of the colossal machine to salvage. Seems our break will be short, I better find something to eat…
"Ah, you don't look too well my friend."
"...Barnabus…"
"Indeed. I imagine the twixt was too much? Here, please eat this."
"What is… no that's your food. Just eat, i'll be fine… argh!" My head throbbed.
"You need to eat. As someone who practices the faith, I can go without eating if need be. But you, you must eat."
"...Alright… but i'll have you know… my stomach is a bit picky in what in likes to eat…"
"Hah, I'm sure. Still, no doubt you'll enjoy the puls porridge. Of course, it's normally served with fatty meats however the dried meats we have will do nicely. Perhaps you'd like me to soak some bread in the pottage to help you chew?"
"...Hah… I appreciate it… But, I'm more than capable enough to feed myself." I grabbed the porridge. "Thanks."
"But of course. We are all brothers and sisters of The Fardaughter, it is only right that we help our fellow man."
"Right… Hey, really!?" Edith came to feed off my porridge. "Really now, you have your own food. Hel, you've eaten more than I have!" Edith continued pecking at the oats and dried meats.
"And of course, those familial bonds extend to our fylgja as well."
=====================================================================
"This place is fucking huge." Jaro blurted out. Having had time to rest, those of us in the forward advance and the other groups were prepped to head our separate ways.
"Bah, this place is strange. I've scavenged ruins before but this place is different from any part of the network I've delved into." Pyro commented.
"How's that?"
"From my experience, they are typically more... How you say, more mechanical? But here, there's not even a single piece of scrap in sight to salvage."
"Perhaps you're more accustomed to the above-ground ruins that date back to the early Vykin era, a time before they learned to integrate their civilization into The Network below."
"That would explain why this place looks so strange, almost… otherworldly. With how barren everything looks, makes you wonder if this place has already been looted."
"No way, I mean weren't they in contact with an excavation team? They would have already determined as to whether or not it was worth the investment. Weren't they the first to unearth the ruins?" I added.
"Still, we've been walking for quite some time now, just how far do these halls go?"
"Better not to think about it, just be on the lookout for anything of value… and be wary of danger."
For what felt like hours, we found ourselves walking for an unknown amount of time. It felt no different than what we had been doing to get here. How much longer would we have to suffer this monotonous task of traveling. But before long, we found ourselves at the end of the hall, met with nothing but an engraved wall preventing any further progression. It seemed to depict strange figures dancing around the central figure which appeared to be a being of some sort caressing a large oval object with dotted eyes.
"A dead end?" Some called out.
"Should we head back and report back to the Legate?"
"More walking… I could really use something to eat though." They cried.
"How odd, you'd think this would lead somewhere. I suppose we have no choice but to return, though I do find the mural before us quite interesting."
I approached the wall to examine it further. "Hey Inca, have any idea what this is supposed to be?"
"No, but it's certainly something I imagine scholars would get into a frenzied argument about."
"There's nothing here!? I thought The Network was supposed to be filled with wealth beyond imagination. But what do we find but a dead end that goes nowhere! Let's just go-" Jaro complained. It was then the ground shook and the wall before us began to unhinge itself, the grinding of the stone against the walls brought down dust from a bygone era.
"Wha- The wall is opening up."
"A path forward beset to us by the Oracle, no doubt." Barnabus and some other devotees praised.
Beyond the open wall, the hall seemed to transition from this monolithic grey cave to a surprisingly elaborate and lavish hall with enormous marbled statues carved into the walls, decorated with ornate silver and peculiar masks. Whatever the statues represented, it depicted them performing strange activities and various locations. Their sizes were inconsistent, some tall, some small, some thin, some big and though they all wore masks, they all displayed peculiar traits. What I assumed was carved to look like clothing was actually fur, from the shape of their ears, to the number of fingers, and even the look of their arms and legs. Just what were these statues supposed to represent?
"How fascinating…"
"Woah, now this is what I'm talking about."
"No ancient artifacts, but this is no doubt a treasure trove for any journeyman scholars or independent researchers out there seeking to learn more about The Network."
"Are these statues of... Giants?" A man called out.
"I've never seen a giant before, they look so similar, almost…"
"Don't even think of comparing them to us. Sure, they might look like us but they could easily squash us beneath their feet." Another man retorted.
"These statues… are they supposed to be some sort of guardians for the ruins?" I asked.
"I doubt that. I will say however, these look far different than the Jotnar I'm accustomed to."
"Wait, Isn't that…" There, sat beneath one of the statues was a man who was hunched over, his veins an inky black.
"Aswad, Aswad!" A man cried out. "Oh Aswad, how could this have happened to you, my baby brother… Ough, Aswad…" He cried.
"A member of the excavation team…"
"Tch." Pyro grunted.
"Something the matter?"
"I don't understand, this place is… it gives me bad omens. And to see another victim of this damned curse, it boils my blood. And yet we keep going, spurred by the power and wealth of greedy nobles. They must have known what happened here, why else would they send us down this path? Whatever lies ahead must've been too great a prize even in spite of this curse, yet they send us off to our deaths. Why, for what?"
"I… I…" But before I could say anything, I felt a shiver go down my spine. This suppressed feeling… I haven't felt it in a long time. My gaze fell to the mourning brother.
"A-Aswad?" The remains of the brother began to inhale… the breathing almost erratic. I clenched my arm as the breathing grew more frantic. "Aswad, my beloved baby brother… thank the heavenly kings above… I thought I had lost you."
"To think we would find one alive…"
"Those wounds… he should seek help from one of the kindorian immunes."
"Oh, Aswad…" The man continued to cry.
"...B-b...B-b-b…"
"Yes, it's me. It's your brother."
"...B-b-b… M-m-muh…"
"...B-buh-b-b… M-m-meee…"
"Huh?" The sickly Aswad then grabbed his brother and brought his face close to his.
"...B-b-bluh… Mee-m-mee-" Unable to say anymore, Aswad's eyes began to bulge, his expression donned a frightful look. His head began to twitch in an upward motion. A gurgling sound could be heard coming from his mouth and eventually a viscous black liquid was spewed onto the mourning brother.
"Aaghh!" The man screamed, pushing his brother away.
"B-b-bruh… t-thrrr…" Aswad fell to the ground, motionless.
"He needs medical attention, somebody help me get him up!" A man called out.
"A-Aswad…" The brother was in a state of shock. "I… I… don't feel so… g-guuu…" His skin immediately turned pale and it wasn't long before the man fell unconscious.
"Aswad is unresponsive… Shit… he might be dead… Somebody check on Halim and see if you can wake him up!"
"That blood… He needs blood… I can…" I motioned forward, but Inca stopped me.
"Keep your distance, something isn't right. No telling if you'll get sick like that."
"Hey! Will somebody please lend me a hand?!" As the man looked around, everybody kept a distance away from him.
"Really? You're all afraid of some stupid curse? There is a sick man- a dying man here, and you're just going to let this happen?" Everyone continued to keep their distance. "Really… hah… cowards, all of you. You are all a disgrace to your families for abandoning your people."
"Gravedigger's curse, leave him be. Or would you have the same fate?" A man called out.
"A curse… perhaps. But to abandon him like this…"
"There is nothing you can do, Aswad is dead. But Halim is still alive, better take care of him, yes?"
"I… right…" He sighed. "But Aswad's body, we must burn it."
"Yes, we will. Come now, let us mourn for him."
The collective group from Rinsaad began to hum chants and prayers in their own dialect. Once they were finished, they opted to carry him with them until they were able to return to the surface. At which point they suggested that returning him to the family for them to mourn and burn him thereafter. They seem to have known the brother and perhaps a little more as to what was going on here.
"Looks like you weren't the only one wishing to know what was going on." I glanced at Pyro, a fiery look could be seen in his eyes. "We'll put an end to this gravedigger's curse. I can promise you that." I clenched my arm as the sensation from before began to fade.
"That might be a problem."
"What's that?"
"I'm afraid the path ahead is once again blocked."
"Another false wall?"
"No, I'm afraid it's locked by the same mechanism used to operate the Dizwiz stones. Without the liquid key that the Kindorians possess, I'm afraid there's just no way forward."
A man pointed out a similar pedestal with a dull stone much like the one found above ground. "Seems our path is blocked, there may be another way around, does anybody see a way forward?"
"Not from what I can see."
"No way forward here either."
"I see, we should report back and seek aid from the patrician and magistrate."
"The globe, huh…" I approached the pedestal only for Edith to perch herself atop the globe and screech at me. "Edith, move aside." Yet she persisted, I couldn't be bothered with this... I needed to see this through. I swatted Edith away only for her to screech in response. "Edith... I said, stop." I commanded her with a cold glare, she seemed defeated yet in a final attempt to spite me, she bolstered toward me and clawed my face before flying off. "Tch... I deserved that..." It stung... I understood that Edith was trying to tell me something but I can't let her stop me, not since I've come all this way... I placed my hand on the globe's dull surface.
"Grit, just what are you do-" It was then that the globe lit up, and runes began to appear before me. Though I managed to activate the stone, I could not decipher which runes to select. It was then my head began to ring…
You've come... just beyond this barrier…
Why do you hesitate… Speak of the sanctuary that lies beyond...
Perhaps you've forgotten… I see… I shall guide you…
As the ringing in my head continued, the runes before me began to make more sense. Those that I needed to input were identified by some inherent understanding that I seemed to possess. Having selected the correct combination, I felt the ground tremble as the gate before us groaned open. A great stench began to overwhelm our senses and permeate into the air around us. The flooring had given way to the ravages of time, there was nothing but a small escarpment for us to stand on near its entrance. For beyond this small refuge, all that greeted us was the cavernous maw below.
"Ough, what is this awful stench…"
"This better be worth it…"
"It's dark, but I can almost see- Huoh?!" The man gasped.
"Huh- Hueh!?" Everyone froze in fear, choking on the words they wished to convey.
What stood before us was a sight we never expected to see. There, beyond the gate was the grim visage of a being that stoked the fear in all of us. It's helmed face was the first greeting that welcomed us into the depths of the unknown. However, it showed no reaction by our sudden arrival, seemingly unperturbed as it rested its head against the cavern walls.
"I-Is it… asleep…?" One man whispered.
"Bloody Oracle, we shouldn't be here…"
"Over there… do you see that…?"
"The stench- Augh… is it coming from that… thing…?"
"This place… just what is this…?"
Buried beneath the collapsed flooring, there lay a monstrous creature that lay impaled by the Jotunn who now lay dormant. I thought back to the runes... To the sanctuary that existed before us… what they read...
"The cradle…" I clenched my arm tight. "So this is where you are…"