Chapter 13-355: A Legion Descends (1/2)
“Heaven and Hell,” Legion swore, and their gaze flickered to Europe. Queen Rayetizvisha had known there was something down there, but had not bothered with the scale. It wasn’t her job... and again, Old Things lived down there.
Traveler had Commune with Nature going there when they had rescued her family, too.
That situation was even worse, with an incredibly developed subterranean world even more populated than North America. Traveler could only grimace and stare with deep interest, looking at the levels and networks and underground seas and magma chambers, feeling invisible hands of great power moving massive amounts of energy around to allow life to flourish there.
They looked to where Traveler had ridden along the coastlines, and saw that the Felldeep did indeed extend out under the oceans, but only along a few strong extensions, nowhere near the numbers and extensive arrays and levels present under the continents.
Detroit...
There were two cave systems reaching up to connect to Michigan. One came up into the salt caves under Detroit... and was directly beneath Heavenbound Hall.
They had known there was a link to the Felldeep there, as the allied crysmal that granted Earth Pacts dwelled below the Hall. Seeing the awareness of that cave system stretching out and down and connecting to a great cavern a mile below and a dozen miles away was a bit more in the face. After all, Master Fred had never gone down there, sticking to the city and surface above...
And Traveler’s awareness went out far more than a dozen miles, of course!
“That level of existences could not have possibly existed in reality before the Shroud,” Legion declared firmly. Geological surveys would have located them long ago... or even recently. “More pocket dimension nonsense, suppressed by the Shroud?” they deduced.
Traveler inclined her head. “Magic that could sustain a pocket dimension could certainly do so to the same area if forced back into reality, and if they all link up, you in effect form a planet-wide Formation that alters reality to suit its needs. Geological surveys basically involve setting off bombs and reading the echoes of the shockwaves. That is basically identical to very, very tiny earthquakes. How susceptible do you think such things are to earthquakes?”
“Not at all,” Legion sighed, shaking their head. “So, until you came in with a Commune with Nature, there was no way to sense these things...”
“Now consider how big the planet is, how fast I move, and how much mapping I can actually do.”
Legion frowned. “You are leaving the continental mapping to others who reach Nine or Ten... if the Druids are willing to do so.”
“Happily, there are Good people with biases for Nature. Shamanic Traditions are just that, traditions. They are gaining their Levels like everyone else, and will be able to start undertaking the work, even if not at the speed that I can.”
Legion nodded agreement. The workload had to be spread out and people had to take responsibility, especially now that the sheer scale of what the world they were on was gradually becoming more and more obvious to them.
An entire continent had been moved around and away. What was the Felldeep in comparison?
But a Hollow World... the mind boggled to consider such a thing even possible.
“Crap.” They suddenly realized the true significance of that. “It might have a Shroudzone...”
And that meant the Shroud would not go away until it was down.
Traveler smiled grimly. “So, do you know someone who can zip around very quickly and find out?” she asked with a sigh.
Legion quirked a small and regretful smile themselves...
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Legion Rode the Light down underneath the ice without difficulty, stepping from dim light to dimmer light, a brighter jagged ceiling that went on for miles, suspended over a yawning abyss of darkness.
There were undead creatures circling slowly above the empty, Div-Warded area below, part of the alarm and response system of those who controlled this area.
Devilsight and Watersight meant they had no problems whatsoever looking through the water down here; it was as clear and open as the sky. Combined with the Eyes of Heaven alerting them to Evil presences all around them, evading the undead sharks, orcas, squids, and even a mighty undead sperm whale wasn’t all that difficult for them.
The most basic Whim of a standard Wavepact let one hold their breath for an absurd amount of time, while the second tier let one breathe underwater. The Whim also gave you a Swim speed based on your Ranks in Swim and your Tier. Stacking all that on top of the basic hydrokinetic control borrowed via Binder from a nereid and sirine meant they were moving through the water more smoothly than a marlin, and even faster. The control of the water made for a smooth and controlled passage, tamping any waves of motion down to nothing around here so the likes of the fish and sharks couldn’t feel them at a distance.
It was the first time they’d truly undertaken any kind of a mission underwater, and the immensity of the ocean about them, slumbering power kept dormant by the Shroud, was truly impressive, little different than flying through the raw power of a great storm.
They could easily have spent hours swimming around, just experiencing the sensations and seeing the sights and fish of the deeps, and rapidly realized why Wavebound were often absent from land for so long. The nereid and sirine also exulted in the sensation, especially the total lack of danger from being so physically powerful and even more aware than they had been in the past.
The world under the sea was addictive with so much to see and do, and even in these waters with so many undead about, there were small fish, plankton, jellies, and the like drifting about in the eternal cycle of life.
The drifting life formed the visual restriction here, giving them a visual range largely dependent on the size of the objects. Since the powers here, the Illuminati being the most likely, were using large and mindless animal undead, it was simple to see them at a distance and avoid their patrol routes easily enough.