Underworld - Book 7 - Chapter 42

We’d all agreed that Skyler should take over as Sanctuary’s leader since Aeris and I would so often be gone. That confused Xaphan’s advice a little in my mind, but I didn’t think he was referring to leadership structures or the practical outworking of how Sanctuary was governed. Using Liulfr as an example made it clear. It was how I responded to circumstances that determined how people saw me, and how they’d view Sanctuary.

I’d seen Skyler in the pits taking responsibility for Jess. It was something he was good at. When he saw something that needed to be done, he just took care of it. He was a leader. But if there was a difficult fight, would I sit back and let him take over? Absolutely not. Where would we be now if I hadn’t stepped up?

As for other impeding threats, did Xaphan mean the Illuminated Cathedral? Had he overheard our conversations, or even more frightening, could he sense them all the way from here? There was a group on its way after all. It would still be little more than a day before they arrived.

Though I believed there was little chance they’d attack or try and take over by force, I’d already been warned that they would try to exert political pressure. Perhaps more if we let them. That was another reason Skyler had been chosen. What real authority did he have though?

That was exactly the point Xaphan was making. Alpha, king—the term didn’t matter. Having someone ready to take responsibility to the point of sacrificing themselves so that the others might survive was necessary before anything else mattered. Without an alpha, there was no pack. The wolves would scatter and be killed or forced to join another one. It helped if the alpha was strong enough to stay alive.

What leverage did I have? When the Illuminated Cathedral arrived, I’d be respected because I was one of the only living Grandmaster Light Mages. It was my potential and what I could do for them in the future that they’d want to protect. In other words, they might put on a show of favoring me, but it wasn’t based on my authority or power. Most people would treat me well because those with real power would insist that they do so. In other words, just as the Head Mistress found me useful and kept me around so that I could grow, the Illuminated Cathedral would treat me the same. But what if I was the powerful one?

It was far too soon to dream about holding such power over the Head Mistress. Even the Chancelor of the Illuminated Cathedral was far beyond my reach. But the Chancelor wasn’t coming to Sanctuary himself, and I didn’t need absolute power. Just enough so that those he sent knew I wasn’t a push over. To make it crystal clear that my Grandmastering of Light Magic wasn’t just an intellectual pursuit.

It wasn’t long after Brynhild returned to fighting with the pack that Liulfr’s battle with the Dire Bear neared its conclusion. Both were apex predators in the region, and mostly relied upon their bodies and aura to fight. Even though the Dire Bear was larger and at a slightly higher level, Liulfr was simply better. His sonic abilities gave him a slight advantage as well.

I was picking off a few stragglers that had made it past my wall of Artificial Suns as I watched the fight from a distance. “I have to ask,” I sent to my wife through mind-speak. “How did Xaphan travel through Lower Sanctuary at his size without destroying the doorways?”

“He can compress himself into a smaller form. Why?”

“No reason. I’m just having trouble imagining a house cat-sized Primordial.”

“Oh. Well he didn’t get that small. He was still as tall and I am.”

“I guess that’s reasonable.”

It was early on the second day that Shamash finally reached out to me. He asked for us to meet him inside the walls of the necropolis. When Aeris and I arrived, we weren’t alone. Liulfr was already there with Master Khaba. Jeremiah and Debra joined us a moment later, while Skyler, Olivia, Russ, Mel, and Travis did as well. Our Werewolf friend had a stalker who was hanging on his arm. She had vivid-green eyes, light purple-grey skin, and had similar exotic beauty as Eshana Dara.

The first thing I noticed was how different everyone seemed. There were no transformations by my friends, but all of them were now over level 20,000 and had 100,000 in their primary stat.

Skyler looked mostly the same even though his level had surpassed 24,000. He was just a big guy, and definitely taller. He resembled a bodybuilder, but it was more accurate to compare him to one of those worlds strongest man competitors that were a head taller and dwarfed all the bodybuilders in size even if he didn’t look as cut.

Travis and Mel looked identical to before even if they were levels 29,000 and 33,000 respectively. Out of everyone, they’d killed the most monsters besides Aeris and me.

Olivia wasn’t too far behind at level 26,000. The only obvious change with her was that her eyes seemed to change shades of green depending on the light.

Then there was Russ. Maybe it wasn’t right to say he hadn’t transformed because he’d finally bulked up. Olivia was running her fingers over his bare shoulder, so she seemed to approve. But the biggest change? He’d had 10 million HP at 10,000 Constitution, so I guess I should’ve expected it, but seeing 1 billion HP through Creature Observation seemed too unreal. He only had 1,000 in his mental stats, and 10,000 in Strength and Dexterity. Offensively, it was probably the weakest melee fighter we had. Defensively though, he was a beast. It also kind of stung knowing that even if I got my Constitution to 100,000 my HP would never near his. My talents lay elsewhere, and it had taken me placing 100,000 in Intelligence and Wisdom to surpass 1 billion MP.

It was nice to know that if someone like Napalm showed up, Russ could now take the guys attack head on and do a little dance before strolling over and pounding him to goo like he’d done the viper.

Our friends weren’t the only ones who had leveled. Liulfr had gone from 57,666 to surpass level 60,000, and Master Khaba had gone from early 20,000s to 32,000.

Both of the Whitfield’s were now over level 30,000, and Jeremiah had caught up to his wife. I assumed it was because of the way the Illuminated Cathedral fought. I remember my first run in with Leeman and Amilia. They’d fought together, and Leeman acted like the tank and Amilia cast from the back. Because the typical Light Javelin had high single target damage, I had a feeling their casters often got the final hit bonus experience more often than their melee fighters did. In an environment where we were mostly relied on defeating a high quantity of lower-level creatures, the melee fighters might have an advantage. It was difficult to say for sure, since both of them had been focused on helping others.

I wasn’t jealous at seeing our friends level so quickly, especially our lowest level ones who were getting the most out of this, even if it was rather discouraging. This wasn’t like our short time in the Belly. We were only there for hours at most. We’d already been here for more than twenty-four hours.

The level differences were also very different. In the Belly, they’d been at most hundreds of levels higher. Here the monsters were thousands and even tens of thousands of levels higher. It was power leveling plain and simple. Those of us at a higher level would benefit, but those at the lowest levels would benefit the most.

There was also one other huge difference. We’d been able to return to the Belly and fight off a new population of monsters weeks later. It was fed from multiple caverns and was far smaller than the location and number of monsters we were dealing with now. We’d killed thousands if not tens of thousands of monsters there. Yet, at the lowest estimates we’d already slaughtered tens of million in this regional event. And once the numbers ran dry, that was it. Then it would take decades if not a century for the monster population to return to its original levels. In other words, this was a onetime thing.

Mistress Nava was the last to arrive. I noticed an image of Brynhild magically painted on one of her big toes. She too had leveled up to just under 47,000.

Instead of getting mad at me when I used Creature Observation on her, she gave me a wicked grin.

I smiled back and gave her a thumbs up, which I realized as I was doing it that it might not make any sense to her, and I was confident a knuckle bump would be even worse.

Then Shamash got all lichy melodramatic and rose up above us while exuding magical pressure. “I’ve been able to sense the creature approaching from the south. We must decide if we want to flee to Lower Sanctuary or fight. Leaving for Matriarch’s Crown might be a better option while we still have time to travel.

“I suspect this creature’s existence explains while there’s so much life in the northward Moreerie Grove and the eastward Folkesh Shores while the south is so barren. In less than a day, a Colossal will reach Upper Sanctuary.”

Everyone in the know started talking all at once. As for Aeris, Olivia, Russ, Skyler, Travis, and myself, we just looked from person to person as we tried to discern what it really meant.

“No wonder the Primordial is here,” Mistress Nava muttered.

“Will the necropolis be enough?” Debra asked.

“They’re known to eat mana dense rock even if it takes them weeks to digest it. Maybe if we fill in the tunnel, or cap it somehow,” Master Khaba replied as he tried to calculate what might work in his head.

“If it’s coming here then it might spell doom for the forest,” Liulfr said. “However, it’s large, if we head north…”

My friends and I all shared a glance. I was about to speak when I noticed Jeremiah giving me a contemplative look.

Skyler beat me to asking. “What is a Colossal exactly?”

Shamash was ready with an answer. “A monster that has grown obsessed with devouring anything containing magic. Normally, a creature’s body regulates itself by releasing any excess mana over the maximum amount it can hold. But what happens when a creature doesn’t want to let go of its excess mana? Instead of using levels and growth techniques like those common to the succubi and vampires, they seal their bodies with mana and become bloated. Then they go around devouring other monsters and mana rich treasures.

“Often, they start out feeding on compatible mana sources, but eventually their appetite grows until they are compelled to devour any mana source in their path. It’s not uncommon for them to be unable to contain all that they swallow, or for the different energies to interact. Infant stage Colossals often meet a gruesomely explosive end.

“But there are the rare ones that survive long enough for their bodies to expand and adapt. They grow mighty, but not by relying on physical or magic abilities. The ones that reach terrifying levels of power are mountains of meat and mana. Its this excess mana that they use to dominate and devour anything foolish enough to not get out of the way while it has the chance.”

“Gross,” Olivia cringed.

“So it’s like a chimera?” Russ asked.

“No,” Jeremiah responded. “A chimera is its own race of monster. The idea is similar, though. A Colossal doesn’t take on the characteristics of the creatures it swallows. It’s still the original monster.”

“So it’s just fat?” Skyler probed.

“That’s an oversimplification. Anything can become a Colossal with enough time and sustenance.”

“Perhaps an example would be helpful,” Master Khaba said. “Shamefully, a few decades ago one of our goblins disappeared and when we found him months later. He had given himself over to this abominable path. I could hardly recognize him for he’d grown to half the size of your necropolis. He was only at the beginning stages then, so I was able to put him down. If this Colossal that’s approaching is mature, then it could swallow your necropolis whole. Perhaps even all of Sanctuary.”

“Brother Elorion,” Mistress Nava addressed me directly. “Even if we use Destruction Magic, this type of monster is too large. If we could skin it alive, it would still hold onto its contents because it’s really just a mass of partially devoured corpses held together with mana. We could destroy half of its body and still lose. I suggest we retreat to Matriarch’s Crown. It’s the only place we can go to be certain we’ll survive.”

My mind returned to what the Primordial Cat said. “What if Xaphan gives us a way out?” I asked.

Everyone was quiet. It took Shamash to break the silence. “The Primordial could easily slay it. However, it might still be wisest to flee because we don’t know if he’ll have to destroy this region to get it done.”

“Sister Nava,” I said. “Is the Head Mistress able to Portal everyone here to Matriarch’s Crown?”

She shook her head. “That would only be possible if she were by the transportation array when we needed her. Portaling would be easier, but the entire point of her sending me was for us to make these decisions on our own. If it’s a mistake and we survive, then it’s something to learn from. Fleeing is even an option that would receive little criticism, but she won’t save us if we make the wrong choice.”

“So no super, max-level succubus is coming to save the day,” Skyler blurted out.

Mistress Nava glared at him, but ultimately responded, “No.”

I decided to relay exactly what Xaphan had said. “If you choose to fight what is coming, I won’t save you. If you leave it to me, then you’ll miss out on all of the spoils. Either way, I won’t let your territory suffer.”

Everyone perked up at his promise. Many even decided to stay. But that didn’t answer my question. Should I fight it or flee?

By the end of that first day, our goal of raising the foundering members of Sanctuary to a sufficient level was mostly already met. That included Lydia who wasn’t a direct fighter. Leaving wasn’t a terrible idea. Shamash recommended everyone to discuss it amongst their people and return in an hour. So that’s what we did.