Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The natural phenomenon that has been colloquially called the Cavern is actually of supernatural in nature.

The Cavern’s many floors appear to be endless though at the time of writing only 10 floors have been reached thanks to the many trials, tribulations, and sacrifices made by humanity .

The floors of the Cavern appear to be split into three unique classifications.

Classification 1: Standard floors. Maze-like floors filled with monsters and different valuable resources such as manarite crystals and other valuable ores.

Classification 2: Geofronts. These are intermediary floors between the maze like standard floors and the final classification. These are massive open areas. Much harder monsters appear in them. The few that we have reached have had small settlements set up in them as small reprieves from the endless waves of enemies.

Classification 3: Dead Zones. These are small to large open arenas that serve to connect Geofronts to the next lower standard floor level. Each one up to this point has had a magical construct that must be defeated to pass through it. The magical constructs are different then typical monsters as they reconstruct/reappear given enough time after their defeat.

The Cavern and Other Mythical Constructs, SD Jenkins

*****

The early morning fog is dense and overbearing as Silas walks up to the Guild Hall. The sun is just starting to peak over the horizon and the smell of fresh produce and meats hang in the air. The small town is waking up and getting ready for the hustle and bustle of the soon to be day. Silas left earlier than he needed to. The plan, to get signed up for a deeper expedition into the Cavern with an adventuring party before spending the day shopping with Astrid.

An unaffiliated adventurer like Silas generally works on diving into safer regions of the cavern. The payout, though not as lucrative as deeper levels, is decent enough to get them by for a few days at a time. Sometimes to get ahead a solo adventurer will temporarily partner with groups of solo adventurers or with Guild registered parties that need a little more fire power for their deeper dives. Silas had thought of officially joining a Guild registered party in the past. Some he had worked with before, however they would be gone for weeks at a time from time to time and most don’t stay in one location for very long. Given Nikolai’s health issues that would really work for their needs.

He walks into the Adventuring Guild Hall. The place has a couple of parties huddled in different sides of the massive cathedral. They appear to be readying for dives today. A bit late for him to join any of them obviously. Besides, he needed some more time to prepare and he promised to spend the day with Astrid. He walks up to the front desk where the receptionist is. A cute young beast woman with dog-like ears stands awaiting Adventurers.

“Hello and good morning Silas. Here to offer up your services or take on a bounty maybe?” “Offering up my services again Rei. Preferably something a bit tame or at least with a high enough ranked party for safety.” Rei chuckles a little bit to herself. “Ever the cautious one. You know you won’t really get anywhere as an adventurer if you don’t push yourself every now and then.” He looks down at the desk with a solemn look. “I know that but I have too much at stake to take the risk, you know that don’t you Rei?”

The truth between them that they are both painfully aware of is the consequences if he doesn’t come back alive or takes too long to come back. Without his medicine Nikolai may only last a few weeks, but even worse is the condition he will be in during those few weeks. The searing pain, the hardening of his skin and muscles, until he is nothing but a rock. No doctor. No Priest. No saint. Not a soul that they have turned too could determine what was the cause of his affliction, let alone a cure for it.

“It’s just such a shame. So much potential. Who knows maybe one day you will find the cure you need then your true adventure could begin.” Silas could dream all he wanted but he knew that was all it would ever be. Just a dream. The melancholy of his circumstances made him hate coming to the Guild Hall. All of the adventurers ready themselves for grand battles and push themselves to their limits and beyond. Silas yearned for these things that they take for granted. Though he may feel defeated he would never blame Nikolai for his lot in life. He loved his brother much too deeply for that. For now he would just have to contend himself with this life he, Nikolai, and Astrid have etched out for themselves.

*****

With his business at the Guild settled he only had to wait for Astrid and hope a party will bite on his offer by the end of the day. He waits outside of the fresh produce market's entrance as the sun is much higher in the sky at this point. He notices a small party of Adventurers walk past, however the one that really caught his attention was a young woman. She had a serious look on her face, short shoulder length blonde hair, purple and silver accented gear, and finally a fairly pricey sword at her side. In that moment that their eyes locked onto each other he felt something strange. A kindred feeling. Almost like he could sense a form of restlessness inside her.

They walked past and paid him no mind. His mind played with the idea of what their adventures in the cavern must be like and what skills and abilities each member had, but especially the young woman. As he day dreamed Astrid sneaks up behind him and attempts to surprise him. “Nice try, better luck next time” he comments as he pulls her around him and into an embrace. “I like it when you blush like this” he whispers into her neck. His breath caused her to squirm as well as blush. “You jackass!” she pulls away from him and straightens her shirt. She dressed up for their trip to the market from the looks of it.

“Where to start?” Silas asks with a look of amusement written all over his face. Their day begins with a trip to the fresh meat market. Astrid comments on her dinner plans for the next week and about all of the materials she would need. They chat casually between each vendor. “Hey Silas, what’s it like in the Cavern? I always wondered what it was like when you go off on an adventure.” He stops to contemplate what all he was willing to share with her. He knows not to share too much to make sure she doesn’t worry anymore then she already does about him and his safety.

“Well it kind of depends on the day and where I’m at. When I run it solo I just keep to the mazes.” “Standard floors right?” Astrid asks, remembering reading about the different types of floors or levels in a book a long time ago. “Yeah but we just call them the Mazes. I just stick to floor one or two mazes. Nothing too dangerous or lucrative. If I’m with a group I have gotten to see a Geofront once.” Astrid’s eyes light up at the mention of a Geofront. “Really!? I heard they can be so pretty!” Silas laughs politely at her over zealous reaction. “Well the one I saw wasn’t all that pretty. Mostly brown stalactite walls and ceilings but it was massive. I was with a group and our mission was to hunt down a small group of bandits dead or alive. We were able to secure most of them alive but their leader.” His eyes look like they remembered something dark that he wished to forget about. Astrid catches on and stops him before he can continue the story, “I get it. Not a good day huh?”

They finish up her round of shopping and head to the apothecary to pick up Nikolai’s medicine. As they walk into the tiny store the smell of herbs and other medicinal concoctions flood their senses. “Hey Ed! We're here for the usual stock.” Silas calls out to the old man at the counter. “Good afternoon Silas and I see you brought the misses with you this time.” The only man comments with a knowing grin. “Guess what Ed, he finally proposed to me last night!” Astrid has an evil grin on her face. “That was an accident! Thanks for the reminder we need to give Rachel a piece of my mind!” Silas is fuming remembering the incident with the free flowers yesterday.

*****

Silas hands Ed a series of coins and grabs the bag of medicine. “Thank you for your continued patronage and let Nikolai know I said hello.” Silas replied “will do Ed. Thanks again for the supplies.” They walk out of the shop and out onto the busy street. The sun is getting lower. At this point it's a bit past midday.

“By the way, I posted my services at the guild.” Astrid looks worried at this revelation “You don’t have to do that. We are making ends meet with the way things are right now.” “Well yeah I know that, but it would be nice to build up a reserve and besides my sword has seen better days. At the very least this should yield me enough money for a new sword and plenty of his medicine for a while. Maybe if I’m lucky I might be able to find a decent sword further in”

Suddenly a sensation radiated from the ground through his body. His face lights up with a shocked and scared expression. “Astrid! Get down!” He pulls her into another embrace and they both drop to their knees. As soon as their knees hit the group suddenly a rumbling and shaking came from beneath them. The buildings and stalls shook terribly. Some of the more shoddily setup stalls fell apart from the force. As soon as it occurred it simply stopped. “A Creation Event? Here in Tricot?” Silas was bewildered by this. “I heard these are common in bigger parts. When was the last time one of them occurred in this region?” Astrid asks Silas not knowing if he even had the answer. “According to the history books that I read, never.”

*****

In a dark room with walls that glow blue with glyphs, a group of people in robes and blindfolds stare at the glowing walls. One of these people, a young woman speaks “Anomaly detected in the Tricot region off the eastern coast.” a man with a scruffy beard and hair tied up in a bun asks for details on the anomaly. The young woman replies “All patterns point to a Creation Event Lord Ekhart. Working on Tier status and contents detection now. Requesting additional resources my lord.” Ekhart, the man in the middle of the room booms, “Jackson, Terra, Leroy, assist Miss Elizabeth with detection procedures!”

A young woman with dark purple hair standing next to Lord Ekhart whispers to him, “Clint, you realize Tricot has never had an event in recorded history?” He replies in a hushed tone “Oh I’m aware. Things are about to get very interesting Tsubomi. Make sure to be ready at a moment's notice.” She looks at him with a shocked expression. “You don’t mean for us to make a dive? Without prior authorization?” Clint chuckles. “Of course. Don’t want anyone else in the Guild to get a jump on this unique opportunity.” He pauses and stares intently at the glyphs on the walls. “Do you know the history of the Tricot region Tsubomi?”

“It’s the original location of the First Kingdom of Asura. If memory serves, it wasn’t until the ruling family of that region were wiped out that the region was finally able to be explored.” Clint looks her in the eyes, “That’s right. The Asura family believed that the cavern was cursed and that anyone who stepped foot in it was doomed to misfortune. They even exiled one of their own children into the cavern after they were caught leaving it.” He pauses to pull out a hand rolled cigarette and lights it. “The thing is they would frequently use the cavern as a means of punishment. Imagine what sort of mana that section of the cavern holds and the things that a Creation Event could dig up.” He takes a drag and exhales some smoke. “Who wouldn’t be itching for an adventure like this.” He says with a massive grin.

“Lord Ekhart, status report. Several standard floors were created and two geofronts. One small and one large. Initial Mana output has it at a difficulty level of five out of ten on the Merduck scale. We are also picking up on a potential Spectral item. Not enough information to detect it’s classification. Should I send the report out to the Counsel?” He stops and contemplates his decision. “Tweak the report. Mention everything except the existence of the Spectral weapon.” Everyone turns to him and even Tsubomi looks at him in shock. “Lord Ekhart, what is the meaning of this?” Tsubomi demands.

“Call it a gut feeling. Everyone in this room! Who do you feel loyalty to? The counsel? Or the man that saved the capital and all of your families when the last Cataclysm threat broke past the Cavern barriers?” The room remains silent until Elizabeth sighs and speaks up. “The report has been revised and ready to be sent.” Clint laughs, “Great! Tsubomi get our bags packed! We have some traveling to do. The rest of you please feel free to let the counsel know that I have left for Tricot if they ask. I don’t want anyone here in trouble on my part. Your loyalty will be rewarded, of that I promise.”

*****

In a smokey little tavern the group of adventurers that walked past Silas earlier in the day huddled up at a table drinking, eating, and carrying on. The short haired blonde woman sits quietly with her companions. A beastman in her party elbows her “Hey Kaylin, you going to actually join in or just sit there and stare at your meat?” She looks over at his with a concerned look. “Rugger, something feels off doesn’t it?”

The tipsy beastman looks at his travel companion with a puzzled look. “Nah not really, other than me needing to piss.” Suddenly the entire tavern begins to shake. Kaylin the young woman looks startled as the realization sets in. “Creation Event?” she mumbles to herself. Rugger the beastman stands up as the rumbling subsides. “Well damn Kaylin, you called it.” He turns to the rest of his party. “Well everyone, I think we should change our plans and go explore the new parts of the Cavern!”

*****

Kaylin and her drunken party return to the Guild Hall and immediately go up to the front desk where the beast woman from this morning looks startled. “Ma’am we would like to rescind our previous commission.” The beast woman gives the party a knowing look. “You plan to explore the Creation Event don’t you?” Suddenly Rugger very loud and boisterously proclaims to the entire hall, “Yes we do! We have to beat those guild jackasses to the punch!” Kaylin looks like she plans to kill him later for his outburst.

The receptionist just laughs it off. “Understood. We can’t stop you from doing this but we at the Guild have to ask that you do not enter the area formed from the Creation Event until the Guild's exploratory forces assess its danger level.” There’s a long pause until the receptionists break the silence, “But if you guys still plan to take on the challenge can I ask you all a favor?” She says this with a look of innocence on her face.

*****

The scent of the roasted meat and herbs penetrate and seep out of the tiny house as Silas, Astrid, and Nikolai sit around the wooden table. Conversation between them is light and simple until Silas changes the subject “Nikolai, I already told Astrid this, but I will be going on an expedition with an adventuring group for a little while.”

Nikolai looks at him with a concerned and guilty look on his face. “You’re going to get more medicine for me right?” Silas looked at Nikolai with a caring smile. “Yes, but also for myself. I need to get some equipment repaired and get a new sword. I should only be gone for three or four days. Don’t worry I will be with a group and I’m always cautious.” Nikolai doesn’t seem convinced but he just sighs and accepts it for what it is. Deep inside he wishes he could do more. He knows he could, if not for his pathetic body.

Suddenly a knock occurs at their door. Silas and Astrid get up to check who it could be. When they open the door they find the beast woman from the Guild Hall. “Rei? What are you doing here?” Silas looks surprised. Astrid on the other hand looks a little pissed off that their time was interrupted by Rei. “Whatever this is, couldn’t it just wait until tomorrow. You’re interrupting my time with… I mean you’re interrupting our dinner.” Rei looks excited, “I’m sorry for the intrusion. Silas, I have big news for you!”

*****

“No! Absolutely not!” Astrid had a look of anger in her eyes. That anger pointed squarely at Rei as all four of them sat at the dinner table. “Oh Astrid, these adventurers are pros. Nothing bad will happen to him, and think of the chances. A Creation Event here in the sticks and a well traveled adventuring party ready and rearing to take it on. One that is willing to take on a low rank adventurer under their wings.” Rei’s face is beaming with energy and excitement. “It’s literally perfect!”

The bickering between the two women only intensifies but it amounts to nothing but background noise to Silas. Silas looks over at Nikolai. “What do you think Nikolai?” Nikolai sits and contemplates all while the two women are starting to get a tiny bit physical in their arguing. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried, Big Brother.” Nikolai remembers the dream. User dying in the dungeon alone. If his dream was a premonition of a future event, then this wasn’t that event. “I think it would be fine for you to go, but please promise to not get split up from your party.” Nikolai looks at him with a knowing and concerned look. Silas knows better than to ask any further. “It’s decided then. Astrid, I’m taking the offer!”