Chapter Six.

The next day- or at least as close to it as I could tell in the sunless underground- I managed to coax out more of the story from my minions. My shape had immediately dissolved when the wyrm breathed fire as every cell in me seemed to simultaneously recoil from it. The [Blightlings] on my back had all been absorbed as I shifted into a vague mass of squirmy tendrils all hurling themselves away at speeds that surprised even Skritter. He struggled to describe it in a way that made sense, which I had to forgive since he was only a day old and didn’t have my past life experience to draw on. The others didn’t have much to add other than excited chirps and ‘whoosh’ noises as they pantomimed my actions by sprinting around the ledge, so I let the matter drop.

Resolving to be more cautious in my explorations of the cavern, I did the only thing I could- start another expedition. Unless I was willing to live like a regular [Blight Pit] and just… lie there for eons growing like a particularly edgy algae then we'd have to keep hunting.

Deciding to go back to the earlier strategy I sent Skritter and three of the [Blightlings] (Itchy, Spook, and Theo) back out to hunt. This time I had the addendum of “If you can’t bring all of it back with you, don’t bring it back at all” to their scouting instructions. No need to have the wyrm sniffing us out again.

Trying to trust in Skritter I did my best not to hover through the link, though I was still worried about the little guys. I turned my focus back to my ‘bodyguards’ Pollo and Gnaw, who were looking at each other a bit distrustfully until they noticed my attention and scampered closer.

Ok, guys! I sent them through the link. We’re going to work on fortifying this place while they’re gone. And thus began the greatest fortress to ever grace this cavern! (most likely the only fortress to ever grace this cavern but still.)

We started by having me use ‘bat form’ to tear down a lot of the larger mushroom stalks growing close by and piling them in a loose half-circle wrapping around the base of the ledge, stretching about 20-25 meters long with both ends up against the cavern wall.

Next, I had to get the two [Blightlings] to cover the mushrooms in more of the black resin to hold everything together. Pollo seemed particularly affronted by this use of his 'talents' but acquiesced after I promised to let him 'decorate' the wall afterward.

Weirdness ensued as the resin seemed to seep into the downed mushrooms, spreading out in a veiny pattern like mycelium and slowly covering the length of the wall. The mushrooms themselves started to wilt and decay dramatically as the resin spread, losing a little mass in the process but eventually, my original idea for a mushroom wall had been replaced by something that looked almost… alive.

It had that weird 'tube-y' look like something out of an H.R. Giger piece, all connected and branching like roots of oily blackness. Still pretty short for now at less than a meter tall (only so fast I can cut down/drag mushrooms) but it already looked awesome.

I started excitedly 'feeding' the new wall more mushrooms (and keeping Gnaw from his namesake on it) to watch it grow when I felt a flash of pure panic come from the link to Skritter. Dropping everything I poured my senses through the link to see what happened.

A very human sigh had me frozen on the spot.

"Of course. I leave my garden untended for a few weeks' holiday and the vermin are already moving in."

The voice was of a man, older but not yet 'old'. It had a sharpness of tone- I could practically hear the strict (and well paid) tutors hammering ‘proper annunciation’ into him; like someone had transplanted an irritated old English nobleman into this godforsaken cavern just to screw with me.

That was all I got from Skritter before my sense of the entire scouting party vanished.

What!? They couldn't be dead, that was just… Too fast, how could I stop that? There hadn't been any pain or sound the link just… Cut off.

I grabbed the two minions I had with me and absorbed them. We need to run, now! But I hadn't even gotten past my own wall when a quiet *harumph* stopped me cold.

"And I suppose you are the source of this infestation then?"

It might have been my now obscured vision, but the man looked almost… dapper. Like he'd been out for a Sunday stroll and just happened upon my cavern for a spot of adventure.

He wore simple dark leather boots that reached up to mid-calf, with several shiny buckles along the length. Tucked in crisply were a pair of black trousers leading up to an ornately embossed leather belt, covered in small pouches and vials of glass. He wore a patterned waistcoat with brass buttons and a simple white shirt underneath. An overcoat was draped over the crook of his arm and last of all, he was glaring fiercely at me.

Or at least I assume he was, his face was too high up for my puddle-vision to make out clearly. More importantly, I could sense the other [Blightlings] floating frozen in the air behind him! As I tried to figure out how to speak to the first human I’d met since coming to this world and try to free my minions, he apparently lost his patience.

"I'll not have decades of work undone by a mere [Blight Pit], mutant or no. Off with you then! [Be Naught]"

The air rippled from his mouth at the last two words, the floor trembled and I didn't have time to do much as twitch before it hit me. And did… Nothing? I did a rapid check of my body but couldn't feel anything wrong.

"Hmm… Still alive? More hardy than I anticipated. Let's try this again. [BE NAUGHT]"

He'd practically shouted this time and instead of a ripple, a wave of distortion spread towards me. I watched as the ground between us disintegrated and clouds of dust shot back from where the man stood.

The wave hit me and for a brief moment, I felt a combination of stretched and pummeled from everywhere at once. It quickly passed as I realized, this feels… familiar? And then the wave rebounded back at the man, blasting him out of sight into the cavern.

What just happened??

My brain was on overdrive until I remembered one of the first notifications I received on entering this world.

[Inviolate Existence]

You have breached the walls of existence and brought yourself into being despite the very laws of reality saying otherwise. Grants immunity to all pure destruction based effects.

Hell yes!

I crowed briefly before I realized the man had dropped my frozen minions after being blasted back. They were unconscious but when I dashed forward and scooped them all up I sagged in relief to feel the link to them restored.

Abandoning my barely-started base, I shot back towards the closest tunnel. I could feel my energy reserves shrinking from the effort of moving so fast without a defined shape, but I didn't know if I could keep my minions safely absorbed otherwise.

Unfortunately, I didn't get far.

My entire body froze mid-leap as the man teleported in front of me. His appearance was heralded by a deep *boom * and flashing arcs of plasma blinded my already poor vision. When my sight cleared, I was completely encapsulated in a beach-ball sized bubble, floating a bit less than two meters off the ground.

"You, my little oozing friend, are fascinating."

His face was close to the edge of the bubble he had me trapped in, and I got my first clear look at his features. If I could describe him in a word, it would be ‘severe’. Sharp, hawkish features and an aquiline nose just a tad too large for his thin face kept him just shy of handsome, though it was probably exaggerated by the scowl he was giving me. His dark hair was swept back, cut tidily at the nape and greying at the temples. And he also sported a truly magnificent goatee. He inspected my growing ‘camp’ for a few minutes before turning his attention back to me.

“I have personally observed many of the various mutations documented of your foul race and cannot for the life of me comprehend how you came to be. Construction I could dismiss for being a primitive nesting impulse given your unpleasant progeny, but...”

We floated up to the ledge where Pollo had his various ‘art’ projects scattered around.

“This is not the work of a mindless creature. And of course,” he pointed to the grave of #2. “That is a grave. Marked with a symbol that in many decades of study of all the known kingdoms of the Hollows, I have yet to encounter previously. I shall spare you the various cultural ramifications, but the mutated offshoot of a species of mindless, carnivorous fluid does not simply spring into being with such knowledge.” His gaze turned sharp.

“On top of your obvious intelligence, you possess Imperial Indomitability. An utter immunity to an effect going all the way to that of natural law. So, assuming you also possess the ability to communicate, you shall now explain why I should allow you to live. Before I resort to testing the more… traditional means of exterminating a [Blight Pit].”

At his last words, a single tongue of flame sparked into being above his shoulder and I involuntarily shrank back in terror, pressing myself against the bubble containing me. How do I talk!? I can’t talk! Think! Wracking my brain for an answer the only solution I had was to try to talk through Skritter somehow. His mind was the most developed of my minions, and he did have vocal cords; so hopefully, it would be enough.

As I reached out through the link to try and wake Skritter my mind came to a screeching halt. A sensation I can only compare to a puppy being grabbed by the scruff of the neck completely enveloped my consciousness.

“Ah, a telepathic link network? I’d wondered how a creature with no vocal cords could communicate effectively. Quite useful, unless you happen to encounter a superior mentalist.” He smirked irritatingly. "Well? Why should I stay my hand?"

"I...I want to live!" I blurted out, wincing at my brief stutter.

"Excellent," He scoffed. "You've established commonality with the fungi growing in this cave. The desire to live does not guarantee life, nor obligate me to grant it. Anything else?"

My fear of fire was rapidly giving way to anger at this guy's snarky attitude and his absurd demand.

"Well, I'm sorry that I can't justify my right to exist at the drop of a hat!" I did my best to (perhaps ill-advisedly) parrot his tone. "Shall I compose a treatise on the meaning of life while I'm at it, sir? Perhaps a sonnet or a limerick, to show my appreciation of the arts!?" I shook with anger for a moment, but he just grinned and pointed at me.

"There! That's what I was looking for. Colloquialism, use of idioms, sarcasm?" He shook his head. "You are much more than your appearance would indicate."

His mannerisms seemed to… defuse, for lack of a better term. The fire hovering over his shoulder went out. While he didn't look any less severe, he was no longer actively threatening me at least. His tone also changed, making his following words have a more 'strict professor' vibe.

"I shall now attempt to categorize your existence. No, no, do not assist." He held up a finger as I started trying to explain over the link. "When you reach my age, new discoveries are akin to the finest vintage."

A palm-sized hexagonal geodesic sphere floated up from behind him and started buzzing rapidly around me. The bars looked like brass, with the space between being plates of dark steel. In the center of each hexagon was a colorless gem or crystal, and they alternately flashed or blinked as the sphere orbited me for a couple of minutes.

As the man peered intently at the device, I couldn't help but feel the situation was… oddly therapeutic. Like things had gone from 'imminent death' to 'Dr appointment' and I was undergoing an examination. I guess the thought of being stuck alone (or at least with only the [Blightlings]) underground had been getting to me more than I thought. He started mumbling to himself and I strained to hear him.

"... slight deviations in material composition, most likely related to enhanced shape-shifting capability. Affinities…" A sigh escaped him and he started rubbing his temples. "Of course it has a Void affinity, strong as well. At least half, and the other…" His eyebrows shot up.

"Celestial! That's an interesting combination." His attention turned back to me, and he arched an eyebrow as he asked aloud, "Are you a demigod by any chance? Any divine given powers?"

I gave a mental shrug. "Other than shape-shifting, all I can do is make [Blightlings] for now."

He snorted at that, "Contrary to my harpy of a wife's belief, the ability to produce offspring does not in fact grant you divinity. " He began stroking his mustache and started pacing back and forth in front of me.

"I ask you this because the rather conflicting nature of your two affinities should have seen you ripped apart in whatever passed for the womb. Then again, perhaps… of course!" his fingers snapped and he approached me excitedly. "Imperial Indomitability! The only reason you can even exist, it makes perfect sense now. Instead of violently disintegrating you are protected by the only possible immunity to such forces in existence!" Nodding and seeming very pleased with himself, he resumed pacing.

"Uh… What's that about 'violently disintegrating'? And can you please let me out?" I interjected nervously through the link.

He shook his head and replied, "This is neither the time nor the place for a lecture on the relative nature of magic. Suffice to say that you are incredibly fortunate to exist, more so than the rest of us at any rate." His gaze turned back to the vast expanse of the cavern. "As to your release, I shall have to decline for now. Lovely as my garden is, it is no place for a discovery like yourself. I'd also rather not have you inadvertently destroy my carefully balanced ecosystem. No, you shall accompany me to my abode where we may continue in significantly greater comfort."

With a single sharp nod, he turned and began floating up into the air, with me hovering along behind him. He stopped after a moment and looked back at me.

" I suppose that since I shall be playing the host for the foreseeable future, an introduction is required." Giving a short but surprisingly elegant bow he continued, "I am Lord Veris Haethram. Scholar, Historian, and occasional Councilor of the Mysterium Concordia." We began flying with increasing speed as we gained altitude, the impressive vista of the cavern stretching out below us.

"Welcome, to the Deep Hollows."