I am not, as you know, a religious man. The screeching priests and their endless droning on all matters ‘Path’ hold no attraction to me. I’ve no time for their words, elixirs or ‘ideas’.
I don’t care how many Levels I’d get.
Almost everything around us can be explained, we literally have a ‘System’ we can analyse, for goodness’ sake. Just because we can’t identify the origins of said System, doesn’t mean we need to assume some form of deity.
The Ancients, though, are different. They are real, observed, named, experienced. One can study them, if you know where to look for the historical record. They are demonstrably, observably and materially as close to divine as a being can be.
It is foolish to consider them as simply monsters, they are as far from an average monster as a ka’armodo is from a gecko. We are ants to them. It’s hardly surprising that such powerful beings would inspire worship. When you cannot run from them, and you cannot fight them, one might as well pray.
– Excerpt from the private correspondence of Illarion the heretic
Deep within the Dungeon.
Arconidem dreamed. The Demon God had slept for so long, thoughts drifting slowly in and out of oblivion, away from the material world at times, then drifting closer again.
It was such a time now. Visions of demons at war flickered rapid-fire, one after another, through the Ancient’s mind. Violence, fire and ash, over and over again, all types of demon battling against all kinds of foe. A never-ending battle of rage and chaos that wrapped around Pangera’s core.
Such a pleasant dream.
Despite still slumbering, the Demon God smiled, then drew a breath.
In an instant, the mana inside the grand chamber plummeted, leaving those present gasping as their cores screamed out in pain. Deprived of the energy that gave them life, the God’s attendants writhed even as their eyes turned with hope to the still form of their master.
Mana returned in a flood, rising from beneath them, an endless torrent of energy that they pulled greedily into their cores. The pain was gone, but still they watched.
Arconidem opened both eyes.
A moment later, the attendants were crushed under the weight of the Ancient’s presence. The force of such a mighty being was intolerable, even to those who had experienced it before. Despite the difficulty and danger, in their hearts, they rejoiced.
The Demon God took in the chamber with a glance, two long arms tipped with enormous claws stretching and shifting, as if remembering how to move again.
Then the feet of the throne shifted, and the entire chamber rocked. Stone dust fell from above, showering all, even the Ancient in dust. Blazing magma began to flow, released from the stone after centuries of slumber, igniting the air which filled with suffocating ash in an instant.
Another breath, but this time a gentler one, the mana density dropping by half before it stabilised again seconds later. As each moment passed, Arconidem appeared more present, more alert than before.
Looking down at the attendants who now prostrated themselves before the living throne, the Ancient grinned a slow and menacing grin and tasted the air.
[The cycle approaches its climax.]
The thought crashed down on the attendants and pressed them to the floor. They trembled under its weight, even as their hearts soared. To experience first hand the progenitor’s mind, this was a privilege only afforded to the strong!
[The way must be prepared. Soon, my children, we will rise and taste that sweet chaos once more.]
The gathered demons, crushed by the power of the Ancient’s mind, trembled with elation. They were the chosen few who would fight alongside their God. As more mana poured from the centre of the Dungeon, they would climb up and impose Arconidem’s will. Before then, the domain of the Ancient would need to be restored to its former glory. There was much to do!
A thread drifted into the chamber and brushed against the awakened monster’s thoughts. Like a snake, the Ancient snatched it up, examined it, then wove a new thread and joined the two together.
Familiar thoughts, a familiar mind, one not felt for many years.
[Good to see I am not the first, Carriflare. What of the others, do they slumber still?]
Ever burning, blindingly bright, the other Ancient was a blast of light and heat that even the Demon God could not touch without being burned.
[I greet you, Arconidem. The time draws near, the others stir, though several are already awake. Tarriflyx will wake any day.]
[What of Yarrum?]
[Sleeping still.]
The Demon God stretched out to encompass the surroundings within its thoughts, then pushed further still, to touch the boundaries between domains. It was true, the mana felt sluggish in the neighbouring territory.
To know that it had stolen a march against its rival pleased the Ancient, though it was largely meaningless. Knowing that the Hunger would soon wake was an interesting morsel. One of two creatures with an appetite greater than Arconidem’s.
[What hope this cycle?]
The important question.
[Odren has hooked a few he likes.]
The Father of Monsters was always hunting, which was good, none of the others could be bothered.
In that moment, both of them withdrew as they felt something shift beneath them.
A torrent of mana, more pure and dense than before, blew past them, rising up and rushing out higher in the Dungeon. Arconidem took a deep breath. It was intoxicating. The energy rushed into its core and settled there, bringing life throughout its monstrous frame.
A new wave had begun.
[Time for chaos,] the Demon God grinned.
Chapter 1072 – Further Consumption
[You have slain level 37 Fortis Adamas Scolopendra (IV).]
[You have gained XP.]
Stupid centipede! You dare oppose my glorious rise? You deserved what you got!
Although I wouldn’t really call it a glorious rise, more of an imposing hover. I’m still working out the kinks, but it won’t be long now.
Good thing I can direct and contain the energy produced by the wells to the degree I do. It took me a while to realise just what it meant to defeat the gravity of the planet with my own source. Logically speaking, if they affected each other equally, then the planet might well get ripped in half.
When you get right down to it, gravity is a really piddly force. It takes an entire planet of stuff to produce a level that isn’t enough to stop an ant from wiggling about on the surface. Literally the entire planet Earth couldn’t produce enough energy to squash a bug.
Fortunately, we have a nice little workaround on Pangera called mana. I have no idea how the stuff converts itself into… basically everything, but it sure as heck seems to be efficient at it. I can produce enough gravitational energy to lift my body up into the air with ease.
I actually need less mana than I thought to achieve it as well. When I properly focus and control the well, I can utilise the energy within much more effectively. This is the learning process and I am bringing nothing but A’s.
[Tiny! Stop laughing at me this instant!]The ape does not comply, pointing up at me and rumbling with laughter.
[Don’t be so disrespectful to the Master!] Crinis scolds him, prodding her comrade in the side with a tentacle. [Behave yourself!]Just because I’m hanging in mid air like a towel draped over a drying rack is no reason to laugh! Just because my legs are dangling like limp noodles? Is that so funny? It’s comfortable, dammit!
With a wrench of Will, I shift the well above me and move it forward, causing my body to drift along under it. Eventually I reach a point on top of Tiny and let my legs, still hanging loose, flop onto his head.
[How do you like that! Huh? Feel the wrath of my noodle legs!]I drift back and forth, aiming to whack him again, but he easily dodges out of the way, forcing me to float after him.
[Get back here! How dare you use your fancy feet for this? Receive justice!] [Uh… Master?] [One second, Crinis, I have to discipline this cheeky ape!] [Isn’t it about time we should be getting back to the nest? You said you wanted to check in with the others.]Ah, trusty Crinis. I can always count on her to remember what’s important. I’d give her a pat, but I can’t be bothered lifting my legs, they’re comfy where they are.
[You’re completely right! Thank you for remembering, Crinis. Invidia? Where did you get to? Ready to head back?]The little demon flutters into view. He effortlessly flies up in front of me and observes my form. It may just be me, but I detect a distinct lack of envy in the way he looks at me floating.
Just because you can do it so much better! My mass isn’t stuffed into a pocket dimension, you damned imp!
And he’s been flying for ages, I’m just getting started. I’ll get a lot better at it than this.
[All right then, everyone, time to head back to the nest. Let’s get going.]Wait, I’m facing the wrong way.
[Just give me a sec, need to turn around.]This has been a little tricky. I mean, do I rotate the well? Does that even work? I wobble back and forth in the air until Crinis extends a tentacle down from her spot on my carapace to the ground and uses that leverage to spin me.
[Oh, nice one. Let’s go!]Oriented the right way, I manipulate the well forward and begin my triumphant drift back to the nest. Just wait until the Colony gets a load of this! They’ll be super impressed, I’m sure.
[Um, Master?] [Yes, Crinis?] [Do you think it may be a little… quicker, if you returned on foot?]I mean, sure it would. I’m not very quick with this method yet, which is precisely why I want to practise it! Though, as usual, she may have a point. We’ve been out for a few days already, we need to get back and see how things are going on the third. Hopefully the demon situation is settling down a little bit.
[All right,] I sigh and lower myself back to the ground.The well would fade when the energy within it ran out, but I can’t exactly leave these pockets of gravitational potential lying around, so I break it apart before we leave.
[Thank you, Master,] Crinis says, sounding relieved. [Well, you weren’t wrong, we do need to get back in a timely fashion.] [I also think you have a much more dignified appearance like this. It wouldn’t do for the Colony to look at you being unsightly.]I’m shocked.
[What? Unsightly! My majestic floating form?! That can’t be right.…]I turn to Tiny.
[Do I really look that ridiculous?]The ape looks puzzled for a moment, as if confused I would even ask, before he starts nodding vigorously.
That bad?!
[Invidia! Surely you were desiring of my grace and elegance floating in the air?]The demon looks at me for a long second, blinks his eye, then looks away.
Holy moly!
It takes me a second to collect myself.
[Th-Thank you Crinis. I had no idea it was that bad.] [I apologise, Master! I-it is quite bad, though.…] [No, you’ve done the right thing.]I’ll have to practise flying away from the Colony in the future until I’ve mastered it completely. If there’s one thing I refuse to lose in front of my siblings, it’s my dignity!
