The Caves of Life

Discovery, Exploration

Under the pervasive sound of running water, the Hashinara expedition took stock of their situation. Despite Matsumoto Ooawagaeri's best efforts, only five of them had made the transition into the Caves of Life. Those were the Black Blade himself, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, Ryūzaki Sanosuke, Oyama Hikari, and Umashiashikabihikoji.   What's more, a path of melting shadows in the corner of their entryway had just detached itself from the darkness and began speaking to them. This creature, for it did seem to be a humanoid form of some sort, claimed herself to be a steward of these caves, appointed by Omoikane. She first thought the interlopers to be thieves, then became disappointing when Yoshitakatomo asserted that they were not. Thieves, at least, would be something interesting. Mere acolytes of the Goddess would no doubt fail to hold this steward's interest.   It was her duty to help them find what they sought but, as bored by the centuries as she was, the guiding shadow would not give up her secrets so simply. Instead, she invited the Hashinara group to participate in a game. A riddle. Should they solve it, she would give them her aid without hesitation. This seemed perhaps unnecessary, but it was at least in line with the ways of the Goddess of Secrets. Yoshitakatomo agreed to the terms.

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Delighted with this diversion, the patch of melting shadows gave out her riddle. Their task was simple, to find her true body somewhere in the Caves of Life.  

At the edge of land and sea, you will find me where the two are tethered.

  Given the calf-deep water they all stood in now, that could be just about anywhere. Still, the steward did not seem eager to give up any further information. If they wished for her guidance, they'd need to solve the riddle and find her true body. That part, at least, confirmed that what they were speaking to was no more than a projection.   Sanosuke suggested that they split up and look. Hikari jumped on the opportunity. It had been longer than she liked without a treasure-hunting expedition with her favorite Silver General. Yoshitakatomo raised no objection. Her* attention was held, perhaps, by the scratching sounds coming from beyond a nearby door. They sounded like bone on stone. With the wooden portal as damp and rotted as it was, little served to muffle the unsettling noise. Those who looked upon it on the ki spectrum saw two humanoid figures, unnaturally thin, clambering about inside.   Although she* did not expect an answer, Yoshitakatomo asked the melting shadows if they were not alone in the Caves of Life. To her* surprise, the steward answered. Some things, she claimed, had been left here when Lady Omoikane sealed the place away. Over time, they'd bred and flourished.   That didn't sound good.   The group collectively decided not to open that particular door and instead set about splitting up to search the Caves. Sanosuke and Hikari headed north, while Yoshitakatomo and Umashiashikabihikoji stood their ground and allowed Ooawagaeri to do a little reconnaissance. This consisted of the Black Blade climbing inside one of the nearby pipes and swimming to its terminus.   Ooawagaeri's unnatural body moved like a fish in the water and he soon found himself surfacing somewhere else in the caverns. This was a spring of some sort, surrounded by vines and leaves. He hadn't traveled that far. Perhaps only a single wall separated him from his companions now.   The Black Blade considered using his linked senses to ask Zinnia the Traveler about the plants here. However, the spell didn't seem to be functioning quite right. While its magic held, maintained by his own inner supply, he couldn't establish a proper connection. Perhaps the shift through the obelisk to this area had cut them off.   Undeterred, Ooawagaeri continued around the nearest corner, then halted abruptly. In the darkness beyond, illuminated only by some sourceless luminescence, a creature stood. It was running its thin, clawlike hands over some carvings in the stone wall in front of it. From the exposed brain that seemed to serve as its head, a pair of beady black eyes stared unblinkingly in front of it. It hadn't spotted Ooawagaeri, which seemed good. For all its unnatural thinness, the same as the auras he'd beheld in the room before, the creature seemed to carry a certain sense of danger with it. Silently, Ooawagaeri moved back into the spring and returned the way he came. When he arrived, he described what he'd seen to Yoshitakatomo.   Meanwhile, Sanosuke and Hikari were slowly moving through the water. The Silver General was not feeling quite his usual confidence. Their trip to the Dreamlands, portal closed behind them, had robbed him of his usual cocktail of supernatural support. As such, he encouraged Hikari to keep a low profile. If they could avoid combat with any of these caves' denizens, they should.   Neither of the two were particularly skilled at stealth, but fortunately the cavern's low light lent itself well to such pursuits. So long as they did not make a ruckus splashing about water, they were unlikely to be spotted by anything not specifically keeping watch. Soon, the two arrived at a crossroads. Water drained away to the west here, but that direction didn't look passable. Instead, two paths led forward, one apparently to a cistern and the other onto land.   Keeping with his call for caution, Sanosuke focused on detecting any presences in either of the two areas. The rightmost path, that onto land, came back without signature. The cistern, however, showed four humanoid figures. Their auras were less powerful than his own; on par, perhaps, with Hikari's. Still, the way they stood unmoving, surely thigh-deep in water, was unnerving. They were in the Dreamlands, so nothing could be taken for granted. Sanosuke urged Hikari onto the rightmost path.   As they proceeded into a wider cavern, they indeed found no creatures of note here. There was, however, something arguably worse. On the far wall, a metal pipe broke through stone and exposed its sides before jutting into the wall opposite. Clinging to this metalwork were several heavy, white sacs. They glowed slightly and pulsated. Sanosuke was no biologist, but he could recognize eggs when he saw them. And these were far too big. They did have some kind of ki signature, although it was so faint as to be hardly noticeable. They could proceed in reasonably certainty, at least, that no monster would burst forth from the eggs to attack them on their way.   Carefully moving further, Sanosuke became aware of a sound in the darkness to their right. Something had just scrabbled out of view. He looked on the ki spectrum once again. Nothing. That meant that whatever had just been there was either undead or very good at hiding its aura. Either way, they weren't alone. He kept a watch on that tunnel, but Hikari had spotted something herself.   The bakeoyama's nose had picked up a scent of something. Treasure! It was just beyond the northern wall of the chamber they stood in now. There was no passage that way, but perhaps if they continued to the east, they would find a way forward. This they did, still moving with great caution. It was not long, however, before both were disabused of this notion.   The path before them did not turn north, but rather south. It was leading precisely away from where they wanted to go, where the treasure was. That could only mean that the correct way to this mysterious reward was back the way they'd come, perhaps through the cistern. Yet all was not quite lost. Both Hikari and Sanosuke noticed it at about the same time. There was a dark corner of the room, between clutches of eggs, where the wall didn't quite meet the floor. Someone small, like Hikari, could probably wiggle through and get to the other side.   Reaching down, Sanosuke grabbed the lip of the small tunnel. He concentrated divine power into his hand and then lifted, bringing the very reality of this place with his hand. Even in a dreamlike place such as this, the world would only shift so far, but it was enough to change what had been a crawlspace into a passage tall enough for the Silver General to walk through.   On the other side, they found what they were looking for. A long-rotted wooden door was all that blocked their entrance to the room where, Hikari assured him, treasure awaited. The little hunter checked the door first for traps, but found nothing. Pushing on it did not open the portal so much as snap it under Sanosuke's strength. It might have been locked. Or perhaps not. It didn't matter; they were in.   This was no treasury, but rather a storeroom rank with the smell of mold. Old boxes and barrels slept beneath half-rotted fabrics. Some of them must have once contained food, but nothing edible had survived the passage of years. Indeed, it was a wonder Hikari could muster the courage smell anything coming from here, much less treasure.   Wordlessly, the two moved to either corner of the room and began searching. Sanosuke made their first discovery. From beneath a mass of misshapen wood, he extracted a worn brass decanter. The thing was tarnished with age, an engraving of a whale still just visible on its side. Although curious, it didn't seem to be magical. Uncorking the stopper, he found it to be empty.   Meanwhile, Hikari had found something of her own. This was a small box, like a jewelry case. It was black and smooth, fashioned apparently from metal and bone with a great black jewel on its top. Inside, worn red velvet held only a depression where a ring should be. Although treasure in its own right, this was not the treasure.   Soon, the two had exhausted most of the containers between them. All that remained was a single large wooden crate in the corner of the room. With some help from Sanosuke, Hikari levered it open. Her top half disappeared inside as she struggled to bring something forth. It was a piece of metalwork as large as she was, its edges bordered in a dull golden filagree. Although a piece of oddly untarnished white cloth covered its surface, both could easily tell that this was a mirror. Magic swarmed around its edges. Dream-magic. Both gazed upon it with a mixture of wonder and trepidation. This was no doubt the treasure Hikari had sensed. Their next task, then, was to decide whether to unveil the mirror's surface here or wait until an expert, Yoshitakatomo, could tell them more about what consequences that might have.   Unknown to Sanosuke and Hikari, said expert was just then in a bit of trouble. After splitting up with the treasure-hunting duo, Yoshitakatomo, Ooawagaeri, and Umashiashikabihikoji had begun exploring eastward. These passages were more like tunnels and less like caverns, their walls worn smooth either by intent or centuries of water passing through. As if in response to that thought, a great thud sounded from somewhere in the same direction they were headed.   Ooawagaeri thought about the smooth walls, the constant sound of water, and rushing currents sweeping them off their feet. He cast a spell to control the water around them and found that he could halt its passage. Although nothing happened immediately, he kept the magic active just in case.   There were a few more springs in this direction and plenty more pipes. It seemed almost like a labyrinth, although glimpses through the walls to their south revealed some kind of natural grotto. The water was deeper there and extended to the limits of their sight in the darkness beyond. Both tunnels and grotto seemed deserted. They'd spotted not a glimpse of those creatures that Ooawagaeri had encountered before. That thudding sound was growing steadily louder, however.   Soon, the trio came upon a landmark of interest. In the middle of a crossroads, a section of wall bore an intricate mural upon its surface. Seemingly unworn by time, it represented a great sprawling city. Standing above the buildings was a figure of godlike stature. It held a spear in one hand, with a crescent-moon adorning its haft, and an opaque veil obscured the features of its face. The mural itself was not detailed enough to tell whether the figure was male or female, human or other. Still, Yoshitakatomo felt something familiar about it. Or perhaps familiar about the city. She* could swear that she'd* been to a place with just that style of architecture not long ago...   Such musings were interrupted by a bellowing roar. It came from close by, too close, and was followed by more thudding and the sounds of combat. Near them, the shadows came to life again and revealed the steward. She didn't know what was happening either. Something unfamiliar to this place had made its way in. Perhaps they'd brought it with them?   Heedless, Ooawagaeri broke away briefly to explore a tunnel to the south while Yoshitakatomo and Umashiashikabihikoji continued eastward. The Black Blade's journey brought him to a door, as rotted as the others. Beyond it he found an old wooden dock. A few boats were still lashed to the posts and seemed seaworthy enough, but nothing else of interest stuck out here. He turned back and made to return to the group.   Back in the tunnels, Yoshitakatomo and Umashiashikabihikoji had found the source of the thudding, roaring noises. In a wide cavern slightly removed from the main tunnels, an enormous four-armed monster faced off against six smaller but no-less-horrifying humanoids. Yoshitakatomo recognized the bigger creature immediately. It was a Gug, a servant of the Great Ones of Kadath. She'd* fought one not long after their first arrival in the Dreamlands and now kept its corpse in Queen's Landing.   The other creatures, with their exposed brains and grasping claws, could only be the same kind of monster Ooawagaeri had described. More than that, Yoshitakatomo recalled seeing their discomforting visage somewhere once before. It had been in The Abyss, at Nodens' pitch abode. The great monster-slaying God of Dreams had grasped a brain just like this in one of his hands before crushing it. An abomination. A Son of Oukranos.   Fortunately, the Sons were too busy attacking the Gug to pay Yoshitakatomo's appearance any mind. Their prey, too, was fully engaged in striking away its attackers. Although its wounds were shallow, they were many, and Yoshitakatomo could tell that the monstrous beast was not long for this world. Perhaps in a show of kinship for a shared foe, the Princess-Daimyō offered silent aid in the form of a spell.   She'd* meant to simply cast a mending weave over the Gug and then depart, but something strange happened as the magic left her* fingertips. Energy stretched and condensed, warping itself into complex geometric shapes which watered the eyes. As the phenomenon settled over the Gug, its wounds did heal, but that had been no spell. It was a psychic matrix.   The Sons had taken note too. Beady eyes watching the matrix as it jumbled through the air, two of the beasts traced its origin back to Yoshitakatomo and screeched in unison. She* and Umashiashikabihikoji had joined the battle, whether they liked it or not. The latter did like it, as it happened. Uma had been bored out of her undead mind for most of this trip, so when an opportunity for actual combat showed itself, she leapt in with gusto. Literally.   As her powerful leap carried her through the air, Umashiashikabihikoji landed on the nearest Son with her claws flashing. The other answered in turn, blocking her strikes with its own long talons. They exchanged two strikes, but when they separated, it was the Kyonshi and not the Son who was wounded. Ooawagaeri came into view then and took in the situation, but Yoshitakatomo was already acting. Drawing blackness from the shadows around her*, the Princess-Daimyō formed them into a hard shell of armor. Encased in inky darkness, both Uma and Yoshitakatomo herself* would now be all but impossible for the monsters' claws to reach.   Still, something seemed wrong. The spell had functioned as intended, but it was a matrix, not a magical weave which left Yoshitakatomo's fingers. Nearby, a Son of Oukranos was crafting a plan of its own. Running from its exposed mind-flesh down into its claws, the energy it wielded was more like an inversion of a matrix than a true psychic power. The impossible thing shot into Umashiashikabihikoji and, blind to all but ki, the kyonshi did not dodge. Expanding, unfolding, and tangling itself into the Armor of Darkness matrix, the Son's power bloomed. Like a flower, it spread out and away before vanishing entirely. The black shell covering Uma was gone with it, leaving her exposed once again.   Not far away, several of the Sons were ganging up on the newly-healed Gug. One, however, cast a matrix onto the creature's head. Gugs are not known nor valued for their mental prowess. With the utmost of ease, the Son of Oukranos bent this one's mind to its will. The beast turned, its burning eyes now pointed straight at Yoshitakatomo. It seemed the other Sons understood what had just happened, as they moved well out of the monster's way.   With the Sons able to effectively nullify magic and Umashiashikabihikoji fighting a losing battle, the situation did not seem to turning in the Hashinara Clan's favor. Ooawagaeri saw this and, rather than engaging immediately, he sped around the fight to the opposite wall. There was a wall here, but it was so water-worn that he could see a chamber beyond. With one hand pressed up against its surface, the Black Blade channeled destructive ki into the barrier until it fell away.   Beyond, a darker room lay filled with heavy stone sarcophagi. The figures carved on these coffins' lids seemed human, at least to a cursory inspection, but now was not the time to look more closely. Ooawagaeri continued until he reached a crossroads. Paths diverted to the north and west here, and there were some stairs leading upwards. None of these was an obvious way out, however.   Turning back, the Black Blade leveled Hakujitsumu. Wielding the blade from afar with magic, he launched its point at the nearest Son of Oukranos. It was a well-aimed attack and passed through the creature's raised claws. Without his own strength behind it, however, Ooawagaeri's strike failed to penetrate the thing's ki barrier. Although their specialty was obviously mentalism, it seemed that these creatures were no strangers to the martial arts either.   Not seeing any solutions here, Ooawagaeri attempted to teleport back. He'd learned that this was a risky move in the Dreamlands. Sensations of endless falling, cosmic orbs, and a greater presence watching him had fraught every other attempt so far. Now, however, the spell went off without any interruption. Did that mean, perhaps, that they weren't currently in the Dreamlands? Such would explain why his connection with Zinnia had cut as well.   As Ooawagaeri reappeared behind her*, Yoshitakatomo was weaving a spell to steal control of the Gug. Like before, it manifested as a matrix, but the effect was real enough. The monster stopped its advance and instead turned, reaching all four of its massive arms downward and pulling a Son of Oukranos half-apart. The creature was horribly wounded, but still seemed alive, if its continued chittering were anything to go by.   Another Son lashed out and scored a direct hit on Umashiashikabihikoji's exposed flesh with its claws. The Kyonshi went down, splashing inert into the water. Fortunately, undead of her type were a renewable resource. Yoshitakatomo need only infuse her talisman with ki once again. The Son's next actions were more worrisome, however. It crouched down and, with a care belying its sharp claws, gripped Uma's head in its hands. Turning it this way and that, the thing seemed to be looking for something. A way in, perhaps. It tapped the top of Uma's head with its claws.   That certainly couldn't be allowed to continue. The Sons of Oukranos, apparently, felt the same way about Yoshitakatomo's control of the Gug. Rather than seize its mind back, one unleashed a deadly psychic matrix straight into the monstrosity's skull. The fire left the Gug's eyes as its intelligence dwindled to nothing under the mental assault. It swayed, then fell. Although still breathing, there was nothing behind the Gug's gaze now. It seemed incapable of taking any sort of conscious action.   This gave the other Sons free leave to break away. One dashed over and slashed its claws at Yoshitakatomo. Although her* Armor of Darkness soon met a similar fate to Uma's, the Princess-Daimyō was pleased to find that her* Perfect Shield remained intact. This curious phenomenon of matrix-conversion only seemed to affect spells cast in the Sons' presence. Anything brought in from outside remained magical in nature. As the monster's claws raked against her* shield with no purchase, Yoshitakatomo thought that perhaps there might be a way to use that new piece of information.     Matsumoto Ooawagaeri had not been idle. While the remaining Sons of Oukranos rushed Hashinara Yoshitakatomo and began battering her* shield, the Black Blade absconded back the way they'd came.   Following the tunnels back around, he arrived at the docks jutting from the Caves' southernmost point. Although he'd been here once before, the sounds of battle had drawn him back before he could perform any thorough examination. His purpose was different this time. Gathering up as much magic as he could manage, pushing his body's ability to channel to its limit, he exerted mystical control over as much water as he could currently see. As this grotto extended to the edge of his vision into the darkness, that was a lot. What's more, the Black Blade made note of what Yoshitakatomo had discovered before: this far from the Sons of Oukranos, his magic was truly magic, and not transmuted into a psychic matrix.   A roar surged through the caves. Then a crash, as an immense amount of water flooded through the tunnels and back to the room housing the downed Gug. Sons of Oukranos were lifted off their feet left and right. Their fleshless claws cut uselessly at the engulfing liquid as they were swept away and suspended in the air. Yoshitakatomo, who found herself* held safe in a bubble of air amidst the storm, noted that the Sons of Oukranos were rendered all but helpless. For all their predatory adaptations, the things were obviously not designed for the water. So suspended, they were effectively neutralized until the spell was removed. And it was a spell. The Sons discovered that when attempting to unravel the effect's matrix.   Impressed, Yoshitakatomo regarded such dangerous enemies rendered helpless in the work of a moment. At the same time, Ooawagaeri was taking the opportunity to better observe his surroundings. There was nothing of note visible around the docks. A few rotting crates, some abandoned rowboats, and some rope tethering them to the dock, miraculously still whole. Tethering...   A glimpse at the ki spectrum confirmed Ooawagaeri's suspicions. In the dark water beneath the rope was an even darker aura. It shifted like water, hardly visible, but still humanoid enough in its general form. Floating over to the spot, Ooawagaeri stood on the water and made use of his continued control to slowly lower himself down. A few yards down, his feet connected with something firm and slippery.   So coaxed, a blackish form, covered in white tendrils not unlike hair, burst forth from the water and regarded Ooawagaeri with annoyance. At first, she accused him of cheating, but he'd solved the riddle fairly. It was to this curator, then, to aid them through the Caves of Life. Except...Ooawagaeri wasn't the Champion of Omoikane. He wasn't a Champion of any deity. Not yet, although he'd sown a seed back on Earth which might change that in due time.   What the Black Blade could do was bring the Champion to the steward. Reaching out with a bit of magic, Ooawagaeri found Yoshitakatomo a willing subject for teleportation. The Princess-Daimyō popped into the scene just a few feet away. Together, they regarded their erstwhile riddlemeister. This creature, who introduced herself as Zvonimira, seemed much more flesh-and-blood than the shadowy simulacrum that they'd encountered before. Although mostly humanoid, her skin was a pitch black that spoke of depthless seas, and the stark-white hair on her head seemed more flesh than follicle. Yoshitakatomo gathered that this steward was, in fact, a Zoog. None of that species they'd encountered thus far had been so intelligent or powerful as this one, but all other signs seemed to point as such.   As something of an experiment, Yoshitakatomo conjured a fully-stocked bento and offered it to Zvonimira. The food was edible enough, but what should truly attract a Zoog would be the magic it was woven from. Their hostess confirmed that she did indeed eat magic, but the latent energies of this place sustained her without the need to devour spells. Still, she was of an adventurous mind. Placing the bento on top of her head, she quickly absorbed it through some unseen orifice, box and all.   Now that the Champion was here, Zvonimira's duty was to see them through the caverns. The cure they sought, secreted away by Omoikane centuries ago, was at this section of the Caves' opposite corner. No doubt many more of the Sons of Oukranos were prowling the tunnels, but Zvonimira could allow the party to pass by them unseen. She seemed to think that a demonstration was then in order. Vanishing from sight, Zvonimira seemed to simply dissolve into the shadows of the cave. Both generals were reminded of the way Kashirin could seem to simply step out of sight.   A moment later, without any sort of warning, Yoshitakatomo began to feel drowsy. The edges of her* vision became dark and oppressive. As though a weight were pressing down on her* mind from outside, she* struggled to make out even the barest details of her* environment. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was over and Zvonimira returned to their presence. The steward explained that it was a powerful neurotoxin capable of inhibiting sensory perception. As a poison directly targeting the brain, it was especially effective against the Sons of Oukranos, who were mostly gray matter to begin with.   In aid of the Champion, Zvonimira would use this power to allow them to pass freely through the Caves of Life. On one condition: she was bored, and wished to travel with them once the cure was found. AFter all, her duty to Omoikane here would be done. However, said cure at the Caves' terminus no doubt had a guardian, something even more terrible than the Sons. In which case, Yoshitakatomo thought it prudent that they should collect Ryūzaki Sanosuke and his friend before they engaged in more combat.   Actually, wasn't there something they were forgetting? They had come into the Gug room not as a duo, but a trio. Reaching out once again, Oowagaeri used his magic to pluck Umashiashikabihikoji's still inert body from the water some caverns away. She was wet, but her skull still intact. It seemed, fortuitously, that the inflood of water had been enough to prevent the Sons from continuing their sickening exploration of her head. This idea was supported by the many bloodless lacerations across her flesh, as though something with sharp claws had been desperately scrabbling at her body for purchase.