Everybody Loves Large Chests What Lies Below 6

What Lies Below 6

Well. That was exciting, Boxxy comnted cheerfully. Not often you get to see sothing that big.

Wish I could say Ive seen bigger, but it was indeed quite massive, Xera chid in.

Thats what she said! Kora added quickly.

Yes. She did, Fizzy stated bluntly. Blockhead.

Why are you people this fucking calm?! Nora scread. We nearly got crushed into ooze!

So? the entire group responded in unison.

The kryr golem opened and closed her mouth a few tis, but she had no idea where to start with them. rely seeing Khar-Shargurkithlag, otherwise known as Big Smoke, was usually enough to strike even the most hardened of adventurers speechless. And that was assuming theyd caught a glimpse of its mountainous shadow moving through the depths. Yet this bunch treated coming literally face-to-face with the worst leviathan in existence as if it were a minor footnote of their day.

As one might infer from the weight of their na alone, leviathans were the undisputed largest monsters in the Shimring Ocean, often tis reaching lengths of several hundred ters. People sotis confused them for supersized krakens, which was understandable considering both species had an array of squid-like tentacles as their limbs. However, that was where the similarities ended. Leviathans were closer to serpents than mollusks, their long and relatively thin bodies separated into three distinct parts.

At the front stood a massive head that was vaguely draconic in its appearance, complete with an elongated set of terrifying jaws and a pair of yellow eyes that glowed like searchlights. Nurous spines grew out of the sides, top, and back of the skull, giving the vague impression of horns. An elongated neck attached the head to the torso region, which was twice as thick as the rest of the creature and had the aforentioned tentacles growing out of its upper back. These limbs were long and dextrous enough to serve a leviathan as arms and hands, allowing the creature to capture its prey and then hold it up to its face so it could feed on it. The snake-like tail that followed the torso region made up two thirds of the creatures impressive length and ended in a serrated spear-like bone. Dozens of long and flexible fins that looked like underwater wings ran the length of the body below the neck, providing ample speed and maneuverability in spite of a leviathans bulk.

The one called Big Smoke was not massively different from the rest of its kind. In fact, it was considered a perfect specin of leviathan biology. Especially the part where leviathans continuously grew larger as they grew older, like orcs. It was also assud that they did not die of old age, but instead perished when their bodies beca so large that they required more energy than they could take in. It still took many centuries for that to happen, but this much was known to be true among the kryrs scientific circles. Big Smoke in particular was considered at the end of its natural lifespan, as its body was over two kiloters in length. It was so enormous that it was practically impossible for a single person to observe it in its entirety in the oceans murky depths.

It wasnt just size, either. Big Smoke was also fast, powerful, cunning, and intelligent. It even knew a number of Spells in addition to the species innate magical abilities. Many kryr believed its combat abilities to be on near-equal terms with Miphelyr, the Ruinous Serpent. The elder dragon in question had made her lair in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean, nearly ten kiloters below the surface. Old kryr legends spoke of how she and Big Smoke used to butt heads over territory disputes ages ago. Their conflicts were said to have left deep chasms in the ocean floor and had drowned much of Atica and Velos with the resulting tidal waves.

For better or for worse, the leviathan seed to have lost that particular contest and had migrated to this part of the Shimring Ocean about four hundred years ago. Thankfully for the locals, Big Smoke had no interest in lording over civilizations or demanding tributes of gold and gems like dragons did. Both the kryr and their cities were so far beneath its notice that it completely ignored them, even in the extrely rare occasions when it happened to swim overhead. The creature seed utterly content in its role as the biggest fish in these waters. The only thing it seed to care about was getting baked off of the unique blend of chemicals the Trenches gave off during massive eruptions. The leviathan gobbled up these toxic clouds before they could dilute, hence its nickna.

Nora knew all of this, as did any other adventurer that frequented this volcanic area. So while one might argue that she shouldve seen Big Smokes arrival coming, she had no way of predicting it would turn hostile against her and her clients. They were practically plankton from that things perspective, and yet it had very clearly attacked them. The sight of it coming into view from the darkness above had been like that of a teorite with teeth. The way its street-sized tentacles shot down at the group made it clear it was targeting them specifically, too.

Thankfully Hughs early warning had given them just enough ti to make it into the tunnel systems beneath the Trenches, though Big Smokes attack had thoroughly collapsed the entrance. Getting out would be much more difficult than getting in, but Nora wasnt worried about that. Or at least not at this mont, as she was still trying to comprehend how and why a creature her ancestors had once worshipped as a god would ever bother with a bunch of lowly demons and monsters. Unless

Uh, silly question, Nora approached the cloaked Warlock, but you wouldnt happen to be a Priest or sothing, non?

Who, ? Of course not, Boxxy replied. Jens a Monk and Fizzys a Paladin, though.

What?

What?

Youre telling the fat war golem and the yellow bird-thing are servants of the gods?!

Affirmative, the harpy nodded.

Damn right! Fizzy puffed her chest out. Also, who you calling fat, rustbucket?!

rde, Nora cursed quietly

Whats this all about? Boxxy stepped in.

Big Smoke ates the faithful, she explained. I dont know why or ow, but it senses them and squishes them on sight.

This quirk was partly why this leviathan was considered the anest, and was no doubt a contributing factor to the ongoing godlessness of the local culture, though not a major one. And considering that Fizzy and Jen had over five hundred and three hundred Faith (FTH) respectively, they likely shone like beacons down here. It was a good thing Big Smoke hadnt decided to randomly swim over Nautilin, otherwise a neighborhood or two mightve been swept away.

And you didnt think to ntion this sooner? Boxxy asked demandingly.

It never occurred to why it would be an issue with this group!

The thought that monsters might be religious hadnt even crossed her mind. Sure, it made sense in theory, but in practice the need to believe in sothing greater than oneself was an entirely enlightened problem. It would have almost been better if the demon-loving shady rcenary had been a Priest. At least that unlikely possibility was one that she had considered.

You couldve asked what our general Job layout was, the shapeshifter countered.

Would you ave told ?

Probably not, it shrugged. I guess we can point fingers later. Right now we should get a move on before Khar-Shargurkithlag decides it wants to try digging us out.

Incidentally, though that na seed like a demons, it most assuredly wasnt. Demon nas were made up of symbols from the divine language, but this one seed like soone had vomited onto a dictionary page and written down the few letters that were left legible.

Agreed, Nora nodded. We will need another way out, but we can figure that out later.

The chanized kryr then proceeded to perform the second half of the task shed been hired for and led the group deeper into the tunnels. The area seed remarkably stable considering it was in a hotbed of volcanic activity. There were a few pools of molten magma here and there that provided light, but they seed mostly dormant. The heat was by far the biggest concern, though every mber of the group dealt with it in their own way.

Boxxy and Xera were unhard since they had Fire Affinity, but the shapeshifter still found it uncomfortable. Jen was equally unperturbed since her Diamond Soul, a high Level Monk Skill, protected her from environntal hazards like extre temperatures. The two golems didnt even feel the scalding water, which wasnt nearly hot enough to affect their tal bodies. Kora had no such protection, so she was forced to grit her teeth and endure the heat. She was continuously taking damage, but it was more or less counteracted by her conjured bodys natural HP recovery.

As for Drea, she dealt with the unbearable heat by simply not being there. It had taken Boxxy a short while to realize it, but the webstalker hadnt made it into the caverns. Apparently the sheer volu of water being displaced by the leviathans tentacle attack had sent her light body spiraling away from the entrance just before it collapsed. Xera wouldve probably gotten caught up in it too if she hadnt been clinging to Koras back for dear life.

In any event, the webstalker was mostly unhard and doing her best to follow the others from above. She could vaguely feel where her master was through the summoner-familiar thought link, so while she wasnt directly on top of them, she was close enough to serve as Boxxys eyes and ears on the surface. Which was how the doppelganger knew that Big Smoke had already left the Trenches, at least as far as a spider-demon with mana-sensitive eyesight could determine.

Down below the ocean floor, Nora was doing pretty much all of the work, just as she had said back in town. The monsters in the tunnels had very little variety to them. They were either crustaceans with stone-like shells that had adapted to the constant heat, or various magically animated lumps of molten rock. The torpedo golem handled these by darting around at high speeds, zipping from wall to wall as she cleaved them in half with her arm-blade-fins. She effortlessly maneuvered herself so shed approach from the monsters blind spots, making her Assassinate Skill trigger on each attack.

Boxxy had been rather skeptical of how well a tallic Rogue would perform, especially underwater, but it was pleasantly surprised with Noras take on the Job. She was fast, precise, silent, and completely familiar with her environnt. Her actions and motions were so smooth and fluid that it was an actual joy to watch her work, though the shapeshifter didnt say that out loud so as not to injure the other golems pride. The mithril dynamo golem was by far shinier and more powerful, but she was out of her elent here.

Putting it bluntly, if Nora was a scalpel, then Fizzy was a sledgehamr, and only one of those tools was suitable for surgical strikes.

Whatever whimsy Noras efficient killing thods garnered faded rapidly. She hadnt been kidding when she said reaching the deepest part of the trenches would take a few days. It wasnt a great distance, but the way these tunnels snaked and twisted around was sothing else entirely. It reminded Boxxy of the hedge maze it had challenged years ago, albeit in three dinsions and without being able to see its layout in its entirety. It really went to show just how much ti Nora had spent exploring this place considering the confidence with which she navigated it.

She still had no idea how these tunnels actually ca to be, nor did she seem to care. Boxxy was of the sa opinion, as the sickeningly good mood it had been in since curing its demonic corruption was now well and truly gone. It began to realize how idiotic of an idea this expedition had been, but it was too stubborn to call it off after it put so much ti and effort into getting this far. At least getting out would be easy since it could just open a Gate to where Claws was, hopefully without explosive pressure shenanigans.

Speaking of which, it would appear the group was going largely in circles from Dreas perspective. Quite wide circles with a lot of vertical movent, but circles nonetheless. This did little to bring back Boxxys good mood, though there was so good news. Apparently Noras three day estimate had been the pathetic atbag standard, so this monstrous group and their seemingly bottomless stamina made so remarkably good ti. They went even faster once Boxxy, Fizzy, and Jen started helping their guide clear up the volcanic vermin. Yes, she was capable of eliminating them in one shot, but it still took ti to line up her angle of attack and there were a lot of the buggers.

All in all, the group travelled fast enough to reach their destination a re twenty-six hours after their departure from Nautilin.

Were almost there, Nora reported. Should be a few more minutes.

Hmm thats interesting, Boxxy noted as it swam after her.

What is? she asked over her shoulder.

Did you know the citys directly overhead?

Is that so?

Indeed. My familiar has been tracking us from above, and shes currently in one of the residential districts.

It wasnt the most precise estimate and there was no way of knowing exactly how deep they were, but Boxxy was certain that Nautilin was sowhere overhead.

Huh. Thats worrying.

How so?

I do not think the citizens would like to know what lies below their os.

The group turned a corner just as Nora said that, revealing a massive hollowed-out cavern shaped vaguely like the inside of a bell. It was at least a hundred ters tall and seventy or so wide at its lowest part. Dozens of holes dotted the walls, each of them resembling the one Boxxys group was currently peeking out of, though only a few of them were more than a ter or two deep. Looking down at the bottom, they saw a vaguely circular pool of bubbling magma, and poking out of the middle of it was the thing they had all co here to see.

Standing atop a perfectly circular tal platform that was clearly made by soone or sothing intelligent was a creature that could be described as a literal walking fortress. Its appearance was, at its base, similar to the stone-shelled crustaceans in the tunnels, but this crab was clearly different. For starters, it was about twenty ters wide and almost as tall, covering almost the entire platform it was sitting on. Secondly, its shell was a mix of masonry and machinery. It was as if soone had found a giant crab, built a small castle on its back, then outfitted it with armored plating, pistons, vents, and other miscellaneous parts.

Including, of course, suitably heavy siege weaponry.

Are those cannons? Fizzys eyes widened. Why in Josephs holy fruit-basket does a giant crab have cannons?!

Judging by the shape, length, and thickness of the tal tubes poking out of its fortified back, the thing was carrying eight giant guns that were two-to-three ters in diater at the tip of the barrel.

Probably the sa reason we do, Nora pointed out. Us golems get pretty troubleso when we get ranged attacks.

Point taken.

Also, please warn when you go kill yourselves so I can back away first, the kryr construct said bluntly. The ch-beast does not play around.

She then pointed at one of the holes in the far wall.

See that? That is whats left of the last fool that ired to bring them ere.

Boxxy peered into it, noting that there was definitely sothing tal buried in the rock, most likely body armor given Noras words.

So youve never seen it fight? the shapeshifter asked.

Ive seen it shoot at things, cant really call that fighting, the golem shrugged.

You said you challenged it a few tis.

I did. I lost miserably and only survived because of this body. I gave up after the last ti when I lost my legs and tail.

But you still have your legs and tail, Fizzy comnted.

I got new ones.

How?

The radiant Paladin was pretty sure not even Horkensafts top smiths and engineers could replicate war golem parts accurately enough for them to be attached. Even she couldnt do it. The best she could do was recycle war golem bits retrieved from Huberts Divine-class dungeon generator.

Assimilate Skill, of course.

Whats that?

Oh Do you not ave it? Nora smirked smugly. Ow very primitive.

Primitive?! the smaller golem shrieked. Ill have you know Im an expert in multiple scientific fields!

Yeah, right, the other one scoffed. And Im the Queen of Saphrina.

Looks like soone needs a practical demonstration in physics!

Fizzy gripped her hamr with both hands and started charging the DILDO in its head with a loud crackle. Nora responded by snapping her arm-blades forward and invoking so Skill or another that made the water around her swirl in a miniature whirlpool. This was when Boxxy decided to step in, clonking its shiniest companion in the back of the head with a heavy punch. It got a rather painful zap from Fizzys electrified fra in return, but the blow had done the trick of snapping the golems out of their respective ego-trips.

Cut it out you two, it demanded. This is neither the ti nor place for this.

Boxxy intended to eventually kill the kryr golem and add her fra to its collection, but right now it still needed information from her.

Nora, focus, it spoke sternly. You still havent told what that thing actually fires.

Right. Mmm, so kind of sonic projectile, I think? was her uncertain reply.

You think?

It is invisible, mostly silent, and passes through water without disturbing it. But, when it hits sothing solid, it smashes into them like a drunken whale. No barriers or armor will protect your atbag insides from being turned into goo. Your only defense is to avoid it, but doing so is practically impossible.

Boxxy had to try extra hard to hide its enthusiasm. This definitely sounded like the terrible weapon hinted at in Tol-Saroths journal. It probably wasnt, given how absurdly difficult it must have been to find, but the shapeshifter didnt care. Its ill-conceived expedition would definitely be worth it if it managed to secure, study, and replicate one of these sonic cannons. Its enthusiasm was only slightly curbed when it rembered that water conducted vibrations much better than air did. There was a good chance that this weapon wouldnt be nearly as powerful on dry land, but it was certainly worth a shot if nothing else.

Having decided to dismantle the castle-crab, Boxxy imdiately began planning on how to take it down. A brief glimpse with its Eyes of the Dead God revealed the creatures HP was only thirty thousand, though it might as well have been five tis that given how notoriously difficult it was to damage a golem. Its na, which was revealed to be CR-4B, seed like a serial number that implied this was neither the first nor the last of its kind. This would normally have been the point where Boxxy stopped to question who would have the technology to make this sort of thing, especially if it was more than four centuries old.

CR-4B sketch, by dmaxcustom