Book 2 Chapter 32 (Patreon)

The party met Professor Wolfhammer at the sixth-morning bell in front of the Department of Dungeon Studies’ main entrance. He led them through the giant main hall and between the grand staircases that led to the upper floors. They passed through heavy ashwood doors and into a section of the building Nox had never seen before. Dean Woodson and the long-dead builders who constructed the university’s central builder had integrated Ygg’s roots and trunk into the architecture. The wood added a natural warmth to the cold stone structure.

“Ygg is forever growing, right?” Lillin asked as they walked deeper into the building. A broad spiraling flight of stairs guided the party through the giant tree’s weaving roots. They passed other delvers wearing the university’s colors. Nox had read the dungeon had multiple entrances, and people not affiliated with the university used the two beyond the Nobles Quarter. “How has she not damaged the stonework?”

“Grandmother uses her magic to guide Ygg’s growth around the existing structure,” Caitlin answered. “When that’s not possible, she alters the building. Apparently, her father was a builder before he became a druid, and she learned a fair bit about engineering from him.”

“That’s Flint Woodson, right?” Lillin had taken an interest in the city's history and world tree. Since Nox didn’t need her help in the workshop anymore, she dedicated her time to exploring the university’s central library, focusing mostly on the history section. “The Houndsman and First Druid.”

“As far as we know, he was the first druid to come to our world, but he was still amongst the last,” Alexander said. “Some theories say he caused the godfall by dropping a lich on our heads and then came back with Ygg to rectify his mistake. If you're interested, grandmother can tell you a lot more than the old tomes. Bring her a bottle of fortified wine, and she’ll bore you to death with tales of her adventures and father.”

“Is it true that she’s not all human?” Nox asked. He had heard and read rumors on the matter but found no confirmation of them.

Caitlin nodded. “Grandmother’s origin universe had a plethora of human-adjacent races with varying arcane concentration. Apparently, they lived on disks instead of planets, but I think that’s just her exaggerating and pulling our legs. Her mother was high fae and stepmother a dryad.”

“I’d like to meet a dryad,” Ernest commented. “I read they could use complex life magic without complex runes or spellscripts. It was a part of their being. Some had the power to manufacture bodies—” He paused. “I’d appreciate it if we didn’t tell Michelle about this discussion. She gets gloomy when I discuss alternate bodies.”

“You’re much too yappy for this early in the morning,” Professor Wolfhammer said, ending their conversation. “Shut your gobs and prepare your minds for the delve.”

Professor Wolfhammer led them through several checkpoints to where the architecture and building materials changed to an older time. They moved from an almost humble granite fort-like structure to one decorated with worn marble and chipped obsidian. Everything felt familiar.

“Is it me, or does this place—”

“Remind me of Sundarshahar?” Lillin completed the thought for Nox. “It does.”

“There was once a lot of interbreeding between what is the current Imperium and the Daksinthanis,” Caitlin explained. “They had grand city-states before the god falls, Ygg, and the lich queen’s war. Sundarshahar and these ruins were their homes.”

“The creatures you encounter here are figures out of Daksinthani lore warped by the dungeon lord’s magic and court,” Professor Wolfhammer said. “You’re entering Nidhogg’s realm.”

“The serpent that gnaws on the world tree’s roots.” Lillin rolled her eyes. “I bet it was the All-Father’s cult that seeded this dungeon.”

“That’s the current theory.” The professor sighed.

“Since when is an overgrown serpent a god?” Lillin asked.

“The true gods, greater gods, or whatever you want to call them, are mostly dead and gone,” Professor Wolfhammer said. “Mostly. It's the lesser ones that remain and have engorged themselves on forgotten scraps of power. The story says Nidhogg is a lot more than a serpent or wyrm.”

“Wyrm is another word for dragon,” Caitlin added. “People before the godfalls thought dragons as good as gods.”

“Sailors still report sighting them across the western seas and along the northern permafrost,” Alexander said. “I’d love to contract one someday.”

“That’s how you get yourself killed, lad,” Professor Wolfhammer said. “The living dragons hate everyone that’s not one of them. I hear most have gone feral. Stick to your squirrels. They’re plenty strong already and will continue to grow. Keep your eyes open for a decent contractable tool or elemental instead of blighted dragons. Shush now.”

Delvers and students filled the dungeon’s first floor. Nox failed to sight any local flora, fauna, or traps. Instead, the area served as a hub for delvers preparing for their dive, filling holes in their party, or patrolling to extinguish any spark of life the dungeon lord spawned in the area. Guarded platforms stood in the middle of the room, and Professor Wolfhammer led the party to them. Once there, he summoned a seven-foot-tall human woman with four muscular arms and draped in wolf-furs. She carried a polehammer with the most detailed wolf motif Nox had yet seen.

“This is Joanna,” the professor said. “She is amongst the strongest of my summon partners and will act as your chaperone while in the dungeon. Follow her instructions and don’t argue. Joanna won’t help you unless you’re in mortal danger, so don’t use it as an excuse to go crazy either.”

“How deep are they going?” The guard manning the platform asked. Scars covered every inch of exposed skin, and her equipment suggested she had more delving experience than all of Nox’s party put together.”

“Down to level three. They’re almost adepts but not quite. Is it crowded down there?”

The guard nodded. “If you’re confident in their ability like the other lot, why not send them to level four? It’s on the lower end of adept, and it hasn’t changed much since Joana’s last visit.”

Professor Wolfhammer hesitated, looking over the party. Then he nodded. “Don’t let your brother get overconfident like the last time he was down there, alright? Lillin, be less aggressive and ensure your gravity traps don’t limit the vanguard’s movements. The corridors can get narrow, not leaving much room for maneuverability.” The older man glanced past Ernest, not giving him any pointers, and addressed Nox next. “I hope you’ve been training with Haste. Your use of the Artisan’s Arm is creative, but I’d suggest being more creative with Mage Hand. Given your arsenal of concoctions and essences, there is a lot you could do with them. It’s limiting you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Professor.”

The platform sunk into the ground once Professor Wolfhammer retreated, and the guard pulled a lever. Dark marble and obsidian surrounded the party, and luminous blue veins spiderwebbing through the surfaces illuminated Niddhogg’s domain.

“Caitlin and Alexander have been here before,” Ernest commented, turning to Nox and Lillin. He had the familiar coffin-shaped container on his back. “Are the two of you familiar with the dungeon’s inhabitants?”

“I read they’re like the asura and rakshas we encountered in our last rift but with reptilian qualities,” Nox stated.

“Draconian would be a more accurate adjective,” Caitlin said. “I learned that the hard way after one set my armor ablaze with fire breath.”

“We’ll let you lead the way.” Nox activated Ratra’s Bow and released the Artisan’s Arm as soon as the platform stopped moving. The vertical tunnel’s walls slid open, revealing a cavern so titanic Nox struggled to see the walls and floors. The luminous veins made judging distance impossible. Only a narrow bridge stood ahead of them. “Perhaps Ernest and you can serve as the vanguard. Lillin will watch our rear.”

Caitlin nodded. “Send out your scouts, Alex.” She grew as soon as they stepped onto the bridge. First, Caitlin’s skin turned sapling green. Then, it cracked, expanded, and darkened, adopting the familiar ashwood texture and color.

The elemental armor’s helm only covered her head's sides and back. Caitlin’s copper locks hung free from the top of her head. Nox assumed it was an aesthetic and comfort choice. When fighting Professor Wolfhammer’s summons, she would only leave enough face openings for her eyes and breathing. Nox guessed the full helm significantly limited her vision, and therefore, she used it when engaged in combat.

“You’re going to train against scaled patrols today,” Joana told them. “I believe you know the way, Woodsons.”

Alexander summoned six slender squirrels. Their white fur matched the pale polished marble, making the rodents hard to see. They were the same variant Alexander had lent Nox to serve as messengers. “Scatter,” he commanded, and they obeyed.

The party confidently marched forward, trusting Alexander’s scouting abilities. Annabelle’s Danger Sense was better at keeping the party safe. However, it only warned her about the presence of oncoming danger. She needed other spells and visual input to judge the nature and accuracy of the spell’s detections. Meanwhile, Alexander’s scouting squirrels had the power to send him images or brief recordings of audial information.

Relying on Alexander for protection felt like a silly idea. Nox estimated the squirrels had enough offensive power to defend against ordinary dungeon dwellers but not elites. He lacked Annabelle’s martial prowess and focused his talents on avoidance. If any threats got past the vanguard or descended on them from above, Nox would have to protect the both of them before Lillin came to their aid. He had gifted Alexander Annabelle’s old aether shield to buy time but didn’t trust the younger man to use it effectively. It annoyed Nox that he refused to train with the expandable spear and relied on a simple staff instead.

The party encountered their first foes within the first half an hour of their delve. The squirrels reported two squads of asura. They had ten specimens of varying sizes each. Given Alexander’s descriptions, they estimated at least two elites with one caster and one weapons master. Given Niddhogg’s influence, the party knew better to rely on scouting alone.

Their ambush failed.

The asura likely had an individual in the squad with enhanced senses. The squad stopped ten feet from where Ernest and Caitlin lay waiting, and the three-eyed asura in the back unleashed a beam of fiery yellow energy. It turned the marble into slag within seconds, forcing the waiting party to scatter. When two more asura revealed third eyes and contributed with identical but smaller arcane attacks, Nox rushed to the forefront.

The dungeon dwellers were smarter than foes they had faced before and knew to target Caitlin. Nox jumped in front of them with the new and improved Crystallized Essence. He got a neat mound of fire and another white essence glass in return.

“Duck!” Lillin yelled before sending her gravity spiral shooting over Nox’s head. A giant shield-wielding asura stepped in its past and kept the spell from reaching the backline. The magic mangled and then shredded its body before the mages resumed their attack.

Caitlin fled to cover, grabbing Nox as she moved. She got him to safety before the asura’s frontline reached them. Ernest met their charge with a giant glaive and tower shield. A slender, speedy dungeon dweller attempted to slip past his guard and lunged at him with katars. A fleshy tail burst from under Ernest’s tunic and plunged a thick spike into the asura’s gut.

The trio of concentrated beams ceased when Alexander’s lightning and muscle squirrels infiltrated the backline. They had moved along the sides and underside of the crisscrossing bridges and snuck behind the squad. The rodents knocked the mages down or stunned them momentarily, giving Nox the opportunity to take the largest of them out with a single empowered arrow. The elite asura, though powerful, lacked the resilience or regenerative power of Professor Wolfhammer’s summons. The disruption gave the party the time to regroup and attack the asura patrol as a unified front.