Dim, blue light filters in, bouncing and scattering across the obsidian walls of the cavernous tunnel winding up and out of view. The pale bone of a dead titan slowly narrows under the tightening grip of perspective projection as the group revolve the path carved into the black glass over centuries of traversal. Holes and openings litter the walls throughout their ascent, some breaching into a layer of grassy stone and allowing soft beams of white light to leak in and shimmer against the crystal. Up, and up, and up, the tunnel enduring their march with its scale. Lizards cling to the walls, many hiding in camouflage as they wait for prey, yet most choosing to elude or flee from the group as they near.
Interspersed holes and tunnels dot the walls, some leaking white light which bounces and reflects against the black glass, a few poking through and exposing the grassy plains beyond. As they continue travel up the spiral pathway melted into the tunnel walls, a hint of crimson leaks through the stone behind the obsidian, the gentle sign of a layer boundary before fading back to grey. Light waves in from above, gently oscillating under the occluding shade which complicates its shape. Two large crevasses reveal themselves in the walls, opening into familiar fields and forests, trees spreading their roots on the ceilings and brushing against the ground.
Goldy peers through to the lush forestscape, his thoughts abundantly clear to any. "Lyly. How long would you say it will take for us to get to the surface?" "Hm? If we really rush things we could make it in a few days, but that would probably involve busting through layers. At our current pace about a year. If possible though, I'd like us to aim for the year's end in one quart. I'm cooking up a little plan of action for our escape." "Enough time for a detour?" "We can spare a few days I guess... Just remember, we still have to find that enitheni stone the divine mould patch has. I have no idea where he is." Mould patch? "Let's go then. I'm sure visiting the human city again will be fun." "Monkeys. They're monkeys. How do you keep getting this wrong?" "Oh, right. I forgot. Anyway."
Aleph gallops through the gap, harsh stone and smooth glass giving way to loamy soil and soft grass. "Lead the way, Goldy. You know the place better than any of us." Goldy scampers from behind, catching up to grace her with a bow. "I am grateful."
Through the eyes of an agog elf
"It has been such a long time since I passed through here. It must be... ten cycles at least. The biodiversity of the fauna in these layers is truly second to none. There is an iridescent passerine which flares its wings and spins around branches to ward off predators, they have a very sweet flavour in their fat, and a crocodilian with the most amazing call, and taste incredible in a stew." Fluffy strolls jubilantly behind Muscles, his mind working in overdrive to formulate an ordered list of the most interesting creatures he remembers. Which is likely every creature he knows. "What's this about a city? I don't have a word for what you're describing, other than it being something similar to Gol Dhee." Tiny queries, skipping behind and hopping to his shoulders. Heavier than she looks.
"We're heading to Muscleses home. It's a nice place with truly excellent cooking. Their stews are to die for." "Huh... I've always wondered where he came from. Do all of his people use a deliberate accent like him?" "That's deliberate? I thought he just spoke like that because he's still learning Aoan." "Uh... Well it comes through in translation, so I'm pretty sure it's intentional." "Huh... The more you know... And his people don't speak Aoan, so it's only him that does it as far as I'm aware." Light begins to dim under layer after layer of leaves wavering above, their traversal bringing them into the edge of a dense forest. "Say... What do you think of Aleph?"
Fluffy looks to the dragon, fragments of a few thoughts winding together before returning his gaze ahead. "You realise she can probably hear us from here, right?" "Don't bring attention to that! Just answer!" She chides, her parsed voice a whisper. "Okay... What do I think? What do I think? I suppose she's something of an incomplete case study. Her biology is some of the most unusual I've seen." "That's it? A curiosity?" "Well, I suppose she'd make a good drinking buddy if she had hands. In fact, it's been a while since I last had mead. Labyrinth city is known more for their wines imported from north Centra, and have little else of note. The last mead I've had must have been..."
Tiny leans forward, her face blocking Fluffy's view as her eyes flatten into semicircles. "You realise that every time you talk about food I get weird translations of sensations that make no real sense to me, right?" "Oh. I thought translation was good enough to account for discrepancies like that." "That's the thing. It's too good. It recognises you're describing a concept I have no understanding of and can only give a rough estimate to remain accurate. How does it sound when I describe the flavour of the light here as narrow and esoteric?" That... um... Yea, that makes no actual sense. "Point taken."
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Through the eyes of a contemplative spider
The big problem will be the barrier. Any of my combat ready bodies will be detected if they get close to it, then the abandoned sock puppet will camp the inside where I can't hit him. Maybe my smaller bodies can manage something, but counter-runes are tricky and if I'm found he'll just have them swapped. There's also the issue of casualties. I don't particularly want mass murder on my resume. I could form a secondary shield to keep civilians in and rejected plushies out, but... there's too much that can go wrong there. If I can't lure him out it's useless, and I have no way of getting that much Mana inside to begin with. Unless... "Hey, dragon. Can you time travel at will?" "What? No." "Ah, damn. Thanks anyway." There goes that idea.
Through the eyes of an overwhelmed demon
Foliage grows thick as the group delve from forest to jungle, thick and tall plants reaching over the noisy elf to brush against Diala's head. Trees reach down from the ceiling to waver against the wind, some planting roots in the ground for stability and vibrating slightly under the persistent chatter. A vibrant cacophony of birds and rodents fluttering and scampering through the canopy, of growling predators and dashing prey brushing against the ground, all drowned out by the ceaseless prattling of an elf describing each one in tremendously obtuse detail. No phylum is left unmentioned, no order left without description in the unyielding, unprompted lecture.
How long has he been going? How long can he keep going? What is he even talking about anymore? I tuned him out ages ago. "... and so you see, the presence of numerous land-adapted echinoderms is a clear indication of the symbiotic evolution between..." Yep. I wonder if translation is broken, because I didn't understand a word. Okay, this just doesn't end. Can someone else just help me? Diala turns to the rest of the group, eyes bulging and shining into the best adorable face she can manage. Gol Dhee maintains his focus ahead, suspiciously avoiding looking back as he traces his route home, Lyla dangling below Aleph's chin by a thread, mind clearly elsewhere while the dragon seems to... actually listen to the ceaseless onslaught of biology? Huh... impressive.
No help from these guys, they're too cowardly to even look. Well, who knows? Maybe I'll get pulled away from him by an outside force. And so she is pulled away from him by an outside force. Huh... Well that was- Wait! That's not normal! Where am I- Diala comes face to face with the enamoured eyes of a brown-furred creature, gripping her by the head and poking her like a fun trinket, nails clinking against her crystal shell. Raising a hand, she waves at the curious furr-ball. "A strange thing..." "Um, hi?" "Haa!" The creature yells, releasing its grip and dropping her back onto the head of the elf. Clink! Flop! Her fall is joined by a startled brown blur, planting its face into the soft soil below as her landing is caught around Fluffy's neck.
Through the eyes of an intrigued monkey
"Young scout." Gol Dhee addresses, stepping back to loom over the younger ape. "Elder! King?! Elder?! Um... Who are you?" Thonk! The young scout cradles her head, the tremendous force of a light thunk rattling her feeble brain. "Fool. Collect your mind before you act. You should have been taught better." "But... you... The stone doll! It talked! That is strange!" Thonk! "Do not speak ill of what you do not understand. Where is your unit?" "They got lost." "And you?" "I would never get lost." "Then where are you?" "Just outside the city! I'm sure of it!" Thonk! "Fool. You are not even in the correct forest. Has your king not been teaching you? Perhaps he needs a lesson himself."
Gol Dhee lumbers away from the scout, resuming his trek home while she rubs a sore patch on her head and scampers behind. "Hey! Hey! You're him right? The old king? You look different... Bigger?" Do I? "You look smaller." "Ah, so that is how it is. I shrank! But everything else is the same size... The entire world mist have shrank except you! Wow, I'm so smart figuring this out on my own." "..." ... "So does that mean the big one over there is the emissary of the great shadow? I still have its inking!" The scout pulls out a sliced page from a location I do not wish to elaborate on, waving the ink-splotched parchment with unbridled glee. "Oh, I remember you. You've gotten bigger." The unknowable one remarks. "It speaks!" Thonk!
A second source of noise joins the fray, one asking endless questions while giving no time to answer while the other continues answering questions nobody asked. Must be soul mates. An eternity of headaches pass by, the forest opening to plains, shifting to swamp, and closing to jungle before a new gaze breaks the pattern. Gol Dhee peers up to the canopy, the vibrations of several breaths in the air. "Senior scouts. Show yourselves. We are no foe of yours." "King!" Five more apes drop from the trees, speckles of gold nestled within their fur. "You disrespect your king with such address. I am but a wanderer, nothing more." "Ah. You are right. So you will not reclaim the title?" "I only visit. Inform the king of my arrival. I wish to see him." "Of course, elder warrior."
The five scouts disappear into the trees, one briefly returning to yank away the young one before she can even ask for another autograph. "You say your people have no concept of names, but you ascribe titles to each other. Is there really a difference?" The fiery one queries from atop the warrior of green. "A title is a perception held by others, one which can be earned. A name is owned, a part of identity rather than outside perception." The unknowable one responds. "So it is." Gol Dhee affirms, clambering up the canopy to a smooth platform of wood and letting down a rope. The warrior of green pulls himself up the offered rope, crystal companion carried along while the unknowable one takes the simple approach of walking up. Vertically.
"We are here." He remarks, turning his eyes to his home once more.
