Into the Breach

The choice was made to descend into the Incursion. The space accessible by the surface that is colloquially referred to as a dungeon. The space that had been guarded for centuries, but only from threats leaving. As you descend into the very belly of the coliseum you find a spiraling path leading down with holes big enough to shoot through lining battlements that had long-since gone unguarded.

“They’re not too worried.”

“That is because this place is a ****-trap for Deam. There are likely measures further down that, when tripped, alert those on guard. Plus, you remember how my curse affected the walls. It stopped at the beam. The bones of this structure are protected against the forces below and it probably only grows stronger as we go down.” It was the truth. You were seeing less and less broken walkways as you descended the shallow ramp that circled the huge chasm.

“Smells bad down here…” Kara groaned.

“She just doesn’t like the ambient Mana soaking up from below. I can already feel it and I find it quite nice.” Jeane taunted.

“That’s enough, you two. Come here.” You grabbed Kara, causing her to flush and shudder a little as you kept her beside you. Her ears perked up and she donned a catlike expression, taking the opportunity to cling to you when able.

Jeane narrowed her eyes. “Why do you baby her in such a way?”

“Because she’s a bit slow, and also still my responsibility.” You offered bluntly. Kara looked over, shocked.

“What? You’re the one that acts like a tame beast.”

She grumbled, her ears drooping. “Can be less well behaved…”

“Nope.” You asserted, sliding your hand down to her hip to keep a good hold on her. Her tail began to wag back and forth behind you.

Eventually you all reached the bottom. It was a surprisingly anti-climactic end to such an incredible hike when you were witness to a cold, quiet, dark cavern at the bottom. Walking around within it there were many, many broken sets of armour, but the bones must have been moved. There were at least a few pieces of siege equipment and fallen bolts that fit. The darkness was barely pierced by the lanterns you all brought, and walking through the centre made it feel like there was an infinity surrounding you since you could not see the walls. Eventually you crossed the no-man’s land and found a thick double-door sealed by three solid steel beams bent so as to not be able to be removed. The door itself was of the same material. You felt it and Jeane stood far back from it.

“Ugh… it’s so pure.””

You tried to move one of the beams or bend it back with no luck. “Damn… is this really where we’re gonna get held up?”

“There is possibly nothing we can do. Soma that is infused in constructure with the purpose of increasing hardness and flexibility makes it nearly impossible to break by physical means.”

“Is there really nothing we can do?”

As you were both talking Kara walked up to the door, eyes wide with wonder. She sniffed it once then began to rub up against it like a cat. She placed both hands on one of the beams, then squished her cheek into it happily.

“So nice and warm~”

You both peered at her. “I guess she’s being treated to a full-course dinner.” You looked up.

“It’ll take a while to weaken these. Until we do, I think we camp here at the bottom.”

“What if they come?” Jeane asked.

“Why would they assume we came down here instead of simply leaving into the city? We have at least a day or two.” You settled down in place and began to make a fire out of the scraps of old, dry wood. Nervous about it being seen from the top you made a contraption, much to the dismay of Jeane, that suspended her big wide hat from the top with string so that the light of the fire would be blocked from above.

“Why always me?” She whined dejectedly.

“These hats are surprisingly really useful for so many things, I can see why you Mages wear them.” You commented idly. In the background, eliciting a faint sob from the elf.

“It will smell like smoke for days, my hat is not a chimney.”

You heated some of the rations over the fire while in the background Kara all but licked at the door and the bars. She had eventually just curled up next to it with a contented smile.

“What’s for dinner?” Heilan asked.

“Rati- Ah!” You jumped, nearly falling into the fire. Heilan pulled you backwards while Jeane caught her hat from falling in via the unsupported mechanism. ‘Monster’ she mouthed at you as you stared back at the dogfolk like someone that had just been caught after hours by their parents.

“What the hell are you doing here!? How?”

Heilan calmly pointed to her nose. “Sniffer.”

“Dammit…” You discreetly reached for your sword. She just sighed and held up both hands.

“Relax.”

“What do you mean Relax? You’re not on our trail? You’re not gonna turn us in?”

She plopped down cross-legged by the fire and nodded. “I am on your trail, but I can’t catch you all and bring you in as you are now, so I’m just gonna keep an eye on you.”

You squinted at her. “I think we’re going to break through that sealed door any hour now.” Heilan leaned to look around you at Kara, then shrugged.

“Oh… wait. You also have a sibling in the Layers, don’t you?” Heilan looked away at that suggestion.

“Interesting… okay. I’ll allow it.”

“Gee, thanks.” She pumped her fists in the air, her tail whipping back and forth. You could see that regardless of the reason, she was genuinely pleased so there was not much more to say.

“So now we just wait.”

“How do we know it will work?” Jeane asked.

“These are strong be-” One of the beams cracked loudly, falling to either side of Kara’s peacefully sleeping form. The moment it fell a wreath of blue light shot up the full length of the hole, illuminating it along the way, then a low horn blared from above.

“That would be the security…”

“Shit! It took and hour just for the one!”

“I don’t really get it, but she weakened it, right? That means the door near where she’s asleep should be weaker, too.” Heilan suggested, moving to one side.

“Good point.” You moved to the other and together the two of you bent the corners of the door enough for you all to crawl through.

“Ladies first.” You stated, grabbing the sleeping Kara under the arms and just feeding her through. With two hands on her butt her tail perked to attention and with one push she was through. Heilan was staring at you.

“Lady.”

“Sh-shut up and go through!” Heilan nodded and crawled through the crack, her hips getting stuck. Instead of pushing she flopped defiantly and stopped moving. Her legs bent up. You rolled your eyes and did the same for her that you did for Kara. Two hands on her rear, you pushed her through. Jeane glared at you and just easily slithered her lithe frame through the opening, hat first. As you were about to go through you heard a whistling from above, then a loud crash as something landed in the centre of the room. Dust blew the fire out, enveloping you in a sudden, deep darkness since your eyes had not adjusted. As you stared into the dark you first made out two glowing blue eyes in the blackness, then the sound of a sword unsheathing unveiled the figure of Teuta in full armour. The Energy Emanating from her sword created a blue light that, unlike the lanterns, reached all the walls and cast shadows like you were underwater.

Maybe she’ll understand.

“Does an agreement mean NOTHING to you!?” She said coarsely, breaking into a full sprint.

“Shit!” You dove through, looking back to see an arm pawing around for you. After a few seconds it clenched into a fist and slammed the ground. Abruptly it the grabbed the edges of the pushed in door and pulled them back, closing it.

“Huh? Why’d she do that?”

“Because she can’t chase us without leaving an open breach unguarded. She’s gotta wait anyway.” Heilan reasoned.

“We should still go, though. You guys look a little light. You brought supplies, right?”

“Yeah, we’re not stupid.” You derided.

Heilan eyed all of you up and down. Kara was dressed in basically nothing, you were in a squire uniform, Jeane wore robes and her hand was empty.

“Where?”

“Right-” You stopped and looked at the door, then pointed, smiling awkwardly.

“Uhm… right through there by the fire.”

“What!!!???” Jeane screamed.

“Mmnn… Why so loud?” Kara wondered, still waking up from her post meal nap.

You dropped to your hands and knees and began to sweat bullets. “Th-that’s okay. We can live off the land.”

“You know how to do that?” Heilan asked. You looked up at Jeane in response, who glared down at you.

“I technically know, but you are all probably dead, even with my knowledge. Idiots. Stupid idiot.” She muttered.

“Wow. This is pretty dire. I can help, I guess~” Kara said in a more lucid tone than she had ever used before. Her expression was masked by the enveloping shadows that surrounded you all in the terrible cavern, but you could make out a smile, similarly to how you could detect Jeane glaring at you. All of you stared at Kara.

“Uuuh…”

***

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this story and want to read more of it, more Chapters are currently available to read at https://www.patreon.com/TVWintergreen I upload new chapters every week day with extra content also being released constantly to my discord for Extra Tier Members."