Traverse the Layers

“How can you help? No offense, Kara, but you’re dumb.” You offered as kindly as you could. She did not seem offended or flustered at your accusation as she usually would be. She did not try to pounce on you or gnaw on your arm in retribution. You were feeling suspicious.

“Are you possessed? You don’t feel the same.”

“Hm?” She cocked her head to one side quizzically.

Jeane reluctantly chimed in. “If she were possessed she would feel different to me. I would know. It is not that. If anything she feels a little more like herself than usual.”

“A little more like herself?”

“Spiritually.”

“Aaah… What’s up with that?” You asked her directly.

Kara raised her hands. “I dunno~”

“Yeah… that seems more like her.” You grumble, scratching your head.

“Alright, what insight you got, Kara?”

“Mmm, well, it kinda seems like this spot’s been sealed for a long time. But so long as we find some of the natives they’ll know the ways to get to the surface in another location guaranteed, because they also wanna get out.”

“That… is a simplistic plan, and I hate to admit that it makes quite a bit of logical sense.” Jean grumbled.

“Just one problem. I don’t wanna go out, I wanna go deeper.”

“Eh!?” Kara gasped.

“You knew this. Were you not listening?” You questioned, walking past.

“Let’s find someone we can question. Stands to reason that they might also know a way to go deeper.”

“Eh…?” Kara looked to Jeane, then Heilan questioningly as they both walked past her to follow you. Reluctantly she stared at the sealed door before jumping at a noise in the darkness to chase after you as well.

“Wait up!” You noticed her again when she came up from behind and needily latched on.

“This is more like you.” You commented.

“Mmm… What is?” Kara asked cluelessly.

“Just now you were acting weird.”

“Howzat?” She blinked.

“Nevermind. Silly girl.” You shrugged, pulling her along.

“Mm?” Kara tilted her head curiously in the other direction but let it go as you gave her head an affirming pat.

“Ah~”

The layout of the dungeon was both straightforward and perplexing. With a low, cave-like ceiling of hard blue-ish-gray stone it was like traversing a tunnel. On the other hand, the space around them was opened up so wide that they had no solid direction and no compass of where to go, save for ‘away.’ The landscape, of what could be seen through the liberal use of torches and magical scouting, was that of normal countryside but with much of the grass replaced by stone. There were the occasional flat patch in the dips between rolling stone hills. The most jarring thing was the ceiling of the Layer Dungeon that seemed to almost mirror the floor.

You spend quite a bit of time with no direction and no contact with anything for better or for worse. Gradually as your natural fuel dwindled Jeane found fuel from the native fauna and slowly but surely your orange flame that had glowed bright turned to a dim and eerie blue. This was by the end of the first few days of treading the Layer. The days where you had begun to feel a bit tired, which then cascaded to Kara being tired and latching onto you more. It is while drooling on your shoulder one day when you lifted your fist in a stopping motion to all those behind you while crouching. Jeane stepped forward and stared down to see bouncing blue lights in the distance.

“Imps. They tend to live in large communities near the surface. This bodes well.”

“Can they be communicated with?”

“In a sense… Imps are diplomatic with single men.”

You narrow your eyes. “Single men?”

“It’s a long story. Do you really want to be educated on the mating practices of imps at this time?”

You eyed the bouncing blue lights of torches getting closer. “Probably not… especially since they seem to be coming towards us. Did we snuff out our light?”

“Of course. We should start moving in the dark carefully just to try and throw them off.” Heilan suggested.

“Gal. Imp na rouse soll la Dizarae. Imp sul na Kourant.” A soft but husky voice whispered in the dark behind you.

“Huh? Who’s talking like that? You turned to see a towering figure standing behind a shaking Jeane. The elf reluctantly translated.

“I-It said: ‘It is useless. They have been tracking your bright light like I have. They are using lights because it is now a hunt.’” You are as stunned as Jeane is frightened.

“What- Who is this?”

“D-Deamhaine.” Jeane offered anxiously. She jumped as a large but feminine clawed hand rested on her shoulder. The person bent forward and made a clear hand-gesture back the way you came.

“I don’t understand.” You whispered.

“What’s that and why are you scared?”

“D-Deamhaine are barbaric denizens of Deamonkine. Even… No, especially Deam tend to covet and fear them.”

The figure sighs, turning to walk away. You can make out heavy yet elegant footfalls and the swinging of a thick tail back and forth as the figure struts off, saying.

“Theme Rouse na Dizarae. Dizarae gal.”

Jeane gulped, repeating. “She said. “Hurry with me or be found. I don’t care.”

You glanced back at the imps, then at the earnest figure swiftly moving away and made the obvious choice.

“Let’s go.” You led the way in following after the figure with the blue lights fading behind you. You were moved in unintuitive directions into the steep hills that seemingly had no viable path when you were traversing them yourself. The thing found a way to bring you through until finally reaching a cave where, upon entering a curtain was pulled, revealing an ambient blue light. You were ushered into the rounded cavern dwelling with the Deamhaine coming after. It was there that you could finally make her out.

A tall, over seven-foot figure with definite feminine features. Wide hips tapering into thick, strong thighs and clawed digitigrade feet. She had an impressive chest contained by crude leathers, and a leather loincloth between her legs. She had purple and red markings running up her back and neck and down her strong arms to clawed hands. Her face had an otherworldly attractiveness with sharp red eyes, a narrow nose and plump purple lips. Her hair was platinum blonde and sprouting from her forehead on either side were two elegant black curved horns with thick ridges. Behind her as she moved you could make out a heavy tail that avoided the ground despite being long enough to touch it generously.

“Jeane can we maybe find a way to communicate without having you translate?”

“Working on it… momentarily.” She was concentrating deeply, then as the Deamhain opened her mouth Jeane opened her eyes and raised a hand towards the creature. It promptly smacked her upside the head, interrupting the shaping.

“Ow!” She whined, holding her head.

“Why!?”

“Nul’na Figura Dizarae nul’feaes.” She uttered calmly.

Jeane reluctantly parroted. “Sh-she said: ‘Don’t cast spells on me without warning…’”

“Noted…” You sighed, facing the woman despite the fact that she stacked up to you quite favorably in all respects.

Jeane turned to her and tried to plead something to her. The Deamhaine lifted a brow before offering a faint shrug.

“Yaj.”

Jeane translated. “She said: ‘yeah.’”

“I think I got that…” You remarked. In the background Kara was snickering while trying and failing to latch on to Heilan.

Jeane tried again to Shape her spell with permission. Finally after it worked the woman stared down at you and motioned to herself.

“I’m Dizarae.”

You did the same. “Fio- Fin.”

“I wish I could say it was a pleasure, Fio Fin.”

“Just Fin…” You rubbed your eyes.

“Hm. Make up your mind.” Dizarae asked firmly.

“It’s Fin!”

“Very well.”

“Why’re you mad?”

“You lead imps into my territory with your surface light. Light of any kind down here is something to pay attention to, but red, orange or white lights from the surface area juicy to many who live down here. Now imps that had no business in this area before are looking for you so they can use you.”

“For what?” You questioned.

“Since you are male, you will be treated… relatively well. All of your female friends would likely be corrupted into imps, however.”

You blinked, feeling a bit panicked because you were also female. “S-sorry… what? How?”

“How is not necessarily important.”

“How is it not important!?”

“Don’t get caught, dumbass.” She scolded coarsely, sneering. In her sneer she flashed large white fangs within her mouth.

“Stay one night and then we will be moving on.”

“We?”

“Thanks to you I need to move, too. If you want to follow or not it is up to you. I will not slow down, I will stop when I want to. Your pace is dictated by my own so follow well or be left behind to your own chances.”

“Where are you headed?”

“Somewhere else.”

You backed up to confer with your party while Dizarae plopped down to rest. “Anywhere might be okay for right now.” You suggested.

Jeane cringed. “Deamhaine are a very sketchy people. They tend to be crazy, reclusive and berserk. She hit me on my head…”

“She had a reason. Also, she seems capable.” Heilan observed.

Kara licked her like. “I like her~” You narrowed your eyes suspiciously until Jeane explained.

“Deamhaine have a paradoxical structure. They are dual-entities of Soma and Aura. She thinks she will have a new target for her Soul sucking, but is just going to get poisoned.”

“Huh?” Kara blinked.

“Nevermind. Go ahead and try.” Jeane offered.

“Don’t try.” You groaned, trying to think.

“She knows where she’s going enough to get us out of our current predicament, but who knows if she’s taking us where we want. Plus, who knows if her pace is something we can keep up long-term.”

“Fair. I am against it. I can negotiate with Imps through my Patron, I think…” Jeane suggested.

Heilan rolled her eyes. “Follow, obviously.”

You looked to Kara who frustratingly said. “Split opinion. I’m tired, but also don’t wanna be poisoned.”

“Wow… So it’s up to me again.”

***

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."