Becoming Monsters: in the Mirror

This is still a story of the Becoming Monsters universe by Ai Loves, setting used with permission. All canonical and mechanical errors are my own. The yarrb is the creation of FelisRandomis, used with permission.

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Chapter 30: Debts Repaid

Fourteen of us ended up walking through the Dungeon Gate. Guild Leader Weiss and I took point, both ready and on a hair trigger. Our people followed us, keeping a sharp eye out and using every means they had to scout. The ground and walls of the Labyrinth were not particularly friendly footing, there was not a flat surface beneath our feet. A Delver who had once been a biologist a lifetime ago likened it to the insides of blood vessels. The tunnels were large, uneven rocky tubes, occasionally merging into larger arterial paths or collecting into open rooms.

Worse, they shifted over time. Here, near the Main Gate, it was a slow change, almost glacial. Given the heavy traffic the area got, anything significant was noted exceedingly quickly as well. Other areas might change slowly or quickly, it all depended which. Hundreds of people had postulated thousands of theories as to what caused certain areas to shift and how, but in the end nobody had ever been conclusively proven right. It amounted to superstition, prayer, and maps that were updated with every delve that came back to the gate.

One person, long ago, had decided to try an ability that let him dig through the rocky tunnel walls. We do not speak of his fate.

The entire Labyrinth was fairly flat, not varying more than a few feet up or down. The only exception to this was the Doorways. Portals marked with nearly indecipherable script and images, which led to stairways down into the biomes of the Depths. The most famous of these, the Mushroom Stair, passed on our left. All of them shared one thing, they required a Key. We did not have one of them (at least, I HOPED nobody here randomly brought Door Keys to first-floor rescues), but unless things went much further sideways than even I thought they would, having one was pointless.

Everything was lit by a light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. There were not torches, nor balls of light hanging up anywhere, but everyone always cast a shadow that pointed away from the main gate.

Being here was bringing back memories. Not all good ones, either. Deaths among the Surface dwellers to dungeon monsters were uncommon, even in this time of rising danger. Deaths among the Delvers? It was a rare month where nobody left at least a limb down here. Starting

Shield Against Shadows

was not the first thing I ever did as a Delver. The

Raiders

I started with, though, no longer existed. Of their number, I was the last one left alive. More keep coming, though, the promises of power, wealth, and renown driving even those who did not need to back into the Depths.

At least a half-dozen times, some minor threat decided to try to attack us. Whether it thought it could get the element of surprise, badly underestimated what our strikers could do to them, or just didn't have enough mind to care, they all fell rapidly. I'm sure someone in the column behind us picked up the copper coins and common reagents. The only one I bothered with was a shard of onyx from the eye socket of a skeleton.

Weiss, though quiet for the first part of the march, started talking after we had been underground for about ten minutes. "Anything I need to know about what might be waiting for us?"

"My wife is a Succubus, and those almost never emerge from the Dungeons in a monstrous form. At least, not that we know of. Limited shapeshifters, powerful illusionists, and a deep well of emotion and dream manipulation powers. They're most famous for inspiring feelings of lust, but they have been known to utilize fear, awe, and even bliss. Most dangerous weapon they have is a life drain, but they can only employ it by tricking a victim into an act of passion. They can't just wrestle you for a kiss, you have to kiss

them

. Lucy in particular is armed with a mithril-core combat staff and a LOT of fire and force magic, she is my main mystic Striker."

"I'd assume the monster we fought outside was not a lot like your healer, though, so I'm going to pray that the last bit doesn't come true. Last thing I want is to have to slice my way through a firestorm."

"And believe me, I don't want you to have to, either. Especially since it's my wife at the other end of it."

He was silent for a few more steps. "Kithkin, you do realize that we are at a massive disadvantage, here. It may come time that decisive action is the only way for me to save my own people."

"Guild Leader Weiss. I have, so far, managed to save six out of six of the victims of this curse I have come across. Seven, if you count your own main tank. If you are going to suggest that I permit your definition of 'decisive action' to occur, we are going to have a problem. I will get you to your people, but now? Now I can't trust you in the fight itself, should she ambush us while you are still with the team."

His eyes narrowed. "Be reasonable. You would do the same thing were our positions reversed."

"You asked me, a few minutes ago, how my team became as good as we are so fast. Consider for me, one of the answers to that question is that no, I would not. If that were the case, Emily and Lucy would not have been in position to be hit with this. I would have let you rescue your own, likely at the cost of some of your team's lives, and not risked my exceedingly valuable and rare Surface Hunters. I will not argue with you on how you run your Guild, you have done well by any measure, but if you suggest for one moment that I do any less than lay down my life for her, should it mean her freedom? You do not know me. I will ask the same thing of your people as I did last time. Defend from attack, offensive actions to repel and reduce defenses, disable and hinder, then let me finish the job."

"Fine. We do this your way, Kithkin. If you go down, though, while my people are still under threat? The choice between your Sorceress and my team will be an easy one for me to make."

We walked in silence for a while. His team did not contain any Demonics, and though mine did their Auras were smoothed out evenly enough after the walk that it didn't interfere with me. Should Lucy come to ambush us, my ability to see her would likely be the deciding factor. It wasn't all that much longer before we got to the first large room.

The floor was relatively flat, the ceiling domed, the room fifty feet across. Six tunnels split off from it. This intersection was significant, though, because it was where we had expected to find the distressed team. Where the rescuers had come to first. There was nothing here, no sign of any kind of encampment.

"Gloria, take Whitney with you. Amber, with Paige. Pick a tunnel and scout. Strikers, you are their second pair of eyes, and backup muscle if you find any minor or moderate threat. Anything serious, or if you find Lucy, try to kite them back to me. I will stick to base camp here. Any questions?" They all shook their heads. "One last thing. You find anything,

anything at all

, you cannot readily identify? You steer way clear. We still do not know what got the others, or what got you all the first time around, and I'd rather not have to repeat any of those experiences. Be back within twenty minutes. Timer starts

now

."

They moved quickly, so did a couple of

Golden Age

teams. Nobody was taking chances. I heard a voice from behind me, a timid one. "Sir? Mr. Kithkin?"

I looked. Though I could see Guild Leader Weiss well past him, the man before me was Mark. Foresight specialist, wayfinder, and diviner. "Yes?"

"I'm used to being invisible, sir. Boss put me there with you two in case I got a sniff of our targets. Still nothing on them, but... I get to hear things. And, you know, you get a feel for things. You weren't lying, were you? You'd go out there and lay down your life if it meant your Sorceress came home."

"No, I was not lying. I do not lie if I can avoid it. I consider it my duty to any one of my seven guildmates, but Lucy? She is my wife. I swore to defend her to my last breath and drop of blood a long time before I joined any Guild, much less founded my own. I proposed to her on the day of the Change, and I consider the Change to be the lesser of the two events. If by my death I knew she would be safe? I would die, and do so with a smile on my lips."

"I don't hear that too often. Not from people who mean it."

"Then I'm glad you heard it at least this one time. By the by, just a hunch, but how is Stephen doing?

Flight of Fury

's Dimensional Magus?"

"Flew home yesterday evening and said he'd be back when he felt like it, and not before. Haven't seen him smile like that in a while."

"Good to hear. I figured you two would move in similar circles."

A deeper voice from my left indicated that the Gargoyle Guild Leader had come back around. "Kithkin, you trying to poach my people?"

"Nope. My rolls are closed for the moment, other than a Protectorate I'm going to add as soon as I can. This was just a chat. Mark knows a certain someone I gave advice to recently, and I was making sure it turned out well. I find that following through on these things reduces headaches down the line, especially since it was for a friend."

"When are your teams due back?"

I checked my watch, thankful that such things still worked Underground. "About another three to five minutes. My strikers will keep the searchers moving. What's going on?"

"We got a hit, two paths counterclockwise from the one we came in. One of my team's gear bags, and a chalk mark. We know which intersection they intended to stop at."

"Good. I'll definitely feel more secure once the teams are consolidated. Any clue what got to them?"

"Not yet."

"So we're still having to keep eyes open on all spectra, got it." The teams assembled once more before too much longer, and we set out down the new path. The ambient light was dimmer, here, the passage a hair more narrow. I could see the faint flicker of my team's auras as they re-synchronized, as the

Golden Age

members paid them more attention. The tunnel twisted much more than the first few we had traveled.

I heard a sound from ahead, a rapid

clop clop clop

of someone running. The party heard it, getting ready for what may come. Around the bend ahead came a single figure. A horned woman, red-skinned, carrying a staff, running to us. A very strong demonic Aura was around her.

Lucy!

I dropped my baton, not bothering to shove it in a pocket, and ran forward. She came to me, leaping into my arms. As she snuggled into me, I could smell the spicy scent of her hair, marred by sulfur and smoke. She was crying. The others behind me might as well not have existed, I had her.

"Shhh, Lucy, it's okay. I'm here. What happened? Why are you alone?"

I felt her shrink in on herself a bit. "The group? They're up ahead, a lot of people are hurt."

That meant a lot of really bad things given how the last hour of my life had gone. "Okay. Let's get them and get out of here. You're safe, love."

She shuddered. I made sure to keep her under my arm as we walked back to the group. I picked up my weapon and updated Weiss, my other ladies hugging Lucy and speaking reassurances. Lucy seemed confused and disoriented, her Aura not really syncing up with the others like before. Whatever happened down here, it was bad. There would be tears this night, but holding her would be the cure. At least, the start of it.

I gave Weiss the updates. "Kithkin, it looks like our discussion earlier was moot. We need to hoof it, though, sounds like it's a case for evacuation. We have the personnel for that much."

"I think you're right. We can talk about other subjects later, for now we know where the distressed party is."

Knowing our objective was close, everyone started moving much more quickly. Paige had a not-so-subtle assist, utilizing her own new Dance briefly to speed the party along. Lucy was sweating hard by the time we got to the next major room, the raw memories here could not be easy on her.

This intersection was smaller than the one we had just left. Perhaps thirty feet across, with only four outlets. In the center was a circle of unconscious forms, perhaps six or seven of them. To one side, two others lay still. Standing with them were two familiar forms.

The first was a tall, blade-armed insectoid, looking worn out and hypervigilant. Vish, my friend and old guildie, who had called me almost eight hours ago. The other was clad in full plate, large shield and sword in hand, nearly as tense as his counterpart. Blonde hair showed from under his helmet. George Godfrey, the Knight in shining armor. He was the first to spot us. "Boss! Leader Kithkin! Man, are we glad to see you!"

Weiss surveyed what he saw. "Godfrey, status report."

The Knight's posture stiffened up. "Yes, sir! I found the initial party and have been guarding them since! All eight are accounted for, six unconscious and two deceased. Rich and Williams, sir, this was their Trial run. Vish got here later, dragging Yasmin. We sent a Messenger Bird hours ago, but if you're just getting here it must have been stopped."

Weiss nodded. "Vish, report."

"Sir! I linked up with Emily and Lucy from

Shield Against Shadows

, we descended around 5 this morning. Before we could find the group, we were ambushed. It called darkness and fear on us before I could identify it, something scaly. By the time it cleared, Emily and Lucy were missing and Yasmin was unconscious, the assailant gone. Looks like you found Lucy. The party is showing signs of severe energy drain as well as both concussive force and burns, two are dead and at least two more might never delve again."

Weiss swore vehemently. "This was supposed to be a milk run. We can analyze it later.

Golden Age

! Prepare to transport the victims. We will honor the dead as our own, they earned that much."

I looked to my own group. "Whitney, Paige, your strength will be needed. I'd ask Lucy, but right now she's too shaken for it. Everyone else, you need to be at front and flanks on the way back. If you see anything moving that isn't a person, no quarter. If it's scaly, call out the SOS and don't hold back. Clear?" They understood.

As most of

Golden Age

prepared their injured for transportation, three plus Guild Leader Weiss stripped the dead of their equipment. When they were done, Weiss placed a Guild Badge on the center of each of their chests. "May all present know that, having given their lives to the Guild and its cause, Recruits Richard Armand and Eugene Willams are acknowledged and entered into the eternal rolls of

Golden Age.

We honor them as we have honored those before them. The Dungeon has claimed their souls, by my hand their bodies return to dust, here to stay alongside their predecessors. Upon my office, I do so swear that their next of kin will receive their effects and honors. Until the Golden Age dawns."

A chorus from the others as they paused their tasks in observance. "We fight through the night." With a clenched fist, Guild Leader Weiss called fire. A funeral pyre consumed the two bodies, reducing them to ash in moments.

The rest of our preparations were brief. Victims loaded on stretchers, rapid examinations as fast as possible. A couple of potions and ointments were applied, some belated first aid for obvious wounds. There wasn't much else we could do before marching back the way we came.

It was slower, it was more cautious, and it was a lot more nervous. Every sneeze, every groan, every whispered direction sent a ripple of panic through the people there. An eternity later we emerged, blinking into the late afternoon sun. Those who remained behind cheered, until they saw our grim faces and burdens. Especially the two black bags containing the effects of the two fallen Delvers.

Sarah still had an unconscious Emily at the Aid Tent. My checks on them were mercifully brief. Sarah was fine, and probably could have come with us had I not needed eyes on Emily. Emily was showing no wounds, and was breathing easily. "Ladies, let's get home. It is late, and we all need rest." There was no objection. We left

Golden Age

to take care of their own, the hazard was past.

It was with relief that we got home, laying Emily on her bed. Nobody had much energy for food, we all kind of fended for ourselves from the (yummy) stocks of leftovers. We sat, we made small talk. Nibbles hopped back onto my lap, seemingly nervous about something. A couple slices of bacon eased his nerves, though when Lucy reached over to pet him she jerked her hand back with a hiss of pain. A drop of blood decorated the tip of her right forefinger, where it had found one of his quills.

Considering that was the worst wound on her from that day? I'd take it. We all took it as a sign that the night was at an end. Though early, we were tired.

In the bedroom, Lucy was stumbling around, look of consternation on her face, as though she couldn't remember where any of her things were. She solved it by deciding to sleep naked, and inviting me to join her. I did so, happily. I was glad she was there, where she could lightly tease me to hardness as we fell asleep. Tonight wasn't the night, but perhaps tomorrow would be.

In my dreams, I stepped out onto a flat plane. It was onyx-black, under a starless night sky, such that it was almost impossible to tell one from the other. No features dotted the distance, no moon shone above. Nothing to distinguish one direction from another. I set out to walk in a random direction, trusting that I would find

something

out there to mark my way.

It may have been minutes or days later that I found what I was searching for. The skies remained empty, but a lake of dark waters marred the perfect smoothness of the ground. It was a deep body of water, but I could see that the shores of black sand descended quite a distance before the waters began. It was not full, not even halfway there. I felt a connection to it, and sat down to meditate upon it.

As I gazed on it, I noticed that the level of the water was dropping, fast enough to be visible from high on the shore, as I sat at the edge of the onyx plain before it turned to sand. I heard a sound, the first that I had other than my own breathing since coming here. A slow cadence of footsteps.

Clop, clop, clop

.

A sultry, whispering voice came to me. "At last, I have you alone."

I stood and turned, expecting to see my wife. She had, after all, long been featured in my dreams. Though what was before me was a Succubus, it was not her. The demoness stood over seven feet tall, short for her kind but larger than me. Her skin was a smooth blue-purple, her eyes a blank white. Huge black horns adorned her head, huge black wings sprung from her back, and her legs terminated in black hooves. Her body was dripping with sex appeal that confounded even the deepest recesses of adolescent fantasy, breasts nearly covering her torso down to her belly button, her hips and thighs wide and begging for others to come to her. Her features were inhumanly beautiful, promising delights beyond mortal ken.

A voice in the back of my head was screaming at me, I was in danger beyond anything I had faced this past month. The rest of me was doing its best to ignore that screaming voice. I found that I was nude, my erection growing painfully hard. I heard myself say, as if on its own, "who are you?"

She stepped forward towards me. She was only a few feet away, now. "I am the one who is currently having sex with your very willing yet unconscious form in the waking world. You are here with me, where your friends cannot reach. After so many attempts, I'm the one who finally got you, Jeremiah Kithkin."