12 Miles Below

“You want to blow up the tower?” I gave the cargo of grenades and explosives a critical look over. They were large ones, the type that would barely fit in my hand. Too heavy to fly anywhere too. Jumbo-sized grenades. “Not complaining, any kind of explosion will always get two thumbs up from me, but wouldn’t that go a step past the non-lethal agreements you have?”

Rashant gave me a strange look, which was more of a sideways beak turn. “While your idioms are still confusing to completely understand, I believe you’re assuming these are high yield explosives?”

“Are they not?” I turned slightly to Cathida who’s avatar had her arms folded and was watching the scene. She turned back to me with a shrug.

“They’re not explosives.” Rashant said. “They’re smoke dispensers. When placed at the bottom of the tower, they will rise upwards and overwhelm the defenders. Odin cannot stay within smoke for very long, they will be forced to abandon the tower while equally leaving it mostly unharmed.”

“Ah, that does make more sense.” I said.

“Do I hear a note of disappointment in your tone deary?” Cathida added.

Wouldn’t say disappointment exactly, I still needed to get in contact with the Icon again, and also needed map data for where the nearest fountain sites were to power up my original cells. The original plan was still the original plan: Get to the Icon, have her help me contact Wrath.

Once Wrath was on her way here, or I found a way back, we’d be good to continue the path Abraxas had set out. Gods, felt like a lifetime ago now with everything going on. Can’t walk two steps underground without three thousand and one side quests and dangers to avoid.

“What do the deadlanders need me to do?” I asked, turning my attention back to the little group here. They needed me for something, otherwise they’d have already set the charges themselves in the tower.

Had a feeling I’d be playing the forward linebreaker in one strange hangerball match here.

“The captain explains that by themselves, they would find it impossible to place the devices without strong defense. And even if they could, the enemy would seal off entryways to block the smoke. However, you could cut through the window planes, and directly place the devices within the area. And being immune to smoke yourself, you could keep a hand on the device to defend it from sabotage attempts.”

Not the forward linebreaker, the goalkeeper then. “So I grab these, toss them into the tower, shoo away any Odin trying to defuse them, and then move on to repeat the task a few times over?”

Rashant turned to the captain to speak. That’d be another thing I’d need to rip out of the tower here. I knew they had communications with other outposts, which meant administration. And if there was administration, then there’d be video logs to pilfer and toss at Journey.

“Effectively… yes. You also stand the greatest chance of breaking past their defenses. Or rather, there is little chance they would ever spread their forces away from attacking you if they can. The moment you charge the tower, all of them are likely to consolidate fire in your direction.”

So I was still a forward linebreaker. And a goalkeeper too. I want overtime pay for all this after we’re all done.

“The captain suggests this only because we have confirmed the weapons the Gungnir have are not capable of dealing damage to your armor. However, that may not be the case forever against future Odin incursions. This outpost was simply not stocked for such an event. Approaching the Icon’s border defense force, or Septimus’s incoming legion might have… different results. As they know what to expect.”

And there’s the dose of reality, I was currently playing this game of hangerball on easy mode. Up against an opponent with two hands/wings tied behind their back. The Odin weren’t dumb, and if they were trying to get on the side of the machines, it’s very likely they’ll also work with the machines in the future. I had to grab what I needed, do what I came here for, and get out before one of their schemes actually gets me.

“Of course, the deadland Odin here have sworn to protect and assist you.” Rashant said, with a nervous accent generated by Journey. Made sense given what he’d just said prior. “The captain has recommendations for plans after the tower is taken, specifically in acting as a wide scouting force to support you.”

“And what do they want in exchange?”

Rashant didn’t say anything for a second, as if mentally rebooting, then croaked out something and turned to the captain to continue speaking. On my end, I went to the smoke grenades, the Odin around it all flying off in surprise to nearby perches but looking over me. Only one Odin remained behind, still sitting on the straps holding the grenades down to the little flatbed. I knelt down to take a closer look at that one, and it stared back at me as if undergoing some kind of trial of courage. We kept eye contact for about five seconds, which was a lot easier for me since I wasn’t staring down a faceless helmet the size of my entire body.

“You pass buddy.” I said, giving him a thumbs up.

The Odin made movements with his head and fluffed out wings, and then tapped a release lever on the sides of the cart, jumping around to complete the same process until all the grenades were unhooked. The message was clear enough for me, so I went and yanked out the grenades and hooked them on my chest bandolier. Six in total, and the release mechanism was clearly Odin-sized. A clear cover had to be lifted off, and then a lever the size of my fingernail needed to be flicked. Journey’s scans could see enough of the device to tell that was the one moving part on the surface.

Rashant flew over to a nearby half-burned power line. More half-melted, but clearly the insulation used by the Odin were a step above paranoid. “They wish to discuss with you later about Bob, everything you’ve learned and possible solutions. They are not sure how long they will remain alive defending you, and wish to do the most good possible before they are defeated.”

I didn’t know what else to offer the Deadlanders right now, but I did promise I’d help them with Bob. Or at least try to leave behind some way to communicate that didn’t rely on me. As much as the Odin of the Icon had ruthless logic here, they were right about one thing: I wasn’t going to be staying here forever. Wrath needed my occult expertise, and also a voice of common sense too.

With all that settled for now, we turned to the tower. The Odin up there were far less friendly and staring down at me, as if preparing for this gauntlet.

“Journey good to go?” I asked Cathida.

“Always has to be, given your track record deary.” She said.

I rolled my eyes, then gave the Odin around me a signal and started the charge forward. The Tower Odin immediately opened fire on me with every turret on that tower, which they’d rotated just for this ahead of time, proving Cathida's point about the track record.

As the captain had researched prior, none of it was strong enough to even trigger journey’s shield.

At least at first. But then the target aiming was changed from trying to punch through my head and chest, to aiming for my gear. At that point, Journey calculated the loss of those would impact my overall chances of survival, and grudgingly triggered shields to keep my stuff safe.

I think that was the first time they’d seen an armor’s shield in effect, because quite a few Odin all squawked in surprise and dove for cover, expecting some kind of attack.

By the time they realized it wasn’t one, I had already made it into the base of the tower. The doorway had long ago been rusted off the hinges, and when I burst into the bottom section, I saw the skeletal remains of stairwells that had wasted away, and the bones then meticulously cleaned off.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

There were also wires and Odin nest-buildings just about everywhere on the interior. A swarm of Odin dropped down or leaped from wire to wire and zoomed down on me, all of them attacking with that beak needle, or trying to slap me with wingslaps that ping’d off my armor.

Those were distractions. I could see in the soulsight as Odin hidden on the bottom floor all took flight and aimed right for my gear, trying to cut any strap they could see, and a few aiming specifically for my smoke grenades.

I shoo’d them off with a few bursts of fire, took out a smoke grenade and slapped it down at the bottom of the stairwell, triggering it.

Those things worked fast and furiously. The Odin immediately doubled their attempts to get to the grenade stopped. I crouched over it like a mother hen, keeping the pest away from it. Soon, the entire bottom section was filled with smoke that was rising up into the tower. Doors were shutting but too much of the tower had been eaten up by time, or taken over by the Odin who refused to use doors and walls.

“Job here is done.” Cathida said, as Journey’s vision setup flicked over to a spectrum that could see past the smoke.

I turned and walked back out the entry. “Time for the upper window.”

The stairwell itself felt like it would collapse on me if I tried to scale it, not to mention there were plenty of Odin tech scattered everywhere. I needed this tower functional after the Odin inside were chased off.

Outside, the tower Odin were once more fighting off the Deadlanders. And this time with far more frantic energy, as anyone in the bottom floor of the tower had been smoked out. The tower itself was only three levels high, which wasn’t very high from a human point of view. I debated using the occult lash to pull myself up to the tower in one giant leap, but given the Odin here might turn into future enemies, revealing my hand early wasn’t the best play forward. And using any kind of occult would cause a pulse around me that anyone could feel.

Besides, I could simply scale the tower myself by hand. Which is exactly what I did, bending down and leaping up into the tower, kicking off the wallside and grabbing hold of a metal lip section. It held strong enough. The Odin were frantic now, trying to attack me like bees. Fending them off with one hand was proving a little tough. Fearless little bastards with a bone to pick.

“You should start using weapons and more lethal tactics.” Cathida said from the side as I continued to scale the tower by hand. Ropes and anchor points weren’t reliable because the tower Odin were absolutely going to mess with those, so freehand climbing only.

“I’m still not in any serious danger.” I told her. “Worse they can do is knock me off, and a fall from this high would just embarrass me.”

“Journey is insisting that your gear is a valid target to attack, and the flying black chickens know that. They are clearly taking advantage of you being soft.”

Had to agree there, the Odin were getting real bold with landing on my armor and immediately trying to peck and stab away at my gear. I could use my occult to ward them off, I had used some of it on the approach. But that far away none of them could feel any kind of occult pulse.

Weighing my options, I decided to go for broke. If I fell down, I really would just be very embarrassed. So might as well take a bit of calculated gambling.

I crushed a foothold into the side of the wall, and did a second assisted leap forward. Using both my arm and legs to give as much upper speed as possible. The result shot me up past the final level, where I slammed a hand right under the glass window wall. Lifting up again, I got a full sight of all the Odin inside, staring out the window at me. One got it together and started crying out orders.

My fist slammed into the window and shattered it completely. Chaos ensued as a smoke grenade followed right behind the shattered glass, triggered and already forcing the Odin out the way.

They tried to attack the smoke right out the gate. However I’d moved fast enough they hadn’t had time to make new plans since the bottom section of the tower was smoked out. I guarded the smoke grenade again, and fended off the Odin trying to peck at it until the point of no return. Doors were opened up as the odin within were forced to flee out of the area or suffocate. Only one remained, tangled up in a wire, which I could clearly see through Journey’s HUD. I yanked out the cables, wrapped my hand around the startled Odin, and then tossed him right out of the smoke cloud and into the open.

The bird fell for a moment before reorienting itself and flying off. “Hard part’s done. Time for the harder part.” I said to myself, crawling into the tower’s mess of perches and power lines. And I found out the tower Odin had expected I’d take over eventually. “Great. Sabotage. Lovely.” Journey highlighted it all, specifically the cut wires outlined in red. “Least they didn’t leave explosives for me.”

“Oh, they did.” Cathida said, as one of the red highlighted elements nearby detonated in my face.

Shields triggered, and took about four percent of total down. Which meant the explosion was rather strong. The result left the entire control room extra non-functional. Smoke cleared out for a moment, but the actual smoke source was behind me, somewhat shielded from the concussive force. Fortunately, whatever the Odin had used for the smoke grenades were non-combustible, else I’d be dealing with a backdraft and everything on fire. Again.

Still left the entire control room here a non-functioning mess, but at least I could work with this.

"Cathida, got a report for me?"

“Journey could fix up the wires, but this is going to take a lot more time deary. I think you should just ditch the birds and start making your way elsewhere.”

“They’re really getting on my nerves now. But they might have miscalculated.” I crawled my way through the ruined thicket, finding the central control unit. If this tower was designed by any sane engineer team, they would have the actual server and data protected from fires and other possible hazards.

A small look through the soul sight and I found what I was actually after: wires leading away from the control panels. “See, the main servers aren’t here. They’re in the sidewall off to the side. Which means everything they ruined here was more monitors, cameras and user interfaces. All I have to do is splice Journey into the main gear.”

Crawling a bit further, I found my target. Far more shielded with a metal cage around it. It looked like the Odin were mid-way through opening up the panels, but unfortunately they were human-sized. The Odin needed to operate what looked to be a few pulleys and levers to get the whole plate clear.

Lot of rubble was covering the whole thing up, which proved no match against Journey’s powered gauntlets and a bit of elbow work.

An occult knife lit to life in my hand next, drawn right out of my boot strap. The glow was very muted inside the smoke cloud, but it looked like a small beacon of light in Journey’s filtered view of the world. To the point it had to manually readjust. Whatever spectrum Journey was currently using, occult edges appeared in it harshly.

Four slices later, I had access to the interior panel. And it was a mess inside there. Lots of ports just about everywhere, with markings unrecognizable with Journey’s current vision. Until the smoke cleared, I could only see the black and gray outline of the whole server.

I didn’t have time for this. And I had a cheat code to backdoor just about any hardware issue: Have Journey inscribe a soul fractal deeper inside the machine on some connected open metal face. All I had to do then was hack it from the inside to connect to Journey wirelessly, and then retreat back home.

I sent the order to Journey and prepared myself for the next steps. Journey inscribed the fractal, and I found myself hesitating at the entrance.

Last time I tried sleuthing through the digital sea, I got caught and nearly killed. I took a few breaths to steady myself, though being sheltered inside the soul fractal did make my thinking a lot more clear and less emotional already. I focused on that. In and out, never step a single foot out into the digital sea, just stick inside the local terminal.

…

I took a deep breath and readied myself to head into the terminal.

….

Three gods in an airspeeder, what was my mental block about this? Just in and out, simple as can be. And somehow my gut was roiling, and anxiety was following me even into the soul fractal.

“Having performance issues, deary?” Cathida asked. “Your heart rate is kicking up a tad. We could just spend an hour or two rewiring this whole thing if you’d like. Be a bit safer.”

Besides the first bit of prodding, Cathida actually sounded sincere? Even worried about me. “Debating on that. Two hours to fix all this up is a long time. The tower Odin out there could end up doing anything. If I stay to fix it, that Septimus will be arriving by then with a full army of gods knows what. If I go to the mite fountains, I skip Septimus and get some more power to extend my time out here, but no progress on my main goals.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Tough choice.” Cathida agreed. “Every pick means losing out somewhere.”

“I got it under control. Just need to focus.” I muttered, taking some more time to breathe in and out again.

The terminal was right there, the soul fractal inscribed inside of it already by Journey. In theory, it should be perfectly safe. Relinquished was out there in the wide digital sea, not in local systems. And if she’d been here already, the Icon wouldn’t exist.

She can’t possibly be everywhere.

And I still found myself hesitating. Memories of that giant hand reaching from the murky depths of the digital sea, digging into the sediment, and yanking the entire terminal along with me upwards. A giant violet eye looked at me through the broken rips in the walls.

“Do you need some advice? Perhaps talk it out loud first?” Cathida asked.

I turned my head to her digital avatar, outlined in the smoke cloud around me. I think she could tell the question in my head just from my glance.

“Peh.” She said, crossing her arms. “I am a crusader, but I was also in charge of teaching squires for a good part of my life. Diving into the terminal here is terrifying you. I don’t need Journey’s diagnostics to figure that out.”

“Where was this version of you, say twenty four insults ago?” I asked.

“Only comes out when it needs to. You’re high functioning under stress deary, but can’t continue like that forever. And not all situations require taking the maximum amount of risk. You have other options.”

After a few seconds of paralysis, I decided it might not be that bad of an idea to rely a little on the few allies I had. And talking about allies, I still had Drakonis to save at some point in all this.

Wonder how he was doing, and if he was dealing with heavy choices like this.

Guess I’ll find out when I see him again. It’s a small world after all.

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