Chapter 112: The Primordial Font

 

We were currently moving towards the Primordial Font. I had ordered my hive to make a tunnel towards it while we were taking care of the vaults. If we could find a way to tap into the Primordial Font I would have a lot of fuel for my hive. However, I have heard that the Firstborn can’t directly siphon power from the font. Malegaros later confirmed this and apparently this was also a contributing reason as to why the Hives were created. The primordial ether within the font could be used to offset some of the ether requirement for the creation of the hive creatures. That was after some processing however, you couldn’t just use the primordial ether as is. Apparently the Grahanam Crowns also served as a tool for that refining process. The ability to store essence was just a lucky side effect since primordial ether held about as much power as essence. 

There were a lot of misconceptions about primordial ether. Some called it primordial essence, some called it primordial ether, which was right? Well honestly both were right and both were wrong in a way. The stuff in the primordial font was something entirely different from both ether and essence, the people just started calling it those things for convenience. Using either term works since both are right and wrong at the same time.

That stuff was apparently really dangerous, it was supposedly the origin of all life. Some texts called it a pool of life gone rampant. If someone other than a devourer or watcher even touches it, they can expect rapid mutations and cancers developing. But the Devourers and Watchers can apparently use it to heal anything, even if you were hanging on to life by a thread, a Watcher could use the font to heal your broken body. So it turns out you can be healed to death in this world. Another piece of strange irony I suppose.

“You have everything ready?” I asked as I turned to Cecilia. 

“Yes.” Cecilia replied from behind this facemask she was wearing. It was one of many special items that was loaned to Cecilia by Mahaila for this little excursion. Honestly I was a little hesitant to bring her along. She insisted but still this place was really dangerous. I had to pull an entire adjutant company and an entire warbrood from their duties to guard her. There was a reason no one ever enters this place.

Just looking at this tunnel into the Primordial Font I could already see the ground was different. The soil for one thing was glowing from all the ambient ether. Cecilia put on her protective equipment an hour ago and also she brought this little contraption that could detect ambient ether. That little device shorted out fifteen minutes ago…

“The air is a little heavy.” Cecilia admitted and I could hear it in her voice that it wasn’t easy for her to breathe.

“Take this.” Mahaila said as she took out a ring and handed it to Cecilia. Cecilia put it on and she took in a deep breath of air as if finally getting a full lung of air.

“Better?” I asked in concern.

“Better.” Cecilia replied with a nod. 

I could tell she was nervous, her nerves really got worse when her little ambient ether contraption shorted itself out. That little device measured ambient ether by measuring the pressure exerted upon it. Since ether flows from a place of higher concentration to a place with lower concentration, this flow can be measured to determine the level of ambient ether. So the contraption just broke when the pressure got too high. 

“Are you sure you want to go in?” I asked and Cecilia nodded.

“I want to see it, it’s not everyday someone gets to see something like this.” Cecilia replied as she bounced lightly on her heels as if to shake off some tension.

Usually Cecilia was confident, arrogant even but that was when she was an Empress. Here in this ancient place she wasn’t an Empress, she was prey. Here even the air would kill her if she was unprotected. I have been getting reports from my Warbrood that their deployment abilities were limited. The lower hive castes couldn’t last long in the Primordial Font itself, they would be able to fight for a short time before succumbing to the ambient ether. I had already ordered the Warbrood queen Nafas to pull additional Praetorians from the other broods to reinforce. This place was proving to be quite the handful…

“Still be careful, there are some who start seeing things in there.” Mahaila said as she gave Cecilia a look.

“Most react differently to such a high level of ambient ether. Also remember as far as you are concerned do not cast spells in there. When you cast a spell you open your ether core, that’s also a way for the ambient ether to rush in. If you lack the base power you can get overwhelmed.” Mahaila warned again. 

This was another thing that worried me, if Cecilia starts seeing things she might cast a spell. Honestly if it was up to me I would make her stay behind but I couldn’t exactly tie her up to stop her.

“Ok everyone ready?” I asked and the rest nodded. 

Malegaros showed no problems with the ambient ether but from what I can tell it’s slightly straining his body. He probably can’t live in this environment for a long period of time. Mahaila showed no problems whatsoever but she put on like a dozen magical artifacts. She had this pair of charms on her waist, a set of bracelets, three rings, two necklaces, a set of earrings and a pin she wore on her chest. She had already given Cecilia a dozen accessories as well, in fact she swapped out some of her powerful defensive artifacts including two rings that were crafted by the Crowfather himself. She was actually wearing the weaker stuff, she gave Cecilia most of the more powerful artifacts. The only thing from her original regalia she kept for herself was this necklace made by her master, but I suspect that was just for sentimental reasons.

With that I ordered the hive in front of us to continue to dig, we were on an upward slope towards the surface and we were just a few metres from the surface. As we advanced up the slope I saw some crystals start to appear in the soil around us. The crystals were a strange colour and strangely beautiful. They glittered in every colour of the rainbow but I could see the ether or essence or whatever it was that they held was chaotic. The ether crystals I have seen were stable but these held roiling and chaotic energies.

“Remember don’t touch those.” Mahaila said to Cecilia when she caught her looking at the crystals.

Hearing this I decided to try touching it. I could tell it was dangerous but it wasn’t a great danger to something like me. I reached out and touched a nearby crystal and I felt this stinging pain as the primordial ether arced along my arm. I looked down at my arm and saw burns both internal and external. As well as some random mutations within the flesh. This was all rapidly corrected but if a human touched this, it would be a one way ticket into the next life.

“Hmm you weren’t kidding, that caused some mutations.” I said as I flexed my hand. I partly did this to satisfy my curiosity but it was mostly to demonstrate to Cecilia that this place was indeed dangerous. If it wasn’t obvious until now I’m quite worried about her, I think I might start dropping feathers or something…

“Nothing serious I presume?” Cecilia asked as she looked at me.

“No, that would be fatal to anyone but something like me. I don’t think you could survive that Mahaila.” I said as I turned to her and she nodded.

“Even though I am more powerful than you in combat ability, when it comes to things like this you are far my superior. This is the ancient power from the core of the world. If you aren’t built for it, you just can’t survive most of the things in here.” Mahaila replied. 

As soon as she finished saying that I heard the sound of earth crashing down and I looked up to see light, then I saw the ambient ether flood in. My vision filled with the technicolour hue of all the roiling ether in the air. I sensed Mahaila, Cecilia and Malegaros all shrink back slightly as the wall of ether washed over them. 

“You ok?” I asked as I looked at Cecilia and she nodded as she put her hand to her chest before taking a deep breath. 

“Yes, the air is heavier but not as bad as before I wore the ring.” Cecilia replied.

“Ok, don’t push yourself. If something goes wrong, Mahaila you take Malegaros and Cecilia and you run. I’ll deal with what shows up.” I said and Mahaila nodded.

“Just don’t die.” Mahaila said and I flashed her a smile.

“I don’t have to win, I just have to delay. I’m quite quick you know, I can match your speed in the air, remember? I just lack your offensive power.” I said and Mahaila shrugged as she non-verbally agreed with my assessment. At this point I have no chance at actually defeating her but I had a chance to escape in the event of a fight. 

“That you do.” Mahaila said as she began walking forward a hand on one of her swords.

With that we headed out into the Primordial Font. When I first got a good look at it I had mixed feelings. On one hand it was quite beautiful, with all its colours but yet the terrain and fauna just seemed off. Furthermore this place just felt wrong…

There were these bright red mushrooms the size of houses and they weren’t the usual shape with the stem and cap. The cap was deformed and not the usual even dome shape. It looked like there were tumours growing in places and other parts seemed underdeveloped. There were also these smaller mushrooms growing on the stem. I brought my face close to one of the mushrooms and I sensed poison, lots and lots of poison. The poison also appeared to be in this weird cocktail, I could smell different poisons on different parts of the mushroom.

“Poison.” I said as I brought my face back and I tried my best to suppress the growing disgust I was feeling for this place.

“Yes, touch nothing here. Unless you want to pay the price.” Mahaila replied as she continued to warily scan the surroundings.

I looked around again and I saw giant crystals the size of mansions protruding out of the ground. They towered above even me and I could see the energy roiling within. I saw an arc of energy lance from the crystal and strike a nearby plant. The plant looked to be a miniature mutated tree dotted with strange multicoloured malformed flowers. The tree looked like a christmas tree that got fat. It was weird with its strange needle like leaves growing in odd bunches. The arc of energy electrocuted the tree but instead of it going up in flames like one would expect. It instead started glowing oddly as the branches crackled with power.

“We should probably keep our distance from those crystals.” I said and the group gave their assent. 

We proceeded deeper into the font across the strange oversized blades of grass. I could hear Cecilia and Mahaila’s barrier crackling as they walked. The grass here took the phrase, blades of grass literally. Those barriers protected them from the grass that cut like mithril blades. Malegaros and I were armoured so there was no issue, but if you threw some squishy humanoid into the grass you could expect them to be eviscerated.

As we moved I kept feeling this growing disgust in my gut, as if this place was not the beautiful but dangerous place it was. In the back of my mind it kind of felt like a foetid pit of excrement and I didn’t like it…

Eventually after a good hour of walking I encountered the source of my disgust. We came to this ocean of this green glowing liquid. It was vaguely translucent and I could see it bubbling slightly. For some reason this ocean of strange green liquid disgusted me to no end, I absolutely hated being near it. It looked wrong and it smelt wrong. The ocean gave off the most foul smelling stench I have ever encountered in both of my lives. I looked over at the rest of the group and saw them staring calmly at the ocean from which life first crawled out. 

“Don’t you all smell it?” I asked in confusion.

“Smell what?” Cecilia asked curiously.

“That!” I replied as I pointed at the ocean.

“I don’t smell anything.” Mahaila said in confusion.

“What?” I replied as I looked back at the ocean.

“Do you all feel any kind of disgust about this place?” I asked as I looked around in discomfort. I really didn’t like this place, it felt wrong on a fundamental level. Like something inside me had this natural aversion to it.

“Disgust? Fear yes, but not disgust. It’s oddly beautiful actually.” Cecilia replied as she walked up to me in concern.

“Friend are you alright?” Cecilia asked as she placed a hand on the side of my body.

“I’m fine, it’s just this place… I don’t like it…” I murmured in response as I looked around again and took in the disgusting sights around me.

“Is it danger? Do you sense something?” Mahaila asked cautiously.

“Not danger, disgust. Everything here seems repulsive, especially the font.” I said through gritted teeth as I pointed at the ocean of green.

“This place makes me angry…” I growled as I looked around again, half wishing there was something to kill.

“Perhaps this was why the Devourers made the Watchers. The old stories did say that the Firstborn rarely entered the Primordial Font.” Mahaila said as she furrowed her brow and looked at me. 

“I thought it was because they wanted to avoid each other…” Cecilia replied as she gently rubbed the side of my body soothingly.

“I’m fine… I’m fine… let’s just get this over with and get out of here.” I said with a shake of my head to try and clear my mind. It wasn’t just the smell or this overwhelming sense of disgust. The amount of ambient ether was also clouding my senses, it was almost like I was in a cloud of smoke. If anything I felt over stimulated, I tried lessening my senses and it helped a bit but it was still really irritating.

“SHIT!” Mahaila shouted as she suddenly drew her sword and I turned just in time to see a lightning bolt flyright at me. I felt it strike my body and I was thrown back. 

Fuck my senses are so clouded I couldn’t pick up the attacker. 

“Cecilia!” I heard Mahaila shout and I turned to see her lying in the grass. Her body smoking and hair frizzled as if she had been electrocuted. Then I realised I was hit by a thunderbolt and she was touching me. I did a quick check and saw that she was not in any danger, it seems my natural magic resistance absorbed most of the power. 

“Get her out of here.” I said as I rose to my feet and I felt a rising anger deep inside me. I was already irritated, and pissed off. But now as I looked at the creature that attacked me I could feel my rage bubbling out. I bared my teeth and snarled as I transformed both my lower arms into blades. 

I did an extremely angry query into the hive mind asking Nafas what the hell was going on, she was supposed to put up a perimeter. The response I got was surprising, she didn’t even know I was being attacked. The surprise was genuine and as I listened to her I realised my ability to sense her emotions was muted, as if it was imparied by something. It looks like this place obstructed things beyond simple magic.

“Cover Cecilia and Mahaila’s retreat.” I ordered into the hive mind and Malegaros sent in a message that he was digging a tunnel down to give Mahaila and Cecilia an escape route.

I checked just in case and I saw the rest had disappeared down a hole.

Now it was just me and this weird creature. It looked strange like everything else in this place. It had a wolf-like body but on its back it had reptilian-like fins that crackled with ether. It’s head was like that of an alligator. Its front legs were that of a wolf but its rear legs looked avian. What’s more, its body wasn’t odd in construction; there was weird growth and protrusions all over its body. Horns appeared at odd places, and its teeth looked jagged as it protruded from its mouth at odd angles. Its fur, head and legs were all technicoloured, I saw purples, reds, blues, yellows and greens. Basically every other colour than what you would expect on a creature.

I could barely tell but I could see its internals and honestly I wondered how it was even alive. It had six hearts, three looked like they weren’t even pumping, they were just still and motionless in random parts of the body. The other hearts were pumping blood to the three useless hearts as if keeping the organs alive just for the sake of it. This creature was a product of random mutation. If the Firstborn were the embodiment of controlled evolution this creature was the embodiment of random evolution. 

It was absolutely disgusting…

Well I wanted a fight in that vault, and they say when you ask for trouble do not be surprised when it finds you.

I hated it, it was disgusting, repulsive and most of all it hurt Cecilia. It was going to die today…

 

I am going to cut out its guts and make it eat them…