Chapter 23: Tenebyss, Under the Mountains

Another day and a half passed without incident as Celia and her group made for Tenebyss, though hardly without tension. None of them had gotten used to Varris' presence- especially not Blake, whose expression was fixed in a suspicious frown every moment he laid eyes on the newcomer. Felix was on edge as well, but then again there didn't seem to be many times when he wasn't. Celia wouldn't dare downplay the urgency of their journey or the unease of traveling with a witch, so she didn't exactly either of them for being tense. But what might have been a relatively peaceful ride through the southern Lux Plains was instead silent and uncomfortable, with varying degrees of distrust palpable among them.

Varris, for her part, hadn't proven much of a burden to escort. She never asked for much in the way of food and generally kept to herself. When night fell, she set up campsites for them by using the Stone Core to construct sturdy shelters within moments. Seeing it in action sent Celia's imagination into a frenzy; such a tool could make construction of housing, paving roads, and so many other tasks trivial. If only there were more than two Genesis Cores apiece of each type, entire cities could be built with some cooperation.

"Cooperation… could we have coexisted with the Usurpation? What exactly do they want, if not just to conquer us?"

Blake had mentioned hearing at least part of their enemies' motives from Ray. Something about "Notch's Chosen" living peacefully while those from the Far Lands had struggled to survive. She had no idea what connection Notch had to the Usurpation, and their well-equipped army bearing technology different to that of the Overworld certainly made her question Ray's claims of a struggle.

"Suppose he's telling the truth, though. If the Usurpation DID only ascend to power thanks to their Genesis Cores, and if they ARE interested in settling their people somewhere safe, why launch an invasion? Surely we could have arranged for them to stay somewhere further south, where there aren't as many cities. Why, if we live at just the northern edge of the Overworld then there must be plenty of space for us all! What else do they want? Just who ARE they?"

"Do you trust me?"

Celia jolted. She'd allowed her mind to wander, but Varris' question had brought her back to the present with a start. She looked over her shoulder, at where the witch sat behind her atop Angel. "Ah… well, you've given me little reason to distrust you. And you've been helpful to us so far… why do you ask?"

"Your friends keep staring at me like I'm a creeper primed to explode," Varris snorted, not at all trying to hide her remark from the other two riding mere blocks away. "You've given me your share of looks too, but not like they have. And if you're really such an important person, don't you think you shouldn't be riding with someone as dangerous as a witch?"

She chortled. To their right, Blake was watching with narrowed eyes. "I've never heard of a witch who didn't want to fight," he said.

"That's because most of us do. Personally, I've always felt it was a waste of time when I could be enjoying my exile in peace and quiet."

"If you're harmless, why'd you get exiled in the first place?" Blake shot back. "I've seen villagers use brewing stands before, so just making potions can't be what got you kicked out."

Celia figured Varris might take offense to the question, but she just laughed again. "Very perceptive! And since you've so graciously not killed me in my sleep the past few nights, I'll let you in on a little secret about witches. The reason we were banished has to do with the broadest, yet also the simplest goal of magic: transformation."

"I'm not sure I follow," said Felix. "Enchantments don't turn tools into other tools, and drinking a potion won't turn me into anything else. What does transformation have to do with witches?"

"It's all very abstract, and in most ways only hypothetical. One cannot just transform a sword into a more powerful sword on a whim; no such technology exists. But with the right enchantments, even a beginner magician could increase its durability, or its sharpness, or perhaps grant it additional power against the undead."

The three of them were quiet, suddenly enraptured by her explanation. Celia looked at the enchanted Usurpation chestplate she'd worn since they set out as Varris continued.

"Of course, that's only 'transforming' the sword in a loose sense of the word. But the theory is sound: with enough alterations, are you not turning an object, or even a creature, into something else altogether? In more literal cases, the remains of those who came before us can be transformed into zombies and skeletons. Villagers can be turned undead and back under the right conditions, too. Even golem construction works by a similar principle."

Felix's face lit up. "I… think I understand the logic. But if it's mostly hypothetical, does that mean someone's managed to take it a step further?"

"That's right. Witches have tinkered with transformative potions for over a thousand years, conjuring up undead minions here and there, but the Illagers are of a different caliber altogether. I am not privy to the exact details of their plans, but I do know Illager sorcerers have their minds set on creating living weapons… and they're getting better at it over time. Ravagers and vexes are the products of their most successful experiments, and who knows what other secrets they might be hiding within their lairs?"

Celia sighed. "I'd almost pushed the Illagers out of my mind, if just for a moment. The Usurpation may be our enemies now, but I suppose we've always been at war. Our goal is to help unite the Overworld, or at least our region of it… could the Illagers be convinced to join our cause?"

"Not likely," Varris said. "If there's one thing I know about them, it's their unrelenting loathing for humans. I don't even think they know why they hate you all, but it hardly matters to them. They have little to gain by wiping you out, and much to lose when their attempts fail, yet they keep trying anyway."

Mobs, Illagers, and the Usurpation, each posing their own threats. Three decades prior, the Overworld had rallied in the face of a common enemy- Celia could only hope they would be able to do it again, before another foe joined the fray.

The sun was setting when their destination finally came into view. Blake stood at the top of another hill, faced with one last stretch of plains between his group and a cluster of mountains in the distance. He'd seen his share of ranges back home, but the one ahead of him was memorable in quite unique ways. The peaks weren't tall enough to be snowcapped, nor were they covered in lush plant life- the surrounding fields had been torn up to reveal numerous chasms, no doubt the results of years of mining efforts. A few lights were dotted along some of the cliff faces, but Blake couldn't see any buildings. In fact, the only other sign the place was inhabited was a gated iron wall which closed off a gap between two mountains.

"Looks kind of… lifeless," he said. "There ought to be more torches or lamps lit, don't you think?"

Celia wore a puzzled frown. "That is strange, especially for a settlement surrounded by caves. Tenebyss is underground, but why neglect lighting the surface?"

"Look, there are people coming out of the pits. Maybe they're working on it?" Felix guessed.

Indeed, a few dozen shapes were emerging from the holes around the mountains as the last sunlight vanished, and the low buzz of a crowd could be heard. Blake thought it was strange to need so many people just to place down torches, and his growing suspicion turned to dread when they began to descend the hill, getting close enough to see just who had come out. Between them and Tenebyss stood a horde of monsters: zombies, skeletons, and creepers poured in droves from the chasms. The lack of spiders made the sight only a little less troubling for Blake.

"That has to be at least a hundred mobs," he gasped. "I've never seen so many come out in one place…!"

Varris hummed. "Curious… most mobs don't have the intelligence to coordinate themselves beyond just swarming a target, but I'd swear these ones look like they're blockading the wall."

Blake squinted in the darkness, and saw she was right. For all their numbers, the monsters seemed content to mill around outside the gate instead of finding a way through or over it. Nobody else was nearby, so they couldn't have been actively hunting- they were just standing guard.

"Are you saying they are smart enough to defend the city from entry?" asked Celia.

"No, I'm saying somebody who doesn't want any visitors led them here. There's something else going on with those creatures… we should wait until morning before trying to get inside."

Celia, however, had dismounted with a firm expression Blake found all too familiar. "We are not waiting. We're here to form an alliance with TOEC, and we cannot delay. Besides, wiping out the mobs around the city would be a good way to ingratiate ourselves."

"Good point, Lady Celia. And if I may, I think there's an easy solution to the problem." Felix got off his horse as well. Wondering what he had in mind, Blake also dismounted.

Varris didn't look thrilled at their decision, but she followed suit. "What do you have in mind?"

"We'll need to get closer, but once we do could you raise us onto stone towers, out of their reach? You and Lady Celia have Genesis Cores that can attack at range, and Blake and I can use bows. We'll pick off the mobs from a safe distance."

Celia beamed. "That could work! I've been meaning to get more practice in with the Fire Core."

"Hm… I think I see your point," said Varris. "I can keep you covered if the skeletons return fire, and your animals will be fine as long as the mobs are focused on us. Fine, let's get to it."

Blake led their horses to a spot at the base of the hill, tying them down to a stake. They would be safe, but he didn't want them to get spooked and run.

"Sorry about this," he told Cassie, giving her another pat on the snout. "Don't worry, we'll be right back."

He didn't know if she understood, but they'd become more comfortable with one another over the last few days. She gave him a soft whinny as he left to rejoin the others.

The plan was put into motion. Varris raised the four of them into the air on stone blocks, from which they rained devastation on the surrounding mobs. She and Celia attacked with rocks and flame, while Blake and Felix took bows and arrows from the shulker box to pick off any stragglers. Blake landed fewer hits than he'd have liked and resolved to get more practice in at some point. He still did better than Felix, who looked increasingly frustrated as more and more of his arrows landed nowhere near their intended targets.

"Something else we can work on together… as long as we can find someone to teach us who knows what they're doing."

However poor shots they were, the group was nevertheless able to whittle down the horde to nothing. Blake never thought he'd consider taking down a hundred mobs simple, but as Varris crushed the last creeper under a cobblestone block he realized how little of a threat their enemies had posed. It was time consuming to wipe them out, but it was easy. By the end, smoldering remains had piled up around their stone towers, leaving the gate into the mountain range clear.

Something moved in the corner of his eye. A lone person stood at the edge of one of the pits, observing their handiwork. Blake couldn't make out much about the stranger beyond a dark, hooded robe, but their body language could almost be called relaxed despite the number of mobs present moments beforehand. None of his companions saw the person, who disappeared back into the hole before he could draw attention to them.

They did notice the sudden shrieks of horses. Blake's heart leaped to his throat as he turned, drawing back an arrow and praying he'd be a good enough shot to take down whatever had drawn near. But he was too late. Cassie was the last to fall, alongside Angel and Belle in a grisly heap.

"No…!"

Celia and Felix had both paled, the former throwing a fireball at the dark shape standing beside their dead mounts. It jumped out of harm's way, but the flame illuminated it while passing by. Part of a teal shirt and a bloodied stone sword were visible for less than a second. Moments later, the culprit had retreated back up the hill and disappeared into the night.

"Who- why?" whispered Felix, his breaths shaky.

"That was no mob. Perhaps one of your Usurper enemies?" Varris suggested. "Whatever the case, it's not someone we should linger to meet again. Let's get to the gate before they come back."

Celia's horrified look had been replaced by one of barely-contained fury. "If they do… I'll make them pay…"

Varris lowered their towers to the ground. Confused, upset, and worried, the group made a break for the wall.

"Was it my fault? Should I have had the horses get onto towers too? Why didn't I think to cover the rear- then again, none of the mobs were over there… but who WAS that, if not a mob?!"

Felix's head spun. He had too many questions and virtually no answers, uncertainty weighing him down on top of a sense of crushing guilt. Worse yet, unless TOEC had horses they'd be willing to spare, the journey back to Luxmouth had suddenly become much longer. He tried to find the right words as they bolted toward the gate to Tenebyss. "L-Lady Celia, I'm sorry…! I should've-"

"Don't worry about that, Felix!" she yelled over her shoulder. He could still hear the anger in her voice, and couldn't shake the thought of it being toward him.

"Halt!"

They'd reached the gap between the mountains, anxiously waiting outside a gate of pistons and iron blocks. At the top of the wall, a few alarmed people in iron armor had gathered, presumably to watch their encounter with the horde. Felix immediately recognized their distinctive helmets and chestplates, both sporting crescent-shaped green insignias. They were TOEC security guards, and they were giving each other worried glances as the group approached.

"I-Identify yourselves!" one of them barked.

"Look out, there's a witch!" cried another.

Felix's breath caught when he saw the first guard draw a crossbow. Celia stepped in front of Varris, yelling back at them. "Stop! She's with us, and we are not your enemies! I am Celia Lumis; we have come from Luxmouth seeking an audience with Andrew Beryl!"

That elicited more uncertain chattering, until a much harsher voice began to shout over the watchmen from behind the wall. "What're you louts waitin' for? Open the damn gate already!"

"B-but sir, the witch-" one of the guards protested.

"Didn't ya just tell me she was helpin' them wipe out the beasts? That not GOOD enough for you?"

Felix and Blake shared a perplexed look. At least someone was sticking up for them, even if he sounded like he'd swallowed an entire block of gravel.

"We have no confirmation they really are from Luxmouth," the protesting guard continued.

"Then we'll inspect 'em once they're inside! But we're NOT just lettin' the heroes of the night sit out in the open, you hear me?! Let 'em inside."

One of the men atop the wall cleared his throat and called down to them. "Er… you are granted entry. Please stand by, and be ready for further inspection."

"Interesting people here," Varris groaned. "I'd rather not have them all pointing weapons at me once we're inside, but I suppose it's either that or stay out here with whoever just killed your horses."

Another pang of guilt coursed through Felix.

"I'll put in a good word for you… but by the sound of it, we might be off to a decent start with TOEC already," said Celia.

With a series of clunks and clangs, the iron blocks barring their entry were drawn apart by sticky pistons. A squad of guards waited behind them, sizing up the four with hesitant stares and more than a few tightly-held swords at the sight of Varris. Behind the TOEC security, a tunnel had been dug into the mountains which snaked down to Tenebyss proper.

"So, who've we got here?"

The deep, gravelly voice turned out not to belong to another armored guard, but to a man wearing a black suit and tie, with a white undershirt. Though he sounded well beyond middle-aged, the brown skin of his face and hands sported few wrinkles. Had TOEC's emerald crescent moon not appeared on a badge pinned to his lapel, he might have looked entirely out of place among the small crowd.

"You say you're from Luxmouth… yeah, that checks out for me. I recognize you, Lumis."

What surprised Felix most about the man wasn't his clothing- if modern Tenebyss was known for anything other than caves and ores, it was the unique fashions to be found, much different to most of Luxmouth's neighbors. The alarming part was his brazen disregard for etiquette, one which even Blake looked a little stunned at. Felix's attention snapped to Celia, who appeared to be choking down the urge to say something about his remark.

"Just call me Langdon. I'm the new Assistant Head of Security for TOEC," he went on. "I escorted you and the Duke into town the last time you were here… what, eight, nine months ago?"

"Ah. I see… ahem, forgive me for not remembering you," Celia finally responded.

"Don't worry about it. You say the witch is harmless?"

"'The witch' would prefer you spoke to her directly," snapped Varris. "And as long as your cronies keep their crossbows pointed away from me, we won't have an issue."

Langdon grinned. "Duly noted. Interesting company you have here, Countess… but no knights, I see."

"I have come to meet with Mr. Beryl," Celia said again, clearly hoping she could get the conversation back on track. "Would you kindly bring us to him?"

Felix felt the mood shift, the rest of the guards giving one another uneasy looks. Even Langdon suddenly appeared more downcast. "Hate to say it, but you haven't exactly come at a good time. Still… I'll let him know you're here. You might not be able to see him until tomorrow, though."

Celia's shoulders slumped a bit. Nevertheless, she didn't let her disappointment show much further than that. In the back of Felix's mind, something Emily had once told him resurfaced:

'Keep your reactions in check. If you look too excited, you'll scare 'em away, and if you look like you're losing hope they might try to push you around.'

She'd been describing how to keep potential customers interested, but he supposed the principle held true in other ways.

"What we can do is arrange somewhere for you to stay the night. If you'll all follow me, please?"

Langdon didn't wait to hear a response before making his way into the tunnel. Celia, with the softest of sighs, beckoned for the rest of their party to follow and set off after him. A few TOEC guards moved to escort them down as well, the rest remaining at the gate- which slammed shut behind the group.

"All things considered, this trip went smoothly until the end. No run-ins with the Usurpation, and we proved we're more than a match for even a horde of mobs thanks to the Genesis Cores…"

Felix fell in step behind Celia as they descended in the tunnel.

"I guess it's up to her now. She wants to enlist TOEC's help, and we're just bodyguards along for the ride while she works the diplomatic angle. What does that leave us to do in the meantime? Will we get a chance to have a look around for ourselves?"

The air felt stuffier and the only light came from flickering torches affixed to the stone walls, but he found the more condensed space cozy. His last visit to Tenebyss was a few years prior, and he'd filled out at least half a notebook in the weeks afterwards with sketches of the things he'd seen. Felix had left most of his diagrams back in Luxmouth, but he could still vividly envision them: homes dug into the caverns, free-standing structures in the hollowed out spaces under the mountains, even some buildings suspended from the ceiling to make good use of the available space. He remembered subterranean gardens lit by intricate redstone systems, and old mineshafts converted into transport around the different city sectors.

He also remembered a diverse population of humans and villagers alike, seeking to move past Tenebyss' tumultuous history and live peacefully in the caverns. And that was why, when they entered the first residential sector at the bottom of the tunnel, Felix immediately knew there was something very wrong.

Even at night, the city was lit well enough to prevent mobs from emerging, and being underground meant phantoms couldn't cause any trouble. It was therefore common to find citizens out well after dark, but the only people Felix could see at that time were more TOEC security personnel in full armor, loosely holding weapons. Some patrolled the streets, others stood guard near the entrances to the mineshafts. He even spotted a pair in front of a stone house, questioning a nervous-looking villager. A child peered from the window at the scene, but ducked out of sight when he saw one of the guards glance his way.

Their escort never remarked on anything. They just kept walking across the city, toward another tunnel in the back of the cave under even heavier security. Celia looked back at Felix, and her worried face matched his.

"TOEC's always let the people go about their own business… so why does it look like they've taken over the city?"

"Here we are. Your own suite. Just let the staff know if you need anything; Mr. Beryl will see you tomorrow."

Langdon and the TOEC security rather unceremoniously dumped the party at the entrance to a building made of smooth andesite and granite, with red-stained glass windows running up and down the side. Blake couldn't hide a tiny grin when he saw Celia fruitlessly attempt to thank him for the escort; he was already on his way, and she looked more than a little disgruntled by his rudeness.

Did he feel the same? Of course. Did he take some small amusement in watching her straight-laced composure break for just a moment? Definitely.

They were in Tenebyss' second sector, about as spacious as the first but much further underground. The buildings could best be described as utilitarian; rectangular and comprised mostly of polished stone or iron blocks, with the occasional bit of obsidian to throw in some color. Living with the Silverhands must have given Blake more of an appreciation for aesthetics, because he found the inner layer of the city dull. Their "suite," another simple rectangle two stories high, was one of the more vibrant buildings in their vicinity, and even then it was flanked by identical ones.

At least that sector didn't seem to be on lockdown for the night, but the number of citizens out on the town was still dwarfed by the amount of security on patrol. Or perhaps none of the people were normal residents, but rather off-duty TOEC personnel? Blake couldn't tell anymore, all he knew was Tenebyss had given him nothing but a bad vibe since they set foot past the gate.

"I get the mines are the important part, but do they not want to spruce up this place a little more?" he asked as they followed Celia inside their suite. "It can't be great for the workers' morale to be stuck in gray caves like this."

"The simplicity is by design, as I understand it. TOEC's headquarters are down here, and it's in their interests not to appear too opulent," said Celia. "Their relations with the locals are tense enough as it is."

The interior was at least a little homelier. Birch furnishings, soft lights, carpeted floors, and a Nether brick fireplace greeted them in the lounge, with two bedroom doors at the back and a spiral staircase in the corner.

"'Tense?'" scoffed Varris. "That's a light way of putting it."

Felix sat at the table, looking troubled. The rest of them joined him with weary sighs; it had been a long day within the span of just a few hours.

"She's right. Lady Celia, TOEC's personnel seem to be occupying Tenebyss, not living alongside its people."

"That Langdon guy said now isn't a good time. Maybe something happened- you don't think the Usurpation could be here, do you?" Blake asked.

Celia rubbed her temples and sighed again. "Not their main army, at least, we would have noticed that on our way in. But Tenebyss doesn't have a Genesis Core like some of the other cities do, as far as I know. Whatever's going on here, we will have to find out from Mr. Beryl himself."

"Maybe the city doesn't have any Cores," said Felix, frowning at the tracker, "but some are definitely nearby. I'm picking up three purple ones- there's Varris' Stone Core, and two others deeper underground. Of those, the one closer to the surface is moving, so someone must already have it."

"Might be friendly, might not," Blake replied. "And the other?"

Felix hesitated, looking at the sheet again. "It's not moving, but… how do I put this? It's deep. I didn't even know the Overworld reached that far down.

"TOEC may be able to help us find it. We'll mention that as well in the morning," Celia said, getting up with a yawn. "I would have liked to meet with Mr. Beryl tonight, but as it is we should get some rest. Thank you all for your help getting me here… ah, and Varris-"

"You're not getting the Core just yet. Not until you bring me back home, after all this is done."

"…yes, I haven't forgotten our end of the deal. We'll keep our word."

With that, Celia retired to one of the bedrooms upstairs. Blake heard Varris mutter something before following suit.

"I don't think she's interested in becoming part of 'the team,'" he told Felix.

"That's her choice. For what it's worth, I think we can at least trust her enough not to backstab us in the meantime. I hope so, but… well, I've been wrong before…"

Felix scribbled something in his notebook, then got up and made for one of the downstairs bedrooms with a quiet "good night." Blake found himself speaking before he could leave.

"It wasn't your fault."

There was a pause.

"…what wasn't?"

"What happened with the horses. You couldn't have known… and I shouldn't have tied them down like that…"

A shadow seemed to pass over Felix's eyes. Not fully looking at Blake, he just nodded and shut the door behind him.

"Nice encouragement… he didn't buy it, did he?"

With a suddenly much heavier heart, Blake entered the last available bedroom. It was small and cramped, with little furnishing beyond a dusty wooden desk and bed. The walls, gray and smooth like everything else in lower Tenebyss, were similarly bare apart from two decorations. The first was a clock, which showed it was just before midnight.

But the second was a framed portrait of five people with neat brown hair, all dressed in elegant black clothing. It must have been a noble family- he'd seen a few paintings like it in Luxmouth Palace. Whether they lived in Tenebyss, or whether the portrait had been brought from elsewhere, he couldn't say. Maybe Celia knew these people? At the very least, she hadn't mentioned more nobles there.

His attention landed on the youngest person in the portrait, a girl who couldn't have been older than 15. She wore a more spirited smile than her serene family members, and her hair- while neatly done like the others- featured a few stray bangs. Blake found the look familiar; whenever she wasn't indignantly huffing at something or other, Celia had a similar smile. Come to think of it, the girl bore more than a passing resemblance to her…

He was too tired to think about it further.

It had occurred to Ray at some point along the trip that they'd been heading north in the Overworld after their brief rest. According to Commandant Red, overshooting Tenebyss through the Nether was necessary for avoiding detection, but by enough ground for a full day's march seemed excessive. Still, Ray wasn't going to question it when his request for a break had only reluctantly been granted.

The Commandant had made them pick up the pace quite a bit after that, but the easier terrain and the comparative lack of monsters let the group make better time. Night had already fallen when they reached the southern edge of the mountain range under which lay Tenebyss, and the tranquil quiet of the Inlands had become tense.

"Here at last. I was hoping to have arrived sooner… but I suppose we haven't lost too much time," Red mused. "Dame Esme, are you detecting the Diamond Core yet?"

Ray saw her looking at the tracker with wide eyes. "More than that, sir, there are at least four dark Genesis Cores here! Stone, Diamond, and two we haven't identified yet!"

"Stone?" asked Tara. "It was in Luxmouth with us the other day… someone must have traveled here with it."

"Maybe one of the unidentified Cores is the one we missed, too," said Samuel.

"It appears all four are underground, and the Diamond Core is the deepest of them. It's also the only one that isn't moving- the others have likely been found already," Esme continued.

One of the Red Squad troopers handed out shovels and pickaxes to everyone. The Commandant checked his black book again before giving out an order. "Then that's the one we'll find first. Once it's in our grasp, the rest should follow easily enough."

As they got digging, Ray glimpsed the coordinates on Esme's tracker and felt a strong dread come over him. It seemed to find the Diamond Core, they would have to descend more one hundred blocks beneath the surface. He didn't even think the Inlands were that deep, and he could only imagine what might be waiting for them down there.