Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain’s PoV - Demi-Plane

The glow from Gilorn illuminated the house-sized interior of the new Demi-Plane.

“For today’s demi-planes, I want you to improvise around my songs,” instructed Gilorn. “I’ll handle the foundation work, but I want you to add elements to as many melody lines as possible. However, focus on holding a perfect pitch for whatever you include.”

Without giving time for questions, Gilorn took the lead, starting songs to expand the space as Amdirlain listened. Once Gilorn had completed the first round, Amdirlain joined in, working to match her inflections. As gravity started to assert and draw them towards the outer membrane, Amdirlain created a platform below them. When the Demi-Plane was several kilometres across, Sarah casually sprawled out on the platform and transformed into her glistening Dragon form. She’d barely grown from when Amdirlain had last seen her uncompressed shape.

With the pace increasing, Amdirlain lifted into the air and ignited Phoenix’s Rapture. The white flames sent a cascade of red reflections spilling from Sarah’s scales. Gilorn seemed to take it as encouragement, and when they started on the crust, she added unexpected elements to the melody. Subtle cues were the only warning that Amdirlain received in shifts in tempo. Those changes required frequent corrections to smooth the work before Amdirlain picked up on the pattern’s cues. The erratic shifts pushed Harmony’s limits to allow Amdirlain to adjust to the musical flow.

When Gilorn finally closed off, the rush of experience was the same, but the complexity of the Demi-Plane was on a different scale. Among other changes, the Demi-Plane’s crust had thickened, with mineral growths more pronounced. Gilorn’s melodies had also added controls and challenges to the staged zones with ley line junctions set to focus energy into a primary monster who’d seize control of each.

[Crafting Summary (Category: Planetary Biomes)

Interlinked self-sustaining biomes with day-night cycle x 1,435 (50%)

Dungeon complexes x17,823

Gathering challenges x124,000

Total Experience gained: +49,623,750,000

Olindë: +49,623,750,000

Olindë Levelled Up! x6

Harmony [G] (20->23)

Resonance-Prince [G] (4->6)

True Song Genesis [G] (36->45)

Dance [G] (28->31)

Perception [S] (155->159)

True Song Architecture [G] (35->37)

Physical Geography [Ad] (31->41)

Planetary Biome [M] (60->65)

Note: You think I’m pushy, but you’re volunteering with Gilorn. Fine.]

“Why the subterranean areas?” asked Amdirlain, ignoring Gideon’s dig.

“You have that issue with the Formithian nests, and I thought I’d start with something simple,” explained Gilorn. “Though a Demi-Plane isn’t a long-term fix, it could serve as a quarantine space if they need to be hurried off a world. We’ll need to get the temperature across the Demi-Plane’s outer skin set to the correct level for the thickness we give it.”

The lights sparking inside Gilorn’s frame brightened momentarily.

“Did you have an idea?” questioned Amdirlain.

“I was considering options to stretch your True Song without getting experience surges,” explained Gilorn.

“It doesn’t reward me for raw materials,” advised Amdirlain.

“You’ve mentioned that. How about asteroids with complex mineral vein patterns?” proposed Gilorn. “Though we’d need a star to park them around so they don’t enter another system.”

“I made a vast Demi-Plane,” offered Amdirlain. “We could park them in that.”

Gilorn chimed with a series of notes that quickly spread outwards through the spectrums from middle C. “We could make a star to park them around.”

“I’ve not even made a planet,” protested Amdirlain.

“Making stars isn’t as hard as you’d expect,” replied Gilorn. “The raw materials themselves aren’t dense. The biggest challenge is getting the amount you need in the correct proportions to be sucked into a central gravity well. If you can get that, the ignition of a self-sustaining reaction occurs at the right frequency for the solar spectrum you need. We can let the material accumulate over hundreds of sessions. Also, creating gaseous material over a vast area would stretch your Power. You know what a nebula is, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

The series of notes ended with a happy chime. “Ooh! Let’s do something better. Get Gideon to give us a location. We’ll make two demi-planes every night, then start creating raw materials over an expanse of space bigger than Vehtë’s system.”

“You want to jump straight to making a solar system?”

“Please, this is child’s play for me,” rang Gilorn, emitting steely tones. “And we’re just going to create the raw material for it. The attraction between matter will eventually trigger a cascade of gravitational groupings. If we get everything right, it will eventually form a system, but if not, it can sit as a pretty nebula to light up the night sky for a species a billion years from now. You have True Song Genesis, not the lesser versions that the Anar and Lómë possessed initially. Let’s make something grand!”

Sarah chuffed in amusement, and Amdirlain turned to her. “You’re not protesting this craziness?”

“I noticed Gilorn didn’t put a time scale on it,” replied Sarah.

“We don’t have to rush,” declared Gilorn. “And the beauty is in its creation, not the result.”

“You won’t investigate the orrery and find a spot that matches it?” questioned Amdirlain.

“How can you look for a match? This is for pure creation, so don’t worry about a plan. Get Gideon to give us a spot beyond the boundary of planned stars. To use your analogy, we’re not drawing on Orhêthurin’s partially completed canvas, instead we’ve found a little one tucked in a corner that we can use with a spare easel and her old battered brushes to develop your style.”

“You know this is an extreme escalation of scope?”

“That depends on how you view what you’ve already done,” countered Gilorn. “The material you’ve compressed into the surface of this Demi-Plane could have been the first cloud of gas. It wasn’t hard to make this place, yet creation is even easier if we make raw atoms and let their proximity and gravity do the work. And if Gideon gives us a location with a vector away from any galaxy, then no one will even see the light of it. We’ll know it’s there and can do something with it later.”

“If we want,” hedged Amdirlain.

“When you want,” declared Gilorn.

“We don’t have a plan for it,” objected Amdirlain nervously.

“Yes, precisely the point. We can use a rough guide by taking a system you like and determining the masses of molecules you need to form the whole. Then we’ll sing that matter into existence and stir it,” explained Gilorn. “I’ll teach you about stellar mechanics when we reach that point.”

Amdirlain worried at her bottom lip, only to be interrupted by Sarah’s snort. “Glow.”

“What?”

“You’re nervous, but you’ve got an excited glow,” observed Sarah. “Enjoy yourself. Gilorn’s talking about a literal new possibility, not simply painting someone else’s numbers and worrying about whether you’ll go outside the lines. It’s also raw material, and you’ve never gained experience from that, so it’s an exercise in possibility.”

“Okay,” agreed Amdirlain. “Though first, we complete the second Demi-Plane for the evening.”

“Have to make your production targets?” questioned Sarah.

Amdirlain winked. “I must achieve my goals.”

“Then move us to the next seed,” instructed Gilorn.

“Are you going to tell me what songs you plan to use for the next one?” questioned Amdirlain. “You made it quite challenging to predict how you’d change the songs.”

“I believe you said you needed to increase your Perception and Harmony,” Gilorn chimed back. “You seemed to get a better sense of the melodies halfway through the exercise.”

“I did,” admitted Amdirlain.

“Shall we do the second, or would you like a break first?”

“I just need Sarah to transform into something smaller,” advised Amdirlain. “There isn’t enough space for her.”

“Body shaming,” tsked Sarah, but she transformed regardless, becoming a shirtless male Wood Elf with swirling tattoos across rippling muscles that reminded Amdirlain of an islander’s traditional tribal tattoos.

Amdirlain kept her gaze high and frowned at the amusement sparking in Sarah’s gaze. “Tease.”

“You like eye candy,” rumbled Sarah before transforming into her willowy Human form. “Don’t you?”

“I do,” Amdirlain admitted before stepping close and stealing a kiss. She lifted a hand to run her fingers through Sarah’s dark hair.

Sarah hummed happily and slid closer until the line of her body pressed tightly against Amdirlain’s. As Amdirlain's gaze widened and an edge of discomfort scented the air, Sarah pulled back slightly but didn’t stop kissing her. Amdirlain was about to break off when Sarah started gently caressing her face.

Is she trying to stretch my comfort zone by frying my brain? No, Sarah backed off when I felt nervous. That was simply responding to cues I’m not used to people noticing.

“Listening to your song and the glow of your Soul is intense eye candy,” Amdirlain breathed when she finally stepped away. “Are you taking a page out of Gail’s book?”

“Gail always considered flesh just to be the clothing of the Soul,” replied Sarah.

Gilorn chimed drily. “Are we proceeding, or are you two courting?”

Amdirlain moved them and Gilorn soon had her scrambling to improvise. Though Gilorn again stuck with the same number of biomes, she increased the complexity again, leading Amdirlain through a hectic scramble. While they worked, Sarah sprawled out in Dragon form, occasionally opening an eye to watch Amdirlain.

[Crafting Summary (Category: Planetary Biomes and Constructs)

Interlinked self-sustaining biomes with day-night cycle x 1,104 (50%)

Dungeon complexes x17,823

Gathering challenges x124,000

Total Experience gained: +49,623,750,000

Olindë: +49,623,750,000

Olindë Levelled Up! x4

Harmony [G] (23->28)

Resonance-Prince [G] (5->6)

True Song Genesis [G] (45->51)

Dance [G] (31->35)

Perception [S] (159->161)

True Song Architecture [G] (37->38)

Physical Geography [Ad] (41->49)

Planetary Biome [M] (65->67)]

Amdirlain dropped the excess points into Quickness and grimly ignored the shifts in her body’s song. The surges in her health seemed almost directly related to the speed of the changes.

Sarah lifted her head from the platform and sniffed the air. “Something on your mind?”

Crap, that counts!

“Sorry, the levels have changed me further,” explained Amdirlain. “The distortion is getting worse, and I’m pretty ugly now.”

“You’re not ugly, even if it’s distorting the imposed flesh you inhabit. That’s not you,” corrected Sarah. “You remain intact, and the only corruption that touches you is what you let in.”

Amdirlain landed and rested a hand on Sarah’s neck, stroking along the smooth facet of a scale.

“You know I can’t feel that, right?” questioned Sarah lightly. “Maybe if you pounded a beat with a sledgehammer, but not a simple touch.”

“I know, but I’m just trying to reinforce that you’re here,” replied Amdirlain. “That I wasn’t stupid enough to screw things up between us.”

“How can you put that differently?” rumbled Sarah.

“I said I’d try to cut the negative self-talk,” protested Amdirlain. “While I’m glad I didn’t give in to my self-doubt and talked to someone to get help to straighten things out. I like to touch you and reinforce that you’re here.”

“So much for the five love languages. Most people have one of the five.”

“I’m complicated,” Amdirlain patted Sarah’s scale possessively. “So pretty.”

“And here I thought you were the visual kind.”

“I’m that, but sometimes it takes more than seeing to believe that wonderful events can come about,” laughed Amdirlain nervously. “Wonderful and jittery can go together, right?”

Sarah transformed into her willowy Human form, clad in her red leathers. A gliding step closed the distance with Amdirlain, and she squeezed her lightly. “I’m here. I know I can’t always be beside you, but I’ll support you as often as possible.”

“Why don’t you see if Gideon will provide us a location?” prompted Gilorn, bursting the moment.

Nervously, Amdirlain tried and frowned at the bland note at the end of the co-ordinates.

“He says to be careful not to ignite a star before bringing life to a proper planet,” advised Amdirlain. “I’d short myself of an achievement.”

“We can do that tomorrow,” chimed Gilorn.

Amdirlain opened a Gate into complete darkness. As Sarah looked out into the darkness curiously, Amdirlain extended a protective sphere around it and established an atmosphere.

“Sixty billion years and no light from any star has reached here,” murmured Sarah. “Maybe infinite is more than just a passing phrase to say I’ve no idea how big a Plane can get.”

“You can start with hydrogen. I want you to create a fine mist of it over the full reach of your Resonance,” instructed Gilorn. “Push out as much as you can. The atoms will spread out as they bounce off each other.”

“That’s all?”

“Create a platform so you can sit and try some simple notes on my strings,” added Gilorn.

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Hours of singing later, Gilorn finally let her stop and heal fully. Lifting her hands from Gilorn’s strings, she let the piece she’d been playing by ear end.

[True Song Genesis [G] (51->52)

Floor Harp [M] (1->3)]

I spent hours singing simple elements and smoothing their notes and increased True Song. When I focused more on being part of the music creating that last Demi-Plane, I gained the most with Harmony and True Song, and less inside Resonance-Prince. I need to concentrate on the essential aspects to level up.

“Acceptable,” chirped Gilorn. “It’s getting toward time for your morning lessons. You can take us back to the Outlands now.”

My singing or the harp? A musical game of copycat isn’t the approach I’d expected Gilorn to use for learning the harp.

When they reappeared in the Outlands, Amdirlain took in the location of her usual students and found Klipyl already fighting a trio of constructs, with Gail sitting on the observation platform watching. By the time they got to the hall, the constructs were in pieces, and the songs managing them had shifted the controlling slimes’ focus to new constructs and teleported them into the sparring area. The strength of the slimes indicated they had undergone multiple Skill advancements without progressing their levels at all.

“Klipyl’s been busy Slime training,” noted Amdirlain.

Sarah smirked. “She’s got her toys that don’t need batteries ready to play with.”

“And they even get their kinks straightened out,” quipped Amdirlain.

“Not touching that one,” Sarah replied. “Are the slimes progressing their skills fine?”

“Yeah, their Siege Engineer classes are happy with the constructs—I guess they count as mobile weapon platforms,” explained Amdirlain. “I set up the interface to translate their attempts to move into steps. They’re clunky but mobile. Maybe I’ll bring more experienced slimes from the weapon towers still slaughtering undead for Sage.”

Gail greeted them at the training hall door wearing a dark grey cotton shirt and pants tucked into solid boots. Beneath Gail's bright smile there was a chiming concern that eased away when she saw Amdirlain loop her arm through Sarah's.

People have been telling tales.

“How is everything going?” asked Amdirlain.

“That’s an open-ended question,” laughed Gail. The crystal plate tied to Vehtë’s surveyors appeared in Gail’s hand, and she presented it to Amdirlain. “All the gnarls are dead. I won’t hang onto your surveyor access, it’s too tempting to target other monsters.”

The news of their demise drew a smile from Amdirlain, who took the plate and stored it in Foundry. “You need to even out your classes. Your levels in Wizard have slipped behind.”

Gail casually saluted her. “I’ll get it sorted out. I was offered a potent Prestige Class, but it only included three of my classes, so I knew I needed to restrict myself to using spells for a while.”

“Have you tried out the constructs?”

“I was watching Klipyl spar with them. While I’ve got spells that could damage them, I was unsure if they were for anyone to fight,” replied Gail.

“Maybe not just anyone, but you can certainly train against them if you want to,” clarified Amdirlain. “Or you can try the challenges on one of our recent demi-planes?”

“They differ from the earlier ones?”

“I got the hollow-Earth set up working,” confirmed Amdirlain. “There are zone controls and the chance of monster stampedes if stronger zones aren’t tackled frequently enough. If a stampede occurs, a boss monster will control the region until they’re slain. You can eventually end up with bosses in every zone if the problem remains untended.”

“Why?”

Amdirlain smiled. “While I sang the first example, I told Gilorn too much about the dungeon core novels I based the places on. The resources from the Demi-Plane will influence a city’s prosperity and it will give them a way to continue to gain Tier 6 or maybe even Tier 7 classes, even after I deal with the spawning abominations and ghost caverns.”

“You’re trying to avoid weakening future generations?” questioned Gail.

“Yes,” Amdirlain agreed. “But it wasn’t my idea. I was following Gilorn’s lead.”

“It seemed logical to put proper challenges in place that would have significant economic and social consequences for each city. Without those, there isn’t the impact the achievements require to be awarded even for mortals,” explained Gilorn. “It won’t be the first world to have challenges created to determine the worthy.”

She could have told me about those.

“Will you give the Adventurers’ Guild access to one?” chirped Gail eagerly. “That would let them strengthen themselves."

Amdirlain shrugged. “They’ve got enough threats on their world to grow in strength if they push themselves. While you eliminated the gnarls, there are plenty of other monsters against which they can challenge themselves. If they had a Demi-Plane, they would focus on it instead of keeping their territories secure because of its greater chance of providing wealth.”

“Yet you were going to give Livia and the monastery access to one,” observed Gail.

I know she’s concerned for the people of the kingdoms, but I can’t give every world a set-up of demi-planes. They’re not in the same situation dealing with a deific curse or mountain ranges stripped of materials.

“Did you have a nice chat with Livia?” asked Amdirlain. “And did she also tell you why they need resources?”

Gail sighed. “I get there is some difference, but is it something to think about?”

I get she’s trying to make some people safer, but I might get judged for every single death—those inside the Demi-Plane and those who came about because people delved into them instead of clearing monsters away from villages. Qil Tris isn’t in the same situation, and they’ve got rapid transport options and communication to organise responses to monsters.

“I’ll consider it, but I’ll need to balance things so they don’t ignore the safety of their homes,” said Amdirlain. “Anything I did set up could impact my assessment by the plinth.”

At that, Gail’s eyes widened, and she held up her hands. “Forget I asked, please.”

“Did you hear anything about the Lómë exiles?” asked Amdirlain, eager to change the subject.

“They’ve already packed up and gone. I’m not sure of the world they’ve shifted to,” replied Gail. “One thing I did notice is that none of them were among those gifted with any children.”

Sarah grunted. “Coincidence, or had the Titan already figured out they would likely be trouble?”

Is Precognition tapping into Gideon’s predictions?

“I’d say they’d already figured out they’d be trouble,” said Gail. She returned to the stairs leading up to the platform she’d been sitting on. “Do you mind if I watch your teaching sessions?”

“You can watch, but what are you looking to gain?”

“I wanted to see how you set it up,” explained Gail.

Amdirlain frowned. “Are you looking for something else to benefit the Adventurers’ Guild?”

“Not everything I do is about them, Auntie Am,” protested Gail. “I was more interested in it from a training perspective. The constructs are easy to understand, even if I can’t hear how you’ve linked the slimes in, but the virtual scenarios sounded cool.”

Amdirlain followed her up the stairs, self-conscious of Sarah walking behind her. “Master Lu and the others won’t be long now. You can stick around to watch or take part.”

“Would using my short swords be allowed?”

“If you use normal ones,” Amdirlain replied. “This is a training exercise, so you want to increase the difficulty.”

Gail drew a pair of sheathed short swords, bundled up in a belt, from Inventory and looped the strap across the back of a chair before she sat down. “That, I’m used to.”

“Have any more of the Lómë been obnoxious about proposing?” questioned Amdirlain as she and Sarah sat on a nearby couch.

“Did being referred to as a child get under your skin?” countered Gail.

“Absolutely,” laughed Amdirlain.

Sarah gently squeezed Amdirlain’s hand. “The problem with the Anar and Lómë is they’re enduring and tend not to change once they get themselves into a pattern.”

“I’ll try to keep things fresh then,” said Gail, shifting into a Catfolk shape with black fur and silvery-tipped ears.

“Very cute. I’ve news about Qil Tris, which I’ll share later,” advised Amdirlain.

“I was thinking of visiting at some point. That mess with the Lómë is so annoying. I spent years searching for a way to get them free, and I now want to geld some,” commented Gail. “Three of the rudest males who proposed marriage got exiled, but they aren’t the only ones. A few of the knights think I need protecting and shouldn’t be allowed out, and that’s from both genders.”

We are both young. Yet if it hadn’t been for Gail’s work, we wouldn’t have located the Royal Tower, and the Lómë would still be trapped.

“That’s ridiculous. Well, if they want to delve the deeper planes in my place, they can knock themselves out,” snorted Amdirlain.

“That’s one thing I always liked about you, Auntie: you held me to higher standards and didn’t dismiss my questions as childish,” stated Gail. “Even now, when I made what I thought was an obvious request, you didn’t imply I didn’t know what I was talking about. You pointed out implications I should have considered without speaking down to me.”

“Situations differ; just because you have a hammer, not every problem is a nail,” replied Amdirlain. “I’m not even entirely comfortable with the offer of the Demi-Plane I made to Livia. Their situation is causing them to seek access to the planes regardless of my involvement, and the Demi-Plane would likely provide them with a safer alternative.”

Klipyl broke off from the constructs she’d been fighting and appeared on the platform’s edge. At a glance, she spotted Sarah’s hand on Amdirlain’s and grinned. “Glad to see you’ve not backslid.”

“I’m trying,” sighed Amdirlain.

Klipyl’s heavy trumpet disappeared, and she plopped down on a nearby seat. Her ribbon expanded and contracted with her energetic motions. “Don’t worry, we still treasure you.”

“Absolutely,” chimed Gail.

“Not sure I need the cheer squad,” remarked Amdirlain.

“Too bad, so sad. You have us anyway,” chimed Klipyl.

Master Lu was corralling the students, and Amdirlain noted that Jinfeng had turned down a larger group that included more experienced students than she had brought with her last time.

“Are you going to join the morning session?” asked Amdirlain.

Klipyl nodded enthusiastically. “You’re not getting rid of me soon. I expected to learn a new fighting style not for my profile to show jumps in both my Agile and Heavy Club skills.”

Have I been inspiring her as well?

“Do all of Ebusuku’s celestials have that?” asked Sarah. “I thought it was just those from before Am lost her Mantle.”

Klipyl winked. “Nope. The new folks have it too, maybe because Ebusuku got it?”

“It’s a possibility,” Amdirlain said thoughtfully. “I also injected a lot of my Ki into the Domain’s wellspring, which caused other changes. That energy influences all the new celestials.”

“Interesting,” commented Sarah. “Your students are on their way. It seems Jinfeng is picky about who she lets come along.”

“I noticed,” said Amdirlain. “She was very sceptical when she turned down last-minute requests this morning.”

“Good,” Sarah patted Amdirlain’s knee and stood. “I’ll leave you to your training time and go annoy Kadaklan.”

I’m sure he wants that after I likely messed up his schedule. Is that negative?

“We’re keeping him busy.”

Sarah winked mischievously. “He had a break, and he’s got a tonne of toys from his time with us on Qil Tris that help his work. If it hadn’t been for that trip, he’d still use a polished lens as a microscope. Think of all the time that’s saving him.”

As Sarah headed off, Amdirlain turned to Gail. “Can I get your help with something?”

“Creating life on barren planets?” asked Gail.

“Fine, you can help with that as well, but it’s a more personal item,” Amdirlain said.

“Oh?” echoed Gail and Klipyl.

“My Protean evolved a while ago, and Gideon’s message showed another Protean route that didn’t clash with my evolution,” said Amdirlain.

“Which means it’s possible to get Protean a second time,” said Klipyl. “I only have Shapeshift.”

“That’s fine. I need the differences in the powers. I thought that since all Fallen have at least Shapeshift, there isn’t any reason I can’t figure out how to unlock it again.”

“You want to unlock it and regain Protean?” questioned Gail.

“Precisely.”

“How do we help?” asked Klipyl.

“I want you to shift forms while I attempt to sense what’s occurring.”

Klipyl nodded and shifted into a Human female who could have passed for Livia’s older sister. Her ribbon became a simple tunic top whose hem swished against her upper thighs.