Chapter 284: Planning For Disaster

It was good to be back.

Even in our brief absence - without myself and the first disciples around to guide them - the number of faithful had grown. It seemed as if nearly every moment carried a new and unfamiliar Coreless along with it, wandering towards our forests of plant-flesh. Some came simply to look, unwilling to approach. Others were braver, pushing past the barriers of thorns and vines to look deeper within. Others still were simply stupid, trying to beat it back.

My faithful did what they could to protect those that simply wanted to explore from the dangers of the plant-flesh. The ones who attempted to harm it, however, didn’t receive the same consideration.

And anyone bearing fire was set upon with a [righteous fury]. Flames were not permitted. The bearers of the flames quickly learned that truth. The faithful were harsh teachers. The lessons harsher still.

As they should be; the plant-flesh, though it had once been the design of another Core, had been thoroughly turned into the strength of my Creator. Attempting to destroy it was little different than trying to weaken the Great Core itself.

Heretical.

I was thankful for the faithful’s efforts to stymie that heresy. It made things easier on me. With the plant-flesh protected, I could focus all of my efforts on expanding. And all of my effort, it truly was. The constant maintenance of [Verdure Parasite] remained a draining thing. If anything, it only became more so with time, as the faithful continued to increase the number of seeds that they planted as more became available - because, while the increase in plant-flesh sources to draw from meant that I could work faster, it also meant that I had more work to do.

It was neverending. But worth it, when I was able to witness what I was creating. The vast swathes of cavern that had fallen under the dominion of the Great Core.

Hissing, I slithered through the forest of plant-flesh, a scattering of faithful following in my wake. I wasn’t alone often. Fortunately, it wasn’t a problem. They didn’t get in the way. Though they did sometimes seem a little too [eager] to offer me fruits of the plant-flesh.

I rarely agreed; the thought-light didn’t reward me for eating fruits, and my body was dead. Truthfully, I just spit it out later when they weren’t looking. I wouldn’t have done it all if it weren’t for how important it seemed to them.

The undergrowth shifted. A figure blurred into view above me. I looked up.

“There you are,” not-Needle said. “I’ve been looking for you!”

Reaching down, she scooped me off the ground. I allowed it. It didn’t matter much to me whether I was on the ground or on her shoulder, and she could move much faster than I could. I was already done with the area, anyway.

A new plant-nest, finished save for the glow-caps that would be placed inside to provide light, stood proudly beside us. Some of the faithful that had been following me streamed in, already working to clear its hollowed-out insides of sap and debris. Beside it, working to defend the Coreless’ new nest, were an array of various plant-flesh defenders. They were much the same as usual; I hadn’t been able to create anything new, unlike the Core that had created them.

Lesser though it might have been, it still possessed powers that I didn’t. The very thought was shameful. Regardless, there was more than enough to defend it.

“Making new houses, are we?” not-Needle murmured, stroking my scale-flesh and looking at the newly created plant-nest with a touch of [pride]. “I’m sure these people really appreciate it. They needed this. It’s terrible, the way this city’s treated some of them. I know there wasn’t necessarily enough to go around before, but…” she sighed, finished making her noises for the moment, choosing instead to stare at the faithful as they continued cleaning out their new home.

“It’s a good thing we’re doing here. You’re doing here. I just wish that everyone would see that. We could change everything, you know? And not just here. Everywhere. Shelter. Food. Healing. They just have to let us.”

I hissed, feeling the [melancholy] starting to creep in, and let my tongue brush across her cheek. It caught the scent-taste of salt. Just a hint, captured in a single drop. The [melancholy] shifted, veering towards [appreciation].

“Thanks, little guy,” not-Needle whispered. She scratched at my scale-flesh one final time, and then straightened with a shuddering effort. “It’s time to go. We have a meeting to attend. It’s about time to solve the issue of the mines before it’s too late.”

“...any longer. We have the Little Guardian. Could they even stop us?” an older male Coreless said, one of the faithful who I didn’t quite recognize. I was pretty sure that he was from the burned out tower-nest, but I could have been wrong. It was always so hard to tell. What I could tell was that he was absolutely incensed, a mixture of [eagerness] and [anger] slipping through his [Little Guardian’s Totem].

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I curled my way through the cluttered room, listening idly to the Coreless as they droned on at one another. I might have had no idea what exactly they were saying, but I could still feel the emotions behind it. Whatever it was, it was important.

“There’s still a risk you’re not accounting for,” Will responded, mouth set into a grim line as he voiced his [disagreement]. The other Coreless straightened when he spoke, even the overly [eager] one. They respected him. Wanted to listen to what he had to say. “What happens when they realize they’re outmatched? Do you really think that they’ll go quietly?”

“Maybe if we -” the other Coreless started to say before being cut off.

“Maybe is too tentative a word. Not with what’s at stake. We know they have children in those mines somewhere, likely keeping the adults they captured in line. What happens if they decide to use that against us?”

I slipped between the crevices left between two unfinished [Little Guardian’s Totem]s, simple carvings of darkwood that had yet to be changed to serve the Great Core’s chosen. As my scale-flesh brushed against them, they activated, blazing with new light and warmth.

“...what are we supposed to do, then?” someone else asked, the otherwise completely incomprehensible words lifting in pitch. A female, this time, with timeworn wrinkles stretching across her face. They curved like the trail of a snake’s motion, and I briefly distracted myself by taking them in. “We can’t just leave them there. That doesn’t solve anything.” Her voice quavered; regardless, there was a certain firmness in it.

I moved again, empowering another set of [Little Guardian’s Totem]s in passing. There were so many to make, with so many new faithful arriving every day, and the cluttered room was filled with them.

“I’m not saying that. We just need to go about this carefully. We’ll need a way to protect them - and we’ll need to do so before they even think to use them against us,” Will replied.

I dove into another pile of carvings, simultaneously empowering the whole lot. With [Little Guardian’s Totem] long since at its peak efficiency, it was only noticeable in that I had to put some effort into the magic. A few of them clattered to the ground, but the Coreless hardly seemed to notice. They were too engrossed in whatever they were discussing.

Only one Coreless did visibly notice, leaning over to pluck one of the newly empowered [Little Guardian’s Totem]s from the ground where it had fallen. The Grateful One, uncovered by the shining ore-flesh that she typically kept herself clad in, stared at it intently.

Her lips turned down in thought.

“The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes!” the first Coreless said, jumping back into the conversation. “We all know that those mines of theirs aren’t safe. There could be a collapse. There could be a null-water flooding. Skies, there could even be simple beatings. It wouldn’t take much.”

“Yes, all of those things could happen,” Will replied. “I’m going to make it clear for you. All of those things will happen if we just come down on them in a wave of warriors without a plan. If they see that there’s no getting out, what do you think they will do?” He paused, taking a breath. “I’ll answer that. They’ll do what they think they need to. That means everything you’ve already said - except all but guaranteed. If we’re pressing in, and they know they’ll be overrun, how tempted do you think they’ll be to set all of that in motion themselves? A collapsed wall could get in our way. A null-water flood could stop us in our tracks. A hostage could force us to turn back.”

The Coreless were silent; for a moment, the only sound left in the room came from me, as an accidental whip of my tail sent another newly imbued [Little Guardian’s Totem] tumbling from its pile.

“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t move quickly,” Will finally continued. “But we need to have a plan in place when we do. That way, when we do move, we can get everyone out before things get worse. Now, does anyone have any ideas on that?”

There was another pause, the vast majority of the room - disciples and faithful, both - slipping into careful [consideration]. Some began to speak in fits and starts, but even I could tell that there wasn’t much meaning behind it. They gave up before they got far, falling into silence again.

Whatever it was that they were considering, it was something difficult. Eventually, though, someone began to speak again.

“I think I could get to them.”

I turned towards the voice, and the rest of the room turned along with me. The Grateful One, [Little Guardian’s Totem] still in hand, had a look of [determination].

“They might let me in if I ask. I doubt they’d be happy about it, but as long as I wear my armor, as long as they think I’m just inspecting their progress before the rest of the Virtun delegation gets here…”

“...then you could get inside without a fight,” not-Needle, who had been fairly silent ever since she’d brought me into the room, finished for her. It was a little unlike her, being so quiet, but I could tell that she had been [considering] the noises that the other Coreless had been making all the while. And, in acknowledgement of that careful consideration, the other Coreless listened intently when she began to speak. “But is just getting inside enough? There’s still the problem of getting out. They might let you in, but there’s no way they’ll let you take anyone out - and especially not all of them.”

“No, they won’t. But maybe they won’t need to,” Will said, looking thoughtful. “I think we could work with this, as long as Elara’s willing to put herself at risk. If she’s in there when they finally realize they’ve been duped, things won’t look so good for her. She’d be stuck in there alone, and I don’t think her armor will let her phase her way back out. There’s too much null-water in those walls.”

He turned towards the Grateful One, staring at her with a [serious] expression. “If you’re not willing to take that risk, it would be understandable. But if you are…” he trailed off.

“I am.”

Will nodded, rolling out his shoulders. “Alright, then. Let’s make a plan.”