Unchosen Champion-Chapter 325: Midnight Sun

Coop made use of the central teleportation hub beneath Balor’s Tower to travel down to the sixth level of Ghost Reef, skipping a short hike in favor of instantaneous traversal. The runed portals really felt like the first pieces of proper ‘manatech’ seen by humanity. Everything else, like the various notification displays, the fort’s giant defensive shields, and all of the contracted resource production buildings were distinguished by the authority of the system. The portals were created by Balor with the help of Jones and other humans, all residents of Ghost Reef.

Prior to the portals, mana was mostly being utilized through the research of the Cleary Brothers and their assistants to recreate what humanity had lost. Everyday conveniences provided by electricity, like refrigeration, air conditioning, and light were substituted with equivalent inventions that were instead powered by mana. But teleportation was something genuinely new.

Coop supposed he should have given more credit to Garod and the other crafters. They had developed suits of armor and weapons with the kind of features previously only imagined by humans. The sleek almost sci-fi equipment had blended genuine tech advancements through the use of mana, but still, for Coop the teleporters represented a significant step forward. The difference between reactive displays and automatic countermeasures compared to actual teleportation was immense.

As he selected his destination, he mentally prepared himself for the temporary suspension of his senses, focusing on where he would end up instead of imagining the existential horrors that magical teleportation actually symbolized. Coop took a deep breath and closed his eyes before the runes circling his feet fully activated.

The sparsely populated layer of the settlement that would be his destination had become home to the group that was surviving in Iceland without a civilization shard before the Underlayer Event. Since they were among the first to settle in the underground layers of Ghost Reef, they had already been developing the pearlescent chambers into a proper municipality, starting with the section they had decided to share among themselves. Only a few other scattered smaller groups had joined them in the other three chambers so far because most larger groups were granted their own layer, at least as long as Ghost Reef had the space to spare.

According to his companions, the new Icelandic recruits were proving themselves to be valuable members of the faction. Each and every one of them were fierce survivors who had refused to die, despite the assimilation insisting that they were hopeless. Lacking a civilization shard and having minimal sponsorships due to their relative isolation hadn’t been enough to throw them into despair. They were a reserved bunch when the residents of Ghost Reef introduced them to the island, but as soon as they were comfortable, they proved to be genuinely friendly.

When it came to settlement missions, they were already matching the prior residents in participation, enthusiastic as they were to contribute to the community. If a request to defeat a certain number of elites in a specific zone was posted, they were always willing to take part, joining the residents to secure the island. As the settlement expanded downwards, more and more subjugations were necessary, but new residents were stepping up. It was a rule that was especially true for those making their home on the sixth level.

Their experience in combat was extensive and they weren’t afraid to make contributions toward difficult vanquishing efforts in either the underground or the mana well. The fact that the settlement itself was peaceful had been a major change for them, but the tropical island wasn’t lacking in action to keep them busy.

The Icelanders had been under challenging conditions before, lacking the taming effect of any official territory, but the chance encounter with Coop had presented them with an opportunity to survive that they wouldn’t let pass them by. If that meant fighting for their new home, then that’s what they clearly intended to do.

The past experiences kept them combat ready while their willingness to contribute prevented them from growing stagnant in the more comfortable atmosphere. Their levels were lower than the previous residents of Ghost Reef on average, but their actual battle experience was comparable. They simply lacked the structured leveling paths that had formed around the tropical settlement as well as the major settlement event opportunities that had boosted Coop’s companions to the forefront of the assimilation.

Instead, the Icelanders were forced into erratic battles as waves of Primal Construct variants formed and spread across their home territory, seeking to turn the remote island into another alien domain while evolving into higher ranking invaders. The thought made Coop a bit wistful for another settlement event, as that would be an even more efficient way to boost his levels compared to grinding mere normal monsters: the lowest on the proverbial mana-food chain: though that might make his competition with the other heroes of Earth a bit too easy. At least he could be confident that Ghost Reef would benefit in that scenario.

The new recruits were battle-hardened in ways that were comparable to the Jaguar Sun. The main difference was that their opponents had been primarily alien, rather than human, and that had engendered a certain level of cooperation that had worked out in Ghost Reef’s favor. If there were still groups around Earth that weren’t entirely on team Humanity, preferring to work for their own benefit, the group from Iceland was not among them. They had been forced into fighting the alien invaders exclusively and they had never experienced the type of human conflict that tainted much of the rest of the world. Like Coop and Ghost Reef, their isolation had benefited them in unpredictable ways.

Ghost Reef had incorporated a contingent of mana-wielding vikings, but their contributions weren’t limited strictly to combat. For the first time since they lost their settlement, they could build something new, rather than simply subsisting under the constant threat of Primal Construct incursions while their previous infrastructure eroded around them. If the fort on the surface was a template that the rest of the underground was following, the sixth level was proof that it was a model that could be successfully followed. When he had decided on heading to their level, his companions had been excited for him to see what they had already built.

When Coop arrived he was momentarily bewildered by light and color. On his way down, he had been anticipating the relative lowlight of the pearlescent chambers, maybe bolstered by simple mana-based torchlight. Instead, he craned his neck, shielding his eyes with one hand as he gazed upon an impossible bright sky once the darkness of the teleport was lifted. He could actually feel the heat of the sun on his raised forearm, a large contrast compared to the ambient temperature of the air.

“What in the world?” Coop muttered, completely stupefied by what he was seeing as his eyes adjusted. His expectations were high, but he thought something wasn’t right. A chill ran down his spine as he was confronted with a noticeable drop in temperature, one that he was absolutely not acclimated to. It must have been 65 degrees fahrenheit: much colder than the underground beneath Ghost Reef would naturally reach.

He slowly stepped forward, clearing the runed landing, head still tilted up at the wide open sky, confused by his unmet expectations. Wasn’t he supposed to be underground, six layers down? Had something gone wrong with the teleportation runes? He shivered as he remembered his nervousness on his first trip down, but Balor had assured him the whole process was foolproof. And yet, here he was, clearly in the wrong location.

He had laid his eyes upon a sky that was like nothing he had ever seen before and he felt a moment of fear, adrenaline surging in a wave through his body, as he considered whether or not he had suddenly found himself far from home. Was that possible?

“...Excuse me? Sir?” Someone tried to get Coop’s attention, and when he finally tore his eyes away from the strange lights in the foreign sky, he was greeted by a friendly man that had been loading supplies into a simple rustic cart. “Are you lost?” The man wondered, silently offering to help Coop if he was.

“Where am I?” Coop finally asked, looking past the man at a quaint village with people coming and going from painted buildings colored in various hues of pastel blue and white with baskets filled with goods. A group of children played in a small patch of manicured green grass separating a residential home from a small commercial shop, giggling and shouting as they chased each other in circles.

Was it time travel? This seemed like a place untouched by the assimilation. Coop looked back up at the bright sky, as if it would provide some bearings. The sky was filled with hues of pink, orange, and yellow. The sun seemed familiar enough as it rose above what seemed like the horizon, but when Coop looked closer, it seemed to shimmer, like he was gazing upon a panoramic scene through a thin translucent film.

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Beyond the vintage buildings of the relatively dense village, designed with a minimalist aesthetic, with clean lines and simple forms, a landscape of rugged mountain peaks framed the sunrise, catching twinkling illumination on their snowy peaks. Cloud formations that Coop had never witnessed before established dramatic patterns across the sky, looking like hovering shelves of soft white cloth, as the weather was influenced by the unique geography in the distance.

Coop could only gape at the dramatic scenes, caught completely off guard when he didn’t find himself in the pearlescent chambers where he had grinded in the past.

“Ghost Reef…?” The friendly man responded, seemingly concerned that he might be dealing with a person that was completely lost. “Sir, are you alright?”

Coop looked skeptically at the skyline, feeling like the Champion of Ghost Reef would recognize his own island. “There’s no mountains like that on Ghost Reef.” Coop pointed out. “No clouds like that either.” He stated, using his finger to point at the strange rectangular formations adding depth and texture to the vibrant sky.

“Ah, I see. Is this your first visit to the settlement? I believe most of the layers are incorporating some form of sky window by now.” The man turned to check out the clouds that had disturbed Coop the most. “We chose to display the sky from our home. Lenticular clouds like that aren’t so unusual in certain places of Iceland.” He glanced back at Coop. “I suppose it’s especially strange because of the midnight sun. It doesn’t quite set during the summer months, so the time of day might seem off.”

Coop squinted at the sky, finally realizing that he had been duped by some kind of massive art project. It had really felt like he had stepped onto a completely different planet when he emerged from the teleportation, but it was just a scene from Iceland projected from the walls of the cavern through some framework of mana. It was an impossibly dramatic display of how humanity was taking control of mana for their own applications.

“That’s insane.” He muttered, thinking he needed to ask the Cleary Brothers about it, before shaking the shock off and facing the helpful bystander.

“Yes,” the man chuckled. “I’m just thankful we voted against including the dynamic weather package. I won’t miss the wind.” He continued.

Coop was still staring at the sky, mumbling about how insane the idea of underground weather was. He thought that maybe he needed to visit more of the layers. How would rain work?

“Do you need me to contact someone?” The man continued, voice gently questioning, but Coop was slowly internalizing the changes and getting back to his normal self.

“Nah, it’s fine. Could you point me toward the nearest passage? I’m here to grind.” Coop responded, somehow feeling motivated by the developments of the settlement.

The man nodded slowly, glancing across the central hub as if he was contemplating how much to share before answering. “Sure, but don’t you want to wait for the rest of your party?” The man finally responded, showing a bit too much concern.

“It’s just me.” Coop answered. “That way?” He asked, pointing toward what seemed like an active volcano perched beyond a series of stone apartments at the furthermost point of the village. It happened to be where the man had glanced.

“Yes, but it’s still quite dangerous for lower levels beyond the central chambers.” The man conceded, frowning as he seemed to check Coop’s aura, finding whatever he saw a bit confusing.

“Cool.” Coop smiled at the helpful resident. “Thanks.” He added as he marched away, still stealing glances at the spectacular sky.

He was really curious how the vast holographic expanse would transition to the real smooth stone walls that should be at the borders. He crossed what seemed like a simple marketplace, judging by the signs posted above their doors. People were already just living their lives, gathering fresh ingredients to take to their homes or getting ready for the day’s work. Coop hadn’t expected the lower levels to have already established themselves quite so much, but it was like seeing the fort after months of development. The survivors were doing what they could in the face of the assimilation, and their adaptability was dramatic.

As it turned out, the transition from holographic display to proper caverns was pretty slick, making Coop feel like he was entering a single track canyon that had been carved into volcanic rock before becoming the actual tunnels of the underground. The craggy landscape smoothly converted to the real stone walls in a way he wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t already looking for it. A pair of phantoms nodded at Coop as he crossed the threshold beyond the village, recognizing the Champion long before he was close enough to greet. The sentries that normally watched the walls of the fort had spread all the way down into the underground, making sure the actual living areas were safe from respawning monsters.

When Coop looked back after walking a bit further, it felt like he was inside of a tunnel that had been carved into a mountain, the end of which led to an open air town. Honestly, the deception was almost too good. He thought it might be better if the sky actually looked like it was being seen through a window or something, otherwise there was something uncanny about being underground and not being able to sense it properly. He thought he’d mention it to Jones the next time they had a chat, though he doubted he was the first person to provide such feedback.

He kept moving forward, noting how even the air began to change as he drew further from the safe zone. The atmosphere warmed, growing thick with the scent of damp earth and notes of something faintly metallic, transitioning about as far as possible from the crisp mountain air in the village. He could hear trickling drops in the distance and more than a few scattered clicks that he knew to be monsters testing their claws.

The walls lost their pearlescent sheen as he went, but there were a series of magical torches set up, providing a calm yellow light that emanated from rechargeable glowing crystals, leading the way deeper and deeper into the heavy darkness. He skipped the initial main cavern and its many smaller offshoots, avoiding the completely tamed sections where mushrooms were being cultivated beneath the torchlight and the invaders that wandered into the light were too weak even for Coop’s diminished level.

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The second large cavern was where he would start, but he estimated that it was more than a mile from the central chasm before he arrived. When he stepped beyond the edge of the transitional tunnel, he was surprised by the vastness of the chamber. The ceiling was lost in the gloom while individual stalactites reached down from the unseen heights. Their damp tips caught the remnants of luminescence that bounced through the tunnels, and Coop wrinkled his nose at the thick stench of sulfur that drifted through the space. Angular ramps might have led him up or down, but he knew from the instructions relayed by Gibson to stay at this particular depth.

Basically, there wasn’t much on the layers above, since he had moved beyond the edge of the actual island and was beneath the many miles of shallow reefs and sandbars that wrapped Ghost Reef. The first five or so levels were the safest when it came to monsters because they lacked the same horizontal scale as the lower levels. That didn’t help Coop much since he was actively on the hunt, hence how he ended up on the sixth level to start.

He didn’t move any deeper, already knowing that the swarm of Ruin Excavators that were waiting for unsuspecting adventurers to wander into their ambushes were exactly what he was looking for. This particular variant had always been among the most annoying to deal with, but Coop had far more tricks than the first times he contended with them.

First, he summoned a pair of one-handed hammers, opting for a rare case of dual wielding. Next, he channeled Fog of War, filling the cavern with a layer of thin mists. The scattered illumination from previous chambers hit the vapors and spread evenly, giving the ghostly mana a strange golden glow that revealed the full shape of the stone walls. The underground chamber was like a jagged tear in the ground, gaping before the Revenant like a monstrous maw, teeth of stone and throat of darkness.

Coop stepped into the stationary jaws, testing the senses of the Ruin Excavators that were hidden in the ceiling, and as expected, they responded immediately. They launched themselves from their anchor points, slamming downward with cruel intentions, while others immediately responded with a frenzy, but Coop was ready. He slipped into Vaporform, dispersing his presence into Fog of War, and let the first actors smash into the ground, taking his time in stepping aside.

The alien invaders had time for a fleeting moment of confusion before a pair of claw hammers manifested from the wispy mists, solidifying into proper weapons of war as they crushed their carapaces into fresh divots in the stone. Coop’s attacks echoed through his fog, slightly muffled before reaching the edges of his domain, but the burst of action was enough to cause the entire wall of mists to surge forward, then draw backwards with each attack, like a cloud of smoke in front of powerful subwoofers. Coop’s Strength wasn’t to be underestimated.

He slipped back into Vaporform when the first volley of pneumatic stingers shot toward his position, then reappeared adjacent to the culprits, hammers first. It only took a minute for the first batch of 50 monsters to be taken care of, but Coop was already considering how to speed up the process, moving to the next hidden nest in the same chamber. What he needed was a more convenient way to trigger all of the ambushes and create a melee that he could properly take advantage of.

However, before Coop could continue with his initial experiments, a party of humans approached his domain, the leader of which carefully tested the mists with a single finger. A moment after they reached the chamber, Coop manifested from the fog, using Vaporform as an instant teleport from the dark center to the edge. He stepped forward, exiting his domain with scattered vapors still clinging to his armor, to see what was the matter.