Chasmfall (The Weirkey Chronicles Book 4), page 13
"We should begin." Fiyu began walking toward the gates and spoke quietly as they approached. "This place is called Bleaklight City, and I know it from my childhood. I wish that I could have shown you and Nauda everything, but I fear our associate will not grant us enough time."
"Are the gates going to be a problem?"
"No, a city of this size is accustomed to strangers. We will be permitted entrance."
Though they were, the guards examined Theo with their senses for much longer than Fiyu had anticipated. After her journey through so many shocking worlds and living in Norro Yorthin, her shock at other worlds had dulled. A great many Ichili were only dimly aware that other worlds existed and might never have met an outsider. Only the fact that the locals were accustomed to mistrusting many other Ichili allowed for them to be eventually permitted inside.
Both were given pins that bound to their clothes and emitted an unpleasantly intense light. They could not be easily removed and would prevent them from hiding in the shadows, likely to discourage antisocial behavior. Each pin also contained anti-cantae properties, and even a month ago the light would have pierced through her stealth technique. Fiyu was somewhat confident she could now overcome it, though she hoped that she would not be required to test this.
Inside, they stood on the wide central street of Bleaklight City. When she had arrived as a child, it had seemed an impossibly vast space crowded with people, as dangerous as any other landscape. Now, she understood that the city was nowhere near the size of a place like Norro Yorthin, even considering the volume of its many floors, and the population density - though more reasonable - was quite low.
More than that, she felt a deep sense of melancholy that she had returned to it like this. What she wanted was to guide Friend Theo and Friend Nauda through the city carefully, showing them its delights and rediscovering its strengths. Yet now one of her friends was missing and there was no time to explore, no time even to stand and reflect as she was.
"Do you have a plan?" Friend Theo asked. He tapped at the glass sphere and frowned. "At the rate the mass is changing, I would guess a little over two hours. I'm not sure how dangerous this city is or how much we need to do."
"Though not as safe as a true community, for someone like yourself who will not offend Ichili, you may travel freely." Fiyu examined the sphere and set her own sense of time. "I am afraid that we must likely split up, but you have not told me what you needed to do here."
"I wanted to buy some equipment that will prepare us for the Chasm. Not proper armaments, but the sort of thing you don't find on many other worlds. What about you?"
"I have decided to purchase some additional sublime materials for my Corporeal Floor. Though I am not prepared to begin full soulcrafting there, I have... recognized that I am fragile compared to you and Nauda. Acquiring some of the materials should help reinforce my body and soul."
"That sounds like a wise decision. Assuming you're counting time internally, let's try to accomplish everything we can in an hour, then meet back here to check."
"There is a spark fountain in the central square. That would be an easier location to meet."
Friend Theo accepted her expertise quite reasonably and then departed. Then, quite abruptly, Fiyu was alone in a sense she had not been in some time. Despite her melancholy at her rushed visit to the city, Fiyu found herself smiling as she set about her work.
Though she had told Friend Theo the truth, she had omitted other errands. First she traveled to the nearest Biolumin Relay, hosted within the city. Unfortunately, there was no message from Relative Guchiro waiting for her, or indeed any messages at all. After confirming that the message she had left was still unread, Fiyu headed out to seek other relatives.
The branch of relatives in Bleaklight City was not close, but she had memorized their locations in the case of emergencies. If she had been separated from her guiding relative by a less shocking method than falling into another world, she would have made her way to them and been incorporated into their social network. When she arrived, however, she discovered that many of her contacts had departed, and the messages they left for relatives did not offer any particular wisdom.
But neither of those had been truly necessary, because Fiyu had other resources now and could support herself. She might still be vulnerable in an unknown region like the Greater Dark, but she had been taught the environment of Bleaklight City thoroughly. Having completed filial duties, she set about conducting her soulcrafting business.
First she made her way to the deep markets, blissfully free from gas lanterns, and adapted to the minor changes since her last visit. They contained many valuable sublime materials, though during her previous visit she had not been competent enough to do anything but rely on Relative Guchiro and learn from his teachings.
She might not be confident in her ability to construct her Corporeal Floor, but her relative had thoroughly taught her both theory and practical steps. Her second floor needed to represent her body in the deepest sense, so it could only be filled with sublime materials from Ichil.
Her most valuable find was cloudspider silk, a dark material that almost perfectly matched her hair. Though voidspider silk was more commonly used as a construction material, cloudspiders produced a more powerful sublime material. She also purchased a number of bloodembers to represent her body heat and astralcorpuscles for her flesh.
Regrettably, she was unable to purchase any of the truly rare materials that would represent her heart, lungs, or other essential organs. Not only could she not locate any, the other purchases had exhausted almost everything she had saved. These might be her last purchases before the Chasm, even presuming that Friend Theo paid her back for the funds she had loaned him.
Still, she thought it was reasonable to hope that the new materials would assist her. Instead of merely storing cantae, her second floor chambers would begin to resonate along with her body. That might make her more resistant to techniques such as the one that Enemy Homez had used to disable her. She might also be able to refine them to some degree, such as braiding the cloudspider silk in the same fashion as her own hair. Even if Relative Guchiro required changes later, that work would do no harm.
Since she still had funds remaining, Fiyu searched for sublime foods that she thought her companions would enjoy. She felt a sense of regret that she couldn't guide them all through the city so they could eat together, but there was not enough time. Perhaps she could work toward that day by assisting them with their feast chambers.
All her shopping exhausted her allotted time, so Fiyu returned to the chosen place. The spark fountain was not currently functioning because it was an hour of sleep, and she was disappointed, wondering if the fountain would have seemed so shocking after all her otherworldly experiences. Friend Theo sat nearby, carrying a large sack over his shoulder.
"Did you find everything you sought?" she asked. Friend Theo grumbled something about having to carry around everything, but it was his pleased grumbling.
"Look at this: silencemoss makes the perfect earplugs, so we can use it to protect ourselves from the sounds in the Chasm. I also got these animabladders... can you check them for me to be sure that the merchant didn't cheat me?"
Though Fiyu dutifully checked over the animabladders, she believed that Friend Theo had negotiated a good deal. The core of each was the bladder of a creature that could easily float through poisonous environments, but these had been modified with a metal pipe that fit into the mouth. She knew that some Ichili used these to store air and breathe in dangerous environments, and presumed that Friend Theo had spent some time with them in his previous life.
"I believe that these are sound," she concluded, "but I do not know if they can filter the necessary threats. Are there poisonous gases in the Chasm of Lamentations?"
"I'm not sure they're really gases, but there are regions where breathing becomes lethal. These should cover all three of us, though I want to modify the straps. Oh, and I have these two masks: I assumed yours will protect you entirely, so they're just for Nauda and me."
Seeing all of Friend Theo's preparations eased Fiyu's mind more than she had expected. She knew that he was knowledgeable, but also that he could be impetuous by reasonable standards. But these preparations would not have shamed an Ichili, and it seemed clear that he truly knew the dangers that they were about to face and had carefully planned their journey.
She corrected herself: Friend Theo knew the environmental dangers. None of them could fully predict the threats from rival Houses, the Asplundat Movement, and other enemies.
"We made good time, and I didn't need to spend as much money as I expected." Theo handed her the money sack with a smile, and oddly Fiyu almost decided to brush his hand when taking it. Troubling. "Since we still have time until Karchibol returns, is there anything else you think we should do? Anything you've been missing from Bleaklight City?"
"Oh... that is a kind offer, but..." Fiyu found her answers within her hesitation and smiled. "I would prefer to enjoy it alongside you and Nauda. We can explore the city when we return with our own weirkeys."
"That sounds like a good plan to me. Finding more sublime materials, then?"
"Your offer is kind, but I have already located every one of the materials that my relative mentioned. Others will require more effort and journeying."
"What about alternative materials?" Friend Theo must have sensed her dismay at the idea, because he immediately raised his hands. "Hear me out. I'm not asking you to soulcraft your Corporeal Floor with replacements. But if we find materials that are deeply appropriate to your blueprint, they can reinforce your body in the short term. Even if your relative says they're not appropriate for your Corporeal Floor, you could use them elsewhere, right?"
It was a surprisingly prudent plan, so Fiyu smiled back at Friend Theo before catching his sleeve to draw him into the city. "Yes, let us begin."
Chapter 14
With their time before the Chasm winding down, Theo set about restricting their activities to final preparations. There was no sense in skipping to other worlds, potentially getting embroiled in other conflicts, even if there hadn't been increasing threats from the Asplundat Movement. They had all the equipment and sublime materials that would be available, the question was refining them.
One of his objectives was completed, technically: they each had a Nine Worlds Feast within their soulhomes. Their sublime foods for the local worlds were all excellent, though Arbai was little represented due to the lack of edible materials. They didn't have quite the same intensity from Deuxan, but they had considerably more than anyone else in the city. House Blacksilver connections had provided better food from Siata than he'd expected, though not enough. Only their meals from Slest and Noven were barely nominal, limited by lack of weirkeys.
Still, they would be better than most of their opponents, certainly better than the monotonous sublime foods in the Asplundat Movement blueprints. They could improve them... and Theo found himself wondering just how much improvement was possible. Their Tatian meal might be excellent, but it had no representation of the blackened half of the world. Could the feast be taken beyond even the limits he'd known?
When Dhan had told them that the Authorities could no longer continue assisting, Theo had made one last request: blasting his allies' soulhomes with an Authority's cantae. At the moment they both winced on their knees, struggling against the overpowering force scouring their souls. Nauda fared a little better, but no Ruler could stand up to an Authority.
Simply watching his friends suffering felt wrong, so Theo turned to Dhan to question him while he couldn't wriggle away so easily. "How does House Blacksilver think it will fare in the competition?"
"Norro Yorthin is expected to be a major competitor." Dhan didn't look at him as he answered, still pouring out cantae. "But the majority of the rewards will be seized by the top competitors. House Crimson has proved especially aggressive. The House of the Lost is bringing in outside soulcrafters. Some are arguing with the House of Coin about whether or not they should participate at all, since it isn't a mercantile concern. Their Invitations could be distributed via other methods."
"That means we have competition near and far, but it doesn't actually answer my question."
Dhan's eyes finally flickered to him, then he grunted. "We don't know how well we can perform, but with increasing pressure, harvesting many materials will be essential. I worry that we Authorities will be neutralized by others, so your group may be more important than you know, if you live."
"You're not confident in your ability to win?" Theo asked, hoping the question wouldn't come off as too presumptuous.
"I've strengthened myself, but I can't equal the top soulcrafters from House Crimson or the Asplundat Movement. Karchibol is past his prime and Janne has never found the perfect sublime materials her blueprint requires. The results may come down to luck and alliances."
"If we're successful at the Chasm, could you ascend to Stronghold?"
That got a moment of amusement edging along contempt, and Theo realized he'd misjudged the conversation. "House Blacksilver does not intend to join the great houses of Norro Yorthin. But they grow increasingly hungry, so our hope is that we become too large to be eaten."
Again, Theo was reminded about the differences between his ambition and most others. It was true that Authority was a broad tier, spanning a great distance from those who barely survived ascension to those with four precisely crafted floors. But for the vast majority of soulcrafters, including Dhan, none of the next steps included ascension.
Instead of scorning him, Theo tried to remember that he couldn't afford to lose that angle. Soulcrafters who had remained at a tier and perfectly polished their blueprint could be quite formidable. Even when Theo reached Ruler, for all his designs he wouldn't be able to ignore someone like Nanjuma, who had progressed at Ruler for decades.
"Are we done yet?" Nauda grimaced and pulled one knee off the ground. "You're going to tear up all the grass in my foundation."
"I suppose that is enough." Dhan stopped expelling cantae oddly, as if he had forgotten it. "You both endured well."
"If this was just a test, I will be somewhat less than fully grateful."
"It wasn't a test," Theo said. "Enduring such a high volume of more intense cantae will better prepare you for the Chasm of Lamentations. I needed the same thing, I just got it prior to the duel with Esaire."
Nauda grimaced as she looked internally. "I'm not sure it was worth it. We're still not going to be able to stand up to an Authority's cantae."
"No, but we'll be considerably less likely to get pinned down by them. We need to be able to slip through and do our own work."
Fiyu bobbed her head in agreement, but before they could say anything else, Dhan waved his hand over the entire group. "I've helped you because of your efforts in acquiring the dewfossil, but I will be pushed to my limits when we enter the Chasm. I won't let your lives be taken if I can act, but you should not count on my help."
"We understand." Theo might have said more, but the Authority vanished a moment later, his weirkey taking him off to his own preparations. Just as well, as they had more to do themselves.
Less than a month remaining.
~ ~ ~
After an alliance between House Crimson and the House of Burning Leaves, the House of Coin agreed that they would surrender their Chasm Invitations for the good of the city. The claiming of them was sacrosanct, however, so the exact method of distribution was to be determined by the House itself. Rumors swirled that they intended to profit from their distribution as much as possible and many other organizations began gathering money to purchase the few remaining Invitations.
To the far west of the Norron continent, in a wasteland claimed by no one, soulcrafters first recorded increasing cantae flow that marked an incursion.
~ ~ ~
When Ally Navim had followed them to Norro Yorthin, Fiyu had presumed that he would join House Blacksilver and live alongside them. Instead, after some temporary lodging, he moved into the Arbaian quarter of the city. Though Fiyu did not like traveling through the crowds to the strange domes, she respected that they could provide better accommodations for him. Most relatives did not live in the same location, after all, and it would be unfair to require him to help shield her from other crowds.
For that reason, she had met with him less frequently than she had hoped, mostly either when he visited House Blacksilver or when they met at the State of Rest. This time, however, she walked fully into the Arbaian quarter to meet with him, because he had sent word that her mask was finished.
Fortunately, outside of high security areas, the Arbaians were quite respectful and did not accost her. Fiyu slipped through crowds of multiple species, though she recognized only Mundhin like Ally Navim. In theory it might be useful to learn more of them in time, but she was interested only in her ally.
"Navim?" She leaned into the room he rented with a smile, hoping to find her mask prepared. Instead, his rocky body sat at his table with several instruments set up. The density of his body was unchanging, so it was difficult to read his mood, but the air between his limbs did shift in pressure, currently quite dense.
"Fiyu. Please step inside and close the door behind you. There is work to do."
"Work?" As she closed the rolling stone door, she looked back for more information. "You told me that the mask was complete."
"More precisely, I told you that I had completed my work. There is a final step that requires your assistance."
Nodding her understanding, Fiyu went to sit in the stone chair he had formed specifically for her. She had been momentarily surprised that what he had told her was incorrect, but it made sense that Ally Navim had been scrupulous about his meanings. Indeed, he had stated the end of his work and she had presumed that meant the completion of the mask.
"The slate has been precisely constructed, but it will not retain such an elaborate formation alone." Ally Navim gestured to his work table, but unfortunately her mask was hidden underneath a large mass of crystal that her senses could not penetrate. "It requires a coating to preserve it, and regrettably most methods of coating would reduce the efficacy of the armament."
