Chapter 37: Threads Leading to the Surface
Another two days passed in the Aether Cavern, which Tian Heng spent in a state of deep focus, alternating between studying the complex data he had extracted and practicing the Froststar Refinement Style, whose effects he now felt more profoundly infusing his very being. Faela assisted him—grudgingly and with the occasional sarcastic remark—in deciphering the Builders' language, while Lilith watched him with silent devotion. The three condensers continued their slow, steady work, accumulating purified aether.
At the end of the second day, a faint signal stirred at the entrance to the cavern. The elven scouting party had returned—but not in triumph. Elara was supporting Faelar, who was limping heavily, his left arm wrapped in makeshift bandages soaked with a dark fluid. Lyra's clothes were torn, her face pale, and she wore a haunted expression that hadn't faded.
Tian Heng stepped toward them, his molten golden eyes coldly assessing their condition."Report," he said quietly, his voice void of sympathy—only expectation.
Elara began to speak, her voice tired and strained, while Lyra and Faelar avoided looking at him."We reached the designated area, Lord Tian Heng. It was as unstable as the records warned. We encountered a collapse that nearly buried us. Then..." She hesitated, glancing at Faelar's injured arm. "The creatures attacked. The 'Blind Stone Worms' from the legends. They were bigger and faster than we'd imagined. We lost most of the samples we gathered during the fight and retreat, but we managed to bring these."She held out a small pouch containing a few glittering fragments of smoky quartz with an unusual luster.
Tian Heng took the samples and examined them swiftly.[Core, analyze this sample.]The response came quickly:[Sample analysis... high match to 'field-treated smoky quartz'. Purity grade: medium to high. Quantity: severely insufficient for any substantial repairs.]
So, the material was correct, but the mission had been near-failure in terms of quantity—and nearly cost them their lives. Retrieving more from that depth now seemed far more dangerous.
But then Lyra added in a trembling voice,"However… on our way back, we took a different path to avoid the worms… and we found something else. An old side tunnel—it slopes sharply upward. The air in it was different... less stagnant, like it was closer to... the surface? We also found signs of recent footprints near the entrance—not elven, and not from any cave creatures we know."
Recent footprints? An ascending tunnel? That piece of information sparked in Tian Heng's analytical mind. He compared the rough location Lyra described to the ancient mental map of the world he carried. If this tunnel truly led upward in that direction, it might emerge far closer to civilization than he had anticipated—perhaps only hundreds, not thousands, of kilometers from the region of Fairhaven he remembered.
He thought quickly. His urgent needs: more rare materials to repair the regulation node, possibly components for better fabrication, and most importantly, information about the current state of the outside world. Relying solely on the Vault was slow and fraught with internal risks. Escaping to the surface via this new tunnel was a massive risk—but it might offer faster solutions. He could purchase, steal, or otherwise acquire materials from cities. He could gather intel. His current strength, the draconic sword, and his allies—Lilith and Faela—gave him a better chance of surviving on the surface than ever before.
He made his decision. The need for resources and information—and the chance at a path upward—pushed him toward a drastic shift in his plans.
"We're changing course," he announced suddenly, cutting through the tense silence. He looked at the group—exhausted and shaken elves, the ever-suspicious Faela, and loyal Lilith."Our next objective is no longer here. We're taking that ascending tunnel Lyra found. We're heading to the surface."
Stunned silence fell. Even Faela looked surprised for a moment."The surface?" Elara whispered in disbelief. "But the dangers... the outside world…"
"The outside world holds the resources we need," Tian Heng cut her off coolly. "We'll head to the nearest large human settlement we can reach. We're going to Fairhaven."
"Fairhaven? But how…?" Lyra began, but Tian Heng raised a hand to silence her.
"We have an old map. I have my prior knowledge of the region. We'll get there. However," he added, looking at them all—especially Lilith and Faela—"our appearance will draw unwanted attention. We'll need a way to conceal your non-human traits."
He paused to think, then directed a query to the core:[Core, do the extracted Builder data include any information on visual concealment techniques or basic illusion fields?]The reply came quickly:[Located: foundational principles of 'low-energy optical distortion field' relying on limited manipulation of light and ambient aether. Requires continuous aetheric power source (Collector-class minimum for limited operation) and basic components (focusing crystals, primitive regulator circuit). May provide partial concealment of obvious non-human features from casual observation; ineffective against scrutiny or energy-sensitive beings.]
"This might be enough," Tian Heng murmured. He would craft simple concealment devices using available materials, using the condensers as portable power sources. He turned to Faela."Your shadow control—can you use it to reinforce this concealment?"
Faela gave him a cold look. "Possibly. It'll cost me energy."
"You'll receive condensed aether to compensate," Tian Heng replied. Then he looked to Lilith."And you—can you suppress your aura and temporarily hide your horns and eye-glow?"
Lilith focused, and slowly, the glow in her crimson eyes dimmed to a dark red. Her small horns seemed to retract slightly or be masked by a faint shadow illusion."Yes, my lord," she said in a slightly strained voice. "For you."
As for himself, his horns were small enough to be hidden under a deep hood—something he could find or craft into a cloak.
"Very good," Tian Heng said. "We'll spend the next day building the concealment devices and preparing ourselves. We'll take all the condensed aether we've gathered, our tools, and the data plates. Elara, Faelar, Lyra—you're coming with us. Faelar, your injury will slow us down, but leaving you here is not an option."He was now treating them as part of his team—or perhaps his property—that he would bring with him."We'll seal off this cavern entrance as best we can behind us."