Shadow Clone Sorcery
Chapter 20: The Undercity Hungers (2)

A narrow tunnel led away from the cavern into the undercity. While the new Iskander sat wider than it was tall, with the truly titanic structures concentrated around the affluent center, the old city seemed uniformly tall throughout. Platforms and bridges crisscrossed overhead. Lukas imagined it was a grand place with streets in the sky, putting Earth’s flyovers to shame. He was sure powerful magic had played a role in its construction.

The elevator had brought them close to the bottom. Ancient canals crisscrossed below the party, and shadowed behemoths lurked between them. Penelope’s attention often drifted to the shadows below, eyes lighting up as she scanned the lurking monsters. Her familiar led the way. Bass had grown to the proportions of an ordinary leopard but retained the lion coloring and wings. His mane was more like a puberty beard if compared to the glory of the full form. While the sorcerer watched below, he scanned ahead and above. Lukas and his clone followed close behind, regularly checking the rear even though their employer said it was unnecessary.

Skitters. Growls. Clatters. The darkness was far from silent. Sound carried far through the narrow alleys, rebounding off the ancient walls and natural barriers surrounding them. The party’s footsteps also carried far, giving away their position, and they were far from alone. It was impossible to tell where most of the other delvers were, but it didn’t seem many ventured had ventured as deep down as them.

Lukas heard the loud clashing of weapons. It was far closer than all other sounds. He followed Bass’s eyes. It was just above and ahead of them. The familiar said nothing but seemed to have communicated with his bonded companion wordlessly.

“We’re taking a left ahead,” Penelope announced. Even though their position was far from secret, she kept her volume low. They had agreed not to make too much noise. She and Bass had enough power between them to deal with most threats, but that didn’t mean they wanted to broadcast their presence to predators, ambush hunters, and malicious delvers. Resources were best conserved.

“Is there something in specific that we’re looking for?” Elvis asked, using the three-stage spear as a walking stick. “Luke has good eyes, you know.”

“A first-tier shard ability?” Bass sounded amused. “Your posters. Extra bodies. Carry things. Keep shut. That’s your job unless we say otherwise.”

“Be nice, Bass.” Penelope’s reprimand was soft and gentle, as if she were talking to a child. “You’d need dark sight or keen arcane senses to find what we’re after, specifically, signs of draconic mutations, draconic influence, or signs of any cults that worship them. The first stage of the investigation is figuring out the nature of what we’re dealing with and its source. Then, we can study it and decide how to deal with it.”

Lukas couldn’t help but wonder whether his arrival on Fracture had triggered something. He wasn’t so self-important to think he specifically was the cause but wondered about the magic that had brought him to the world or the journal’s presence. Either could’ve caused the other dragons or Greater Beings to extend their reach and attempt to deter Lady Silverspine. Lukas didn’t quite understand what entities like her got out of interfering in other worlds, especially Fracture—or if he did, the transmigration had robbed him of such knowledge. He guessed pride and giving rivals the finger played a significant role.

His eyes drifted to the clone whose attention drifted between watching their rear and Penelope’s shapely bottom. Lukas often missed being as carefree as the clones. They thought about needless things far less and seemed happier. A large part of giving up everything and coming to Fracture was about learning to be happy again. He used to have a lot of fun in the Realm of Great Beings.

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Once Lukas got past the infinite deaths and all the pain, there was immense entertainment in the clone’s memories. He also had the benefits of telepathy and often indirectly lived through them in real time. Lukas enjoyed the finest food and drink and the company of countless partners. He accrued immense riches, and his mountain home had grown into a museum filled with eclectic collections. Then, when the thrill passed, only emptiness remained. Lukas wasn’t happy.

Freedom also had its joy, but Lukas hadn’t yet found the missing something that left him feeling so empty. Material wealth and power weren’t going to do it, but he wanted them anyway. It was a lesson he had learned after the first two decades of his previous life. Money didn’t buy happiness. That much was true. What most didn’t realize was that those with material wealth had the luxury of time—time to explore life and the world and time to figure out what made them happy. Freedom, power, and time together would hopefully allow him to figure out what it was he wanted and needed.

Following several twists, turns, and upward and downward inclines, Penelope paused before a flight of crumbling damp stairs. Drips from waterways above had eroded giant sections. Neither Bass nor Penelope descended straightaway. The pair stared at the bioluminescent fungus-lit, water-logged area below. Debris blocked their view of whatever lay beyond.

“Do you feel that, Lukas?” Penelope asked.

It was no different from the rest of the undercity. The party had passed through pockets of dense magic during their exploration. What he sensed now was no different. Lukas hesitated for a moment, walking onward, stopping only once he was shoulder-to-shoulder with the sorcerer.

The journal vibrated. Magic in the air grew denser.

A shiver ran down Lukas’s spine. Even though the temperature hadn’t changed, sweat-soaked the back of his shirt. He tried to take another step forward, but his knees wobbled, and he almost grabbed Penelope for stability. Transmigration had stolen almost all of his knowledg,e but the familiar sensation remained fresh in his mind. Lukas had experienced it several times below. It was fear. Primal fear. Lady Silverspine triggered it.

“I feel it,” Lukas whispered, struggling to find his voice.

“Good.” Penelope nodded. “Burn this sensation into your mind. Draconic magic sparks dread in all who are magically sensitive.” She took a step forward, head high and shoulders squared. Lukas couldn’t tell whether it was confidence or defiance in the face of danger. “My master used to say that dragons were the first sorcerers and gave us mortals magic. They also drilled an eternal fear into us as a reminder—what’s given can also be taken away.” She grinned, looking at Lukas. “The Great Dragons can’t exist on Fracture without a working vessel. So, we needn’t worry about that.”

“Is this a field trip or a delve, Penny?” Bass asked, licking his lips. The hair on his back stood on end. The familiar’s back had stiffened, and his hair stood on end.

“Right.” Penelope spun on her heel, looking between Lukas and ‘Elvis.’ “The pair of you are staying here and not moving unless we call for you.”

“Lukey and I can take care of ourselves,” Elvis said. “You don’t need to worry about us.” He rested the short spear on his shoulder and flexed a muscle. Lukas almost groaned when the clone winked at their employer. “I can pull my own weight, I assure you.”

For the first time since they had met, El-One’s antics seemed to amuse Penelope. She flashed the minutest of smiles. It only lasted half an eyeblink. “I don’t doubt it. You’re not staying here because it's too dangerous down there.”

“There is a reason tier-one’s never descend past the upper levels,” Bass added. “The slightest of breaths can kill the likes of you.”

“Right.” Penelope tapped her staff on the ground twice. Luminous lines spread from the point of impact. They took sharp turns, and runes appeared in the spaces between them. “This is more to protect our escape route if things go awry below. I need you to protect and watch the magic circle. It should weaken anything that comes close. Maybe just enough for you to get a good poke in and scare them away.”

It didn’t sound like placation or patronization. The sorcerer’s request sounded genuine. Lukas nodded, drawing his sword.

“Skina,” he said out loud, focusing on the techniques Esther had taught him and clones had endlessly practiced since, instead of the blade lighting up like it was supposed to with the basic enchantment, a fist-sized ball of light materialized, floating just above the tip. Lukas poked it, and the sphere floated upward, slowing the further it moved from him. The hint of surprise in Penelope’s eyes gave him some satisfaction. “We got this.”

“Show off,” Elvis whispered as the sorcerer and familiar turned away, slowly descending the damaged stairway.