9

Chapter 9 Into the Depths

I set up my Brewing Stand back in Lorassyon. It's by far my most secure base. Until I get more blaze rods I'm not taking any chances with this. Just before I use the blaze rod I take a moment to examine it.

The blaze rod isn't really that impressive. A two foot stick that looks like it's made of glowing yellow metal. It's hot to the touch. Not burning hot, just overly warm. Hard to think that this is one of the main things that has been holding me back.

As soon as set the Brewing Stand up I was flooded with recipes. A huge number I could tell were actually from things I had stored In my Inventory previously. I could make ink, alcohol, and a dozen other liquids. Interestingly enough, they all used a Mundane potion as a base.

I still didn't have any use for a Thick potion, but would be experimenting later. For now I starting working on creating the stockpile of potions I've been wanting.

Unlike In the game, brewing takes half an hour. That is no where near enough time to get anything done. With how busy I am I'm not going to be able to brew very often. I really need some help. At least I can make three potions at once or I'd never get even close to ready.

Brewing also uses fuel in the form of blaze powder. While I have plenty it's still not as easy to get as most of my other resources. Fortunately a magma slab takes care of that. Magma really is amazing.

First on my list after health potions are water breathing. I really want to explore the sea and figure out what all is down there. Which makes me realize I need pufferfish. A fish that I had never seen the entire time in Lorath. Except near the underwater tower. Which I tore apart. Damn it.

Screw it. I build a fishing rod and set up while I brood. I can at least fish while I brew a few more potions. Within a few seconds I get a bite and I reel in... a pair of boots?

Is this a joke? Are my powers mocking me?

I try again and get another fishing rod. At that point I realize that using my crafted fishing rod is following the game rules. Which means I'm not fishing. It's more like activating a finicky chaotic item spawner than anything.

I build a small pool so I can keep fishing while sitting next to the brewing stand. Of course I immediately pull out a fish. A live fish. Seriously?

I pick up the fish and get basic information on it. I store it for now. When I finally get a puffer fish I look at the information and fall over laughing. Pufferfish eat algae, small crustaceans and clams. Basically everything I'm growing in my tidal farms.

I spend a fairly relaxing day stockpiling potions and fishing. Enchanting the fishing rod normally changes the loot table. Here, it interacts with me to make what I want more likely to appear. I can easily keep up with the demand.

I release the rest of the puffer fish in a few of the tidal farms. I even drop a prismarine block in the corner in case it attracts them. Hopefully they won't spread too fast. I wanted pearls for something. Probably trade. I guess that doesn't really matter as much now. Something to think about later.

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Now that I finally had potions it was time to explore the sea bed. I briefly considered fighting the Wither, but I don't really need a beacon yet. I'm way too spread out right now for one to really benefit me.

Water breathing potions were not the only preparation I made. I also made a diving bell. I was going to have Locke make it but my version will do for now. A monstrosity of iron fencing and crudely painted on transparent plaster, it was perfect.

My power made sure it looked decent and functioned properly. The materials should also fall apart in the water fairly quickly. No use leaving a trail of discarded diving bells behind even if littering isn't a crime here.

I also made sure to grab an item harness and backpack. The item harness was based off the chest and tool belts. It basically gave me a second hotbar. The backpack, like the saddlebags able to be placed on mules, had an inventory of fifteen slots.

I experimented with them some, but everything I tried lowered the number of slots it had. My powers had some odd limitations. Thankfully making them waterproof didn't cause any problems. It just used up lots of oil and wax.

Following the lights turned out to be an interesting experience. For now I used diving bells to replenish my oxygen. They let my save my potions for an emergency. I can also use them like a trail of breadcrumbs back to shore.

The sea bed is pretty empty once you get far enough out. The kelp die out and the fish thin out as well. There a lot of octopods and kraken down here as well. Not sure why but sharks don't really seem to be a thing here.

The octopod is the perfect example. It's almost a normal octopus. If an octopus had a skeleton and defensive spikes. Flexible coral-like armor also coated it. It takes me to realize just what I'm seeing. If you take one and dry it out you get the sea star skeletons I found stored.

The krakens were the same. They were like squid. If you took the worst features of several sea predators and combined them. They had serrated bone hooks lining their tentacles and a mouth like a lamprey. They also seemed to come in all sizes ranging from a foot long to over thirty.

They were also aggressive. The first potion I used was because of them. I was sitting in a diving bell when one of them jets towards me. In an instant it wrapped the bell in it's arms and twisted. Just like peeling an apple the bell came apart in strips.

I didn't really realize this until later. I was too busy freaking out that my bell was smashed. A giant tentacle monster was attacking. And my bell was electrified.

Yep, krakens can generate electricity. Honestly it's overkill. I wonder if that's one of the reasons behind the myth krakens can cause storms. Stupid thought to have when you're about to die.

The next few minutes were an inky blur. Honestly I'm not sure how much damage I dealt. I stabbed around a lot, mostly at tentacles that grabbed me and then black.

Once the ink cloud dispersed I looked around. I did cut off one arm at least, which I stored. I was happy to see the injured kraken being swarmed, at first. Of course then I realized they were like sharks. Ah, so that's why there aren't any sharks. They are the sharks. Yep, time to move.

They cut me off easily. I was like a tortoise seeing how fast they darted through the water. So I bunkered up. Lots of pallets of stone and some walls and I had a decent tower. I made sure the walls were two blocks thick. Those arms were scary.

They were definitely relentless. They were also like piranhas. The first tried to squeeze through the gap I left on purpose. I wedged myself into a corner so it couldn't wrap anything around me and just chopped away.

Once it was hurt it tried to flee. I got a gorgeous view of a giant swarm of krakens tearing it apart. It fought back and anything it injured was also swarmed. For a few moments they ignored me.

Once the swarm had thinned a bit they rushed me again. Persistent things. I fought until they started attacking each other again. In the distance I could see more of them arriving, drawn by the smell of blood. I might be here awhile.

It was after the tenth or so charge that I decided to chance not to use a potion. Instead I pulled out a diving bell. The charges never really lasted that long so I can probably hold my breath through one. Once the charge starts I store it again and ready myself.

Hell yes! I hadn't even started drowning before they pulled back again. So it looks like I no longer need to worry about running through all my potions too quickly.

I was about to trigger the stack in my hotbar to pull out another bell when I realized something. I had fifty bells before. I had just used one. The stack is still sitting at fifty though.

The next few attacks were almost routine. I was much more interested in realizing I was an idiot. I had never even thought to test it. I knew my powers could create things. I don't know why I didn't think about air. My bells refresh their air once their stored.

They give up eventually and when I exit my tower I can see a lot of krakens just drifting around. Most of them are smaller and look kind of bloated too. Hopefully no more will show up.

I only encounter two more outposts before the ocean floor is deep enough that there isn't any light. Faintly in the darkness I can see a steady glow. Thank god for glowstone.

I leave a fairly steady stream of glowstone blocks behind me as I descend. No way was I going to chance getting lost down here. I stop for a bit when the sea bed abrupts vanishes. It's just darkness beyond that point.

Up ahead a cluster of lights shone the the dark. God I hate going in blind.

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Venturing forth into the lightless depths was worse than venturing into the Nether. At least there I could build fortifications if I needed them. Floating here, essentially blind was horrible.

If had taken much longer I honestly would have turned around. But finally I got close enough to make out my goal. Just as I had thought, it was an ocean monument.

It shimmered and rippled in the pale light, making the edges blur and looking like a mirage. I can already tell exploring this place is going to be disorienting.

I don't even register the danger until it was too late. A faint glow, dismissed as another abyssal sea lifeform, abruptly turned into a bolt of searing light. Even through my armor it hurt. It also took off three health, a first since I started wearing two layers of armor.

Crap. I forgot about the guardians. I never really spent much time in the sea in the game. I review what I can remember even as I swim as fast as possible for the monument. Armor piercing lasers, cyclops... there was something else. As one of the said guardians tried to ram me I abruptly was reminded. Oh yeah, spikes.

I can't dodge. It's way too fast. Instead I pull out a spear and brace myself. Ok. This might not be as hard as I thought. It impales itself, charging forward until it's spitted thoroughly. I was worried as I struggled to keep hold of the spear. It slowly thrashed it's way up it to reach me, six inch spikes extended all over it's body.

And then abruptly it was over. It froze and slowly began dissolving. I reached out and snagged the handful of scales that hadn't disappeared. Prismarine. Just like the blocks.

I land on the top of the monument and look around. The layout seems the same as an ocean monument. There was a large central ziggurat with two wings extending forward from it. I had landed on top of one of the wings and made my way over to the ziggurat.

The problem was I don't remember it being quite so massive. The entire structure stretched out for hundreds of meters instead of the fifty or so I remember. This place is going to take forever to explore.

I cheat. Massively.

When I entered the structure I could easily tell it was laid out much like some kind of three dimensional maze. I had no intention of getting lost and possibly ambushed. Instead I just started mining out entire sections.

I fended off attacks by guardians several times. They actually kept their distance if I pulled out my spear too soon. I started building my own base even as I mined further in order to provide areas I could use to ambush them.

It still is pretty dangerous. The guardians are six feet long and much faster than I am even with my enchantments. I'm pretty sure I'd be completely helpless without them.

As I get more comfortable surviving them I start planning. Combat isn't much like the game, so much more complicated. If only Locke had been able to make my harpoon gun.

It's not easy, but I actually manage to capture one. I lured into a small alcove I built, dropped a wall between us and sealed the room. A quick use of a sponge and it was trapped!

Studying it was fascinating. It squeaked angrily at me even though it didn't have a mouth. For that matter it didn't have any other openings either. Inside was even odder. It didn't have any real organs besides a brain and the eye. It was closer to a flesh golem than an actual creature.

Cutting it open was a messy process and it bled everywhere. Thick green goo. Odd lack of smell. Eventually it died and left behind the lens of the eye. When stored it registered as prismarine crystal. Looks like I've been destroying part of my own loot. Oops.

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My conquest of the monument takes an abrupt turn after I find my first sea sponge. Just like in the game, they have the ability to absorb enormous amounts of water.

So naturally I consolidate the parts I've been working on and waterproof it all. I build a furnace and try out the sponge and proceed to use it to remove all the water. I now have my own underwater base.

I'm now a bit sad I didn't bring more supplies. I could have set up a complete supply point down here. I need it too given how large this place it.

I keep expanding, but it's slow going. I'm periodically assaulted by a guardian. What makes it annoying is something they sit there and snipe at me. Need to find where they're coming from.

The first hidden chamber I got to was a nasty surprise. A swarm of zombies swam out of the opening and tried to pull me in. If I had broken through more thoroughly I might have actually died. Several minutes of stabbing with my longest spear failed to clear them out. They seemed to be endless.

In desperation I pushed a block of TNT through the opening and filled in the gap. The explosion launched the stone block away along with disintegrating zombie parts. I hadn't realized the stone didn't bond with prismarine. I check over what I've already made carefully.

The room was filled with the remains from the zombies. While gathering them another zombie appeared. Since it was alone I got a much better look at it.

It was like something out of Lovecraft. A head that looked like a cross between a frog and a fish sat on top of a squat body. Limbs much too long and much too thin ended in long webbed hands and feet. What wasn't rotting was covered in light scales.

I dug through the remains quickly, realizing that the zombie appearing meant. In the bottom actually set into the floor was what I was looking for. A spawner. Storing it told me that the creatures were even called Deep Ones. This really is something from Lovecraft.

God I hope Cthulhu isn't here.

Wait.

Isn't there an island named Leng?

Yeah. I'm going to avoid whatever part of the world that is.

I get back to mining out the temple. This place isn't endless and I really don't feel like coming back. There are hidden rooms everywhere. Each one swarming with Deep One zombies. It's feeling like my first time in the Nether all over again.

Now that's a thought. I could build a portal, pop back to my base and grab a few supplies. Excited I open my Inventory.

And of course I didn't bring any obsidian. Yeah, once I'm done here I'm never coming back.

As it was I was fast running out of stone. The few stacks of pallets were meant for a temple a fraction this size. If not for what I found on the next floor down I might have been forced to leave to resupply.

Coral. Somehow coral is growing down here, inside the monument. I'm not even sure what it feeds on. I'm just going to assume it's a power thing. Either way the bright red color gave the area a christmasy feel.

Mining the coral was easy enough. The interesting part was what it dropped. It dropped itself. As a plant.

Coral could be grown.

It was pretty easy too. Just give it space, make sure it's underwater and make sure it's reasonably bright. The best part was it could be converted using a Crafting Table into concrete.

Of course I can't just have good things appear. Nope. Once I dug out a few more blocks of coral I was abruptly blasted by a burst of laser bolts. The remaining coral was shattered as an enormous creature tore through it.

It looked like a guardian if you enlarged it to fifteen feet. It's scales had a grayish cast as well. The important different though was the spikes. It was covered in three foot spikes. They were constantly extending and retracting, giving off a rippling effect.

Behind it I could see two guardians making their way towards the hole. The elder guardian charged me even as it's eye slowly started to glow.

I didn't dodge, instead opting to plug the hole with one of my few remaining stone walls. The impact threw me to the side, but only took off a point of health. I was about to bless my armor when the plate mail shattered and faded away.

Thankfully I've been digging down so everything else was already air tight. I pulled out a sponge and drained the water.

I relaxed too soon. Unlike the normal guardians, this one wasn't helpless. It used it's spikes and slithered into me. There was no way for me to stop it. Even as I landed I pulled out two spears.

I managed to impale it when it tried to crawl on top of me. Unfortunately it didn't stop. It rammed the spears deeper trying to crush me. It's spikes started stabbing out as well. It felt like I was under a jackhammer.

I started chugging health potions with one hand even as I stabbed out with the other. I took the time to aim and slam a knife into it's eye. With it's laser gone it was a battle of attrition. It had way more health, but I had almost a full stack of health potions.

Finally it died. That was way too close.

I looked at my Inventory. Fourteen. I had used up over thirty potions in that one fight. That's insane.

Once I settled myself I kept at it. Retreat wasn't really an option since I'm never coming back. Besides there was some kind of treasure in the center from what I remember.

I reflood the room since I needed to lure in the guardians. As soon as I dig up the first block they all try to rush in. I impale the first one on a spear. The other two push past. Thankfully they can't shoot with the first one in the way.

I plug the hole again and dry the room. They're still dangerous, but I can hide behind one and just stab with a spear. So much easier.

When I open the hole again and have to kill another guardian I know I've found the source. It takes awhile to clear out enough of the coral to find it and I have to kill another guardian while searching. Unfairly, the normal guardians can just swim through coral.

I relax once I manage to find and store the guardian spawner. Once I continue downwards I don't actually meet any enemies. Instead I find myself in an enormous room that has an odd structure in the middle.

It was a small pale green pyramid . When it touched it I felt a rush. Just like when I placed the Brewing Stand I felt numerous recipes unlock. I apparently just learned necromancy.

Necromancy isn't like what I thought. Maybe it's due to the influence of my powers, but it's really similar to a Beacon. The first use are rituals. Basically loading or sacrificing specific blocks and gain an effect. The second was just enchanting. It had more rules, like only certain items had certain powers. In the end though it was still just enchanting.

Of course, all of this had to be done at the structure, which was called a Reliquary. Fitting since it's made from jade and a Wither skull. It was remarkable how a single structure can change how I view magic so drastically. It makes me hunger for other types of magic.

I know the red priests use some kind of blood magic. There are also shadowbinders from Asshai and warlocks in Qarth. Who knows how many others are also out there? Hell the alchemist guild might even count.

So many possibilities. I have a new goal. Fuck ruling the world. I want to learn more magic.