章 73: Vloresco Observation
The cramped chamber carved into the seamount's rocky flank felt confining, the curved walls pressing in on Lucas from all sides. He took a deep breath, the air pure as always because of his Wristband of Air Purification. It was time to reshape this space into a proper sanctuary.
Rolling his shoulders, Lucas focused his Will as he tapped into his magic. The stone around him began to shift and flow like clay, responding to his mental commands with fluid grace.
With a surge of power, he expanded the chamber into a more spacious living area. The ceiling arched overhead, giving the space an open, airy feel. Lucas smoothed the floor into an even surface, then cleared a space along one wall where he could set up a proper bed later.
He manipulated the earth into a few shelves and nooks for storage, seamlessly integrating them into the chamber's curved contours. Nodding in satisfaction, Lucas turned his attention to the rest of his underground sanctuary.
He would need ample training and research spaces, vast caverns where he could hone his skills and conduct his studies without fear of discovery. Focusing his Will, Lucas began carving out the seamount's heart, the dense rock parting before his magic like a hot knife through butter.
One cavernous space became a training area, its soaring ceiling supported by intricate columns and arches. With a thought, Lucas conjured moving targets and obstacles that he could manipulate at will, providing a dynamic environment for combat practice.
At a depth of 200 meters below his main living quarters, Lucas paused, considering his next move. He would need secure holding cells for any future test subjects or captives he acquired. Isolation and containment would be paramount.
Directing his magic, Lucas shaped the stone into a row of seamless cubes, each one a self-contained cell measuring three meters on every side. He left a small, barred window in each door, just large enough for observation.
Inside each cell, he crafted basic amenities – a simple bed, a table, and a rudimentary toilet – all formed from the basalt rock. It wasn't luxury, but it would suffice for short-term confinement.
Stepping back, Lucas appraised his handiwork. The cells were as secure as he could make them, impenetrable prisons encased in solid stone. Without their wands, any captives would be utterly helpless.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Perfect.
With a soft pop, Lucas apparated back up to his main living area. Flying through the ocean depths each time would quickly become tedious. He needed a more direct route, one that would allow him to come and go with ease while serving as a deadly deterrent against any would-be pursuers.
It's also the entire reason I flew deep into the ocean to make my base in the first place. Otherwise, I could just pick any random spot on the surface to plop down an enchanted suitcase to live within.
Lucas smirked deviously at his plan. I pity anyone trying to follow me.
Pushing up the sleeves of his robes, Lucas reentered the seamount, digging tirelessly westward. As he carved a straight, narrow tunnel through the dense rock, the earth seamlessly closed behind him, erasing any trace of his path as he progressed toward the other side of the submarine mountain.
After several minutes of steady progress, Lucas could tell he was near the western face of the Hecate Seamount because of the nearby thermal signatures of various small lifeforms. He began clearing out a massive chamber, easily fifty meters square. The rock parted before his magic, revealing the open area within.
Once the space was hollowed out, Lucas set to work reinforcing the surrounding stone. He poured his Will into the seamount's very core, compacting and condensing the rock until it was dense as tempered steel.
Sweat beaded on his brow from the exertion, but Lucas refused to cut corners. He tested and re-tested the reinforced walls, unleashing bursts of concussive force to ensure they could withstand the incredible pressure of the deep ocean.
Only when he was completely satisfied did Lucas take a step back, allowing himself a moment to catch his breath. The chamber was as sturdy as he could make it, a fortress carved from stone itself.
With a sharp nod, Lucas apparated to the other side of the chamber wall, emerging into the inky depths of the North Atlantic. His Water Magic kept the surrounding water at bay while his air bubble continually provided him with fresh air. He quickly conjured lots of glowing orbs, illuminating the pitch-black waters around him.
His eyes narrowed as he scanned the area, senses alert for any potential threats. Finding none for the moment, Lucas turned his focus back to the solid rock face before him.
Raising his hands, he slowly parted the dense material to create a tunnel that extended twenty meters into the seamount's flank. As the passage neared the water-filled chamber beyond, the ocean rushed in with staggering force.
Lucas watched, eyes wide, as the reinforced room filled in a matter of seconds, the water surging through the newly-formed tunnel at well over a hundred meters per second. The sheer power of nature was awe-inspiring, yet the chamber held, the compacted rock shrugging off the incredible pressure.
A slow malicious smirk spread across Lucas's face as he knew exactly what he had just created. This was the perfect Apparition point, a secure entry to his hidden base that would serve as an effective deterrent against any would-be pursuers. At this depth, the water pressure was a crushing 120 atmospheres, more than enough to liquefy any unprotected human foolish enough to attempt entry.
Their organs would rupture, their bodies crushed by the incredible force. Only those forewarned and properly shielded would have any hope of surviving, and even then, maintaining the necessary protections while attempting to cast spells would be nigh impossible. It was the perfect defence, an impenetrable gauntlet that would weed out the weak and unprepared.
Satisfied with his work, Lucas made his way back to the main living area of his base, taking a moment to rest. He would need to set up a steady air supply throughout the various chambers, a necessity for his own continued survival. Using his blood to infuse the rooms with self-sustaining air spells would be the easiest solution, but Lucas was reluctant to leave his blood scattered about all over the place.
No, he would need to find an alternative, a way to achieve the same effect without relying on blood magic. His work with the Elemental Sphere had shown the potential for creating objects that drew power from the ambient environment, but that was entirely focused around maintaining the balance of the four elements centred around his blood.
Perhaps he could develop new visualization techniques, ones that would guide and focus the natural energies around him, using them to power and sustain other workings. He would need to meditate on this in his free time, and see if he could come up with a good solution.
If required, he could always resort to using a wanded spell, but in this case he didn't know of any that continually conjured air for long periods of time within a space without him needing to be present. And if he needed to wait for the spell to pop up during his time in the Hogwarts Library, or be proactive and find a way using his own magic, he knew which he would prefer.
For now, though, he had accomplished his primary objective. His hidden base was established, a secure sanctuary where he could work and study in peace, free from prying eyes and unwanted interference. With a final glance around the chamber, Lucas visualized the surface of the sea, and with a soft pop, he vanished, leaving his new base behind as he returned to the world above.
oo0ooOoo0oo
The eternal twilight of the abyssal depths enveloped Ilumara as she glided through the frigid waters with effortless grace. Her bioluminescent scales shone in a mesmerizing dance of azure and emerald hues, pulsing in sophisticated patterns that conveyed her every thought and emotion. Massive eyes, adapted to the perpetual gloom, cast a faint glow that pierced the inky blackness, guiding her path through the shadowy expanse.
Ilumara's mission was a sacred one – to gather the rare and elusive ingredients that flourished amidst the towering spires of the Krakenvine Ashmountain. Her senses were attuned to the subtlest vibrations in the water, alerting her to any nearby predators.
When she approached the looming ash mountain, a disturbance rippled through the depths, setting Ilumara's scales flickering with alarm. A colossal silhouette emerged from the gloom, its translucent body distorting the water around it. The Gloomwhale, one of the more dangerous nearby predators, let out a haunting cry that vibrated through Ilumara's core, sending tremors of primal fear coursing along her scales.
But it was the Gloomwhale's prey that truly captivated Ilumara's attention. A strange creature, unlike any she had ever encountered in the abyssal realm, fled before the monstrous predator. It was encased in an unknown bubble that seemed to push away the nearby waters.
Ilumara's curiosity burned brighter than the bioluminescent patterns dancing across her scales. With a flick of her powerful tail, she propelled herself towards a towering rock pillar, taking shelter behind its form as she observed the high-speed chase of predator and prey far in the distance.
The creature unleashed a dazzling display, letting out hundreds of tiny bubbles of light that moved towards all directions, casting an ethereal glow that pierced the darkness. Ilumara's scales pulsed with wonder, she had seen such a thing before from various predators that used light to hunt, but it was her first time seeing such a small creature let out so many bubbles of light from its body.
The Gloomwhale let out another chilling cry, its magic-suppressing call reverberating through the water like a physical force. Ilumara instinctively checked her own defences, relief washing over her in a calming wave of verdant hues as she confirmed the Veilwort paste still coated her skin, its protective magic keeping her presence concealed.
A familiar vibration caught Ilumara's attention, and she turned to greet her companion, Nolqurn, as he emerged from the shadows. His scales flickered with a concerned pattern of deep blue, and his voice resonated through the water in a deep, rumbling murmur.
"Ilumara, why are you not moving forward?"
Ilumara gestured towards the ongoing chase, her scales shining with excitement. "Behold, Nolqurn! An unknown creature fleeing from the Gloomwhale's wrath. It seems to let out bubbles of light to confuse predators."
Nolqurn's scales pulsed in a pattern representing both intrigue and dismissive scepticism as he took in what was happening in the distance. "I have never heard tales of such a being. Why do you waste your attention on such a small prey creature, even if it wields strange magic?"
Ilumara's scales flickered with a brief flash of chastisement, acknowledging Nolqurn's authority over her. She watched, enraptured, as the strange creature sped towards the Krakenvine Ashmountain, its bubble shield and glowing orbs leaving a trail of radiance in its wake. Just as the Gloomwhale was about to overtake its prey, the unthinkable occurred.
The solid rock of the ashmountain parted, as if the very earth itself had bent to the creature's will. Without hesitation, the mysterious being dove into the newly formed opening, vanishing from sight as the stone sealed behind it, leaving no trace of its passage.
Ilumara's scales pulsed with a rapid, excited rhythm, showing her awe at the unknown magic she had just witnessed. Nolqurn, however, remained dismissive, his scales flickering with a pattern of boredom.
The Gloomwhale, enraged by the loss of its prey, rammed into the ashmountain wall with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the water. Again and again, the leviathan struck the unyielding stone, and its fury at letting its prey escape was clear in each thunderous collision.
After the third fruitless attempt, the Gloomwhale let out a final, mournful cry that seemed to carry the weight of ages. Then, with a graceful sweep of its massive form, it disappeared into the eternal night, leaving Ilumara and Nolqurn hidden in the shadow of the rock pillar.
Ilumara's scales flickered with a myriad of colors. "What manner of creature could possess such power, Nolqurn? To command the very bones of the earth itself..."
Nolqurn shook his head slowly, and his scales glowed with a pattern of dismissive indifference. "I know not, Ilumara. But whatever it was, it seemed like just another strange creature we haven't encountered before. We should continue our mission and gather the ingredients we seek."
Ilumara's scales pulsed with a brief flicker of disappointment, but she knew Nolqurn was right. They couldn't afford to waste too much time pondering the mysteries of an unknown prey animal, no matter how peculiar its abilities seemed.
With a subtle gesture, Nolqurn propelled himself forward as his powerful tail swayed with controlled grace as he led the way towards the Krakenvine Ashmountain's towering spires. Ilumara followed close behind.
They drew closer to the ashmountain, the rocky edifices loomed before them with their jagged peaks cloaked in vibrant bioluminescent flora and fauna.
Nolqurn gestured towards a narrow crevice, its walls adorned with clusters of glowing anemones and delicate coral formations. "The Spindlewort we seek often grows in such crevices, where the water currents are gentle," he murmured, voice resonating through the water in a low thrum.
Ilumara nodded, scales pulsing with understanding as she followed Nolqurn into the crevice. They swam slowly in silence to avoid disturbing the fragile ecosystem around them.
They were progressing deeper into the crevice when Ilumara's keen eyes spotted the telltale glow of Spindlewort, a rare herb prized for its potent medicinal properties. She gestured towards the clusters of bioluminescent fronds, and her scales flushed with excitement.
Nolqurn acknowledged her find with a subtle nod, and they set to work carefully harvesting the precious Spindlewort. Their movements were experienced, honed by countless expeditions to gather the rare ingredients that sustained their livelihood in society.
Once they had collected a sufficient bounty, Nolqurn's patterned scales told her that it was time to move on. They retraced their path out of the crevice, emerging once more into the open expanse of the ashmountain's slopes.
Ilumara couldn't help but cast a glance towards the spot in the distance where the strange creature had vanished into the solid rock. A flicker of curiosity rippled across her scales, but she quickly suppressed it. Nolqurn was right – it was just another peculiar prey animal, nothing more.
They had gathered what they came for, and it was time to return to the familiar comfort of the abyssal plains they called home. With a final sweep of her gaze across the ashmountain's landscape, Ilumara turned and followed Nolqurn into the depths.
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