The network of tunnels is vast and intricate.
Multiple tunnels extend from each other, advancing up and down, side to side, creating a disorientating web.
I have the map of [Soul Archive] in front of me, using it to correct our course into new tunnels that we haven't ventured yet.
The flying [Plasma Arrows] that I summoned earlier are still with us, providing light and clearing the path ahead. The man of light is running beside me and slightly behind, covering me from back attacks as I concentrate on directing our path.
Whether we are actually advancing down the Queen's figure or up it is unknown.
The series of tunnels is too disorientating to figure out whilst rushing ahead. The gargoyles don't seem to have this issue though, as they attack from both behind and in front, trying to prevent our advance.
My goal is the Queen's head, or maybe the left side of the chest. If there is anything in here that can save us it is most likely there.
The walls of flames I erected are doing immense work in deliberating the gargoyles but as I set more up, the amount of mana I have plummets.
[Mana: 3 320 / 28 930]
Releasing the arrows from my control, I use pockets of [Spark] instead to light the way. The light they release seems brighter than I remember which I can only assume has something to do with whatever advancement it made.
As the situation becomes more and more dire, I opt to send Snow the emergency signal. There isn't much he can do from so far away, but I have an idea.
Given the signal Snow would undoubtably check [Soul Archive] which should lead him to discover the labyrinthine nature of the Queen's internals. Given the speed at which I am discovering new tunnels and updating [Soul Archive] he should guess I am being pursued.
That is what I need from him in order for this next part to succeed.
I call upon the [Divine Totem] and command it to manifest within the Queen.
The resistance it gives me is immense as my connection to [Divinity] is on minor. However, if Snow is aware of my situation and feels the tugs on his ability, he should be able to help guide it.
As I run with all my fading might I feel the tendrils of my very soul tense as [Divine Blessing] shakes my core.
Snow is clearly getting the memo as I can feel the [Divinity] growing stronger and the familiar sense that Mount Horoki gives me starts to fill the caverns.
The power I can feel from it is immense and with a final push I sense the successful completion of the totem.
Now the nest doesn't just belong to the gargoyles.
In one of the tunnels inside the Queen's body, stands the totem representing the territory of a divine being.
I can feel the power coming from it as Snow pushes his influence through the totem and encompasses the entire nest with his presence.
Our connection through [Soul Link] feels refreshed as well as the familiar sense of a God's command caresses my soul.
All of a sudden, I feel somewhat refreshed.
With the connection through [Soul Link], I can feel Snow's divinity refreshing my body and helping me recover from my exhaustion.
My stamina and mana are both depleting less slowly and even recover slightly when given the chance.
It is as if Snow's very will is giving me strength, using the [Divine Totem] as a mediator.
The totem and Snow's will also seems to have deliberated the gargoyles slightly. The home advantage appears to be a very real thing with higher powers as the totem's presence has strangled the gargoyles somewhat.
They feel slightly slower, and less deadly than before.
I know Snow senses it too as I can feel the creation of a second [Divine Totem] underway.
It's slower this time, as I am not contributing and Snow is using his knowledge of the Queen and the power of the first totem to produce the second.
However, despite being slower than the first, it's still crafting faster than a usual totem.
That's because Snow is siphoning power from the Gargoyles and the Queen to facilitate the totem's growth. He's using their energy to grow his influence and since the Queen is not a god herself, she cannot prevent it.
It appears I have underestimated God's a little. Even if Snow is a rather weak God physically.
With the refreshing energy of Snow's totem, the man of light and I charge through the tunnels with breakneck speed. Snow's influence has lessened the burden on us significantly and it will only grow.
Each kill takes less and less effort as time goes on, and my mana and stamina restore itself with each idle second provided to me.
Searching through the tunnels I realise we've made progress going upward due to the map in [Soul Archive].
I feel the completion of the second totem as we enter a larger open space in the nest.
The effects of divinity grow stronger and the gargoyles weaker as Snow begins constructing a third totem in the very room we've entered.
Bright divine light grows as the developing totem draws energy from a myriad of stone boulders in the room.
The boulders must be gargoyle eggs given the amount of energy in them.
Opting to leave the eggs for the totem to absorb we rush through to the next tunnel, climbing higher and higher.
The number of gargoyles chasing us grows thinner, but plenty still remain to give us caution.
With two [Divine Totems] to refresh my mana, I am recovering faster than I am spending it, so I resummon a [Plasma Arrow] to use for defence.
Splitting my mind between defending myself, directing us with [Soul Archive], and managing my mana expenditure started giving me a headache as my mind overloaded with information.
None the less, I continued, and we climbed higher.
With the third totem nearly completed the Queen saw fit to intervene more herself. Giving out another deliberating screech I felt my strength leave my body at a rapid rate.
Following the screech bashing could be heard as the tunnels around me shook violently. The Queen had started beating itself in an attempt to cave the tunnels around the interlopers and kill them.
She was also hoping to destroy the totems which were the sucking life from her subjects.
However, her desperate efforts were futile as the collapsing tunnels were melted with fierce flames, and the totems were unaffected by the falling rubble.
The third totems progress slows slightly as the collapsing tunnels kill gargoyles which were fuelling its growth. However, with two other divine totems available, the thirds fading fuel is quickly supplemented with divinity from the others.
Snow is turning the [Corrupt Queen Gargoyle] into his own territory.
How it must feel for your body to become the feeding grounds of a God.
Snow's morbid fervour of the strength his territory will gain from this is enough to bring a smile to my lips.
At least he's having fun.
Imagine a cute little fox with a voice too deep for its body cackling to itself in a tiny hut whilst it drains the life from a literal queen of stone.
Its both adorable and terrifying to think about.
Soon the third totem is completed and a qualitative change to the Queen fierce bashing is noticeable.
The collection of totems are now enough to deliberate the Queen herself and I can feel the influence of her deliberating screech fading faster than last time.
But Snow isn't done as he begins crafting a fourth totem, although much slower now as the lifeforce available to drain is vastly reduced.
Most of the gargoyles have perished now due to the collapsing tunnels but the few that remain have given up on stopping us and have elected to flee.
Our progress through the web of tunnels has slowed as nearly half the paths result in a dead end now. But we are still making progress.
Roughly the same time as Snow completes his fourth totem we arrive at what I can only assume is the Queen heart.
In a vast open chasm above us, a gigantic bright purple sphere pulsated with corrupt power.
The orb is defined in place by a series of stone constructs that look like veins, and the corruption beats through them like blood.
The purple heart is massive, making the one that I ate look like an inferior test product in comparison.
The concentration of corruption also far outweighs the other. It's a surprise this much concentrated power can't be felt despite the ominous presence it holds.
The veins absorb every drop of the giant orbs power, not wasting even a drop of its vital essence.
Naturally this orb is far to large for me to eat and destroying it seems dangerous as well, giving how much power it holds.
What if it exploded?
How much corruption would grasp the land if it were to escape?
Would I even survive such concentrated power. I was concerned about the orb I ate already, let alone this insane thing.
When I reached the orb, Snow saw it as well on the map in [Soul Archive]. I'm sure it was hard to miss it honestly. It's that huge.
Corruption this concentrated can't be handled lightly and will take time to deal with safely.
Redirecting his influence, Snow dissolved the part completed [Divine Totem] and re-erected it in the cavern with the heart.
Drawing power from the heart, the totem began constructing itself again, this time using the corruption as its source.
At this moment, I heard the Snow's communication wavelength through [Soul Link].