Alex had to be in a dungeon. Frustratingly, it meant I couldn’t reach her dreams.
That mayor of hers permitted these Jungle folks to use the portal for promises of aid, teachers, and access to their cities. The deal leaned heavily toward Alex’s people, with the jungle folks willing to give almost anything to get access to the Sisters.
Anything to break the stalemate they had with their growth.
On my side, I made them bleed. Access wasn’t cheap, and they knew that going in. My power increased with each sip, and for the first time in years, I received a notification.
[Great Devourer, you have gained a level.]
Simple and to the point, but it made my blood sing as strength pumped through this form.
Reminders of the promises that the system gave to those who worshipped at its altar.
A deep chuckle rolled through the clouds as I landed on a cluster of rocks.
Monitoring those who visited my worlds kept me busy and growing. But the bright daylight quickly dimmed, bringing a deeper darkness than on most worlds. No moon illuminated the darkness, and even the stars barely flickered in the distance.
An itch between my wings in an area I couldn’t scratch kept me awake.
Whispers rippled through the darkness.
Every time I closed my multitude of eyes, I heard them. The voices weren’t for me, but it meant the Great Ones spoke to someone. Each night they returned. None of the old ones knew who, and we waited to find out.
Silence had reigned for so long that we all now readied ourselves. The last time they’d spoken like this, they’d finished the war to save a planet. My planet.
What would these words bring this time?
###
“We’ll make it across…” I reassured Strange through our bond as much as possible.
Part of me really wanted to see if we could climb down the walls and bypass all the tunnels, but Lenna’s warning came to mind. We needed levels, and that meant more fighting. Not to mention, I felt uneasy about the level 90 Magma creature down there.
While I wasn’t too far under it, level-wise, getting hit with lava felt like an instakill moment, and that wasn’t something I wanted to test.
Levels. We needed levels.
That meant crossing the gap in the floor, and making it this time.
First, I checked with my Aura Senses to make sure there weren’t any Wraiths nearby.
No glimmering lights nearby. Perfect.
I scooped Strange up and put him back into his pouch.
Try number two. I really hoped what I had told Strange to reassure him was true.
This time, my leap remained uninterrupted, and we landed on the other side without a problem.
Strange instantly hopped out of his pouch and took off down the tunnel, scouting ahead. Images of the tunnel flashed through my head, along with the growing map. More downward tunnel, followed by switchbacks to the massive hole going down the center.
No beasts in this area. Not good.
Another leap to the next section over the hole. This one felt different as soon as we landed. A bright cluster of beasts gathered just down the tunnel in a much wider area.
Strange hopped out and continued ahead without making a sound. He zoomed across the rock, vanishing out of sight.
A flash of a pack of wyrms crossed my mind, making me frown.
I counted at least five of them, all around level 85. It’d be great for the levels, but my fingers tightened into fists. Those steam attacks might be trouble.
Strange snuck past the group and continued on his way until he circled back to the next time we needed to leap.
An idea came to mind, and I couldn’t help myself. I lengthened my spear long enough to stretch across the hole and tied the rope around the center. The rope dangled down the center of the hole, past the next set of openings.
Strange sent an image of the rope in front of him my way.
I responded with my plan and what I needed him to do. Then I crept down the rocky tunnel using my skills.
We needed to spook all of them at once, and draw blood.
Speed. We both had to be fast.
I steadied myself as I traced out my path. Taking a deep breath, I waited for my chance as the wyrms milled about.
One drifted closer to me, pawing at the ground.
This was it.
I leaped. My knife dug into the side of the first wyrm, and it screamed in panic as I tore my knife out of its side. I kicked another one before swiping at a third.
The first one blasted steam at me, but I rolled away from the gush of wet air. My claws dug into the fourth, the bright copper scent of blood filling the tunnel. Yet, no matter what direction I turned, one swiped at me.
Strange used his distraction skill, and three instantly glanced at him, missing their swipes.
The opening was all I needed. Retracting my claws, I rolled toward the rough tunnel, came to my feet, and ran.
It worked, as the thud of heavy feet echoed behind me.
Picking up my pace, I tossed my knife into my inventory as the knotted rope loomed.
I slowed down enough for the wyrms to be right on my tail before I leaped and caught a knot, swinging toward the other side.
The first wyrm stopped itself in time, claws digging into the ground. Bites of stone crashed over the edge, but then the beasts behind it hit. Two fell off the ledge, while the third grappled on edge, holding itself in place.
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I swung back toward the opening that contained it and swung with my knife, catching it unaware in the side of the head as it stared down at its falling pack.
Its death notification popped up, but I paused it as I swung back to get enough momentum to jump back into the opening.
Strange raced around the open area where the pack lived. Two chased after him, but he kept ahead of them. Joy rippled down the bond as he teased them.
I hurried back to the battle and leaped on the closest one as they darted by.
It slammed into the ground from my full weight, but I missed its neck with my knife. Instead, I left a shallow cut.
Steam shot at me from the other wyrm. Strange tried to distract it, but it ignored the little guy.
I fell to the other side of the now injured wyrm I’d tackled and tried to roll away.
The super-heated air scalded the back of my left arm, and the pain almost made me stumble. The one I’d tackled chased after me, moving fast through the tunnel.
I waited until I gained a little distance before twisting around and stabbing with my knife. The wyrm's momentum carried it onto the weapon. The tip pierced deep, but its sudden weight slammed me back as it slumped over.
Blinding white pain took over as the back of my arm touched something. My healing tried to kick in as I jerked away.
Tears crept to my eyes as I tried to roll the wyrm off my legs. I yanked at the healing crystal for everything it had, instead of listening to the devourer and simply consuming the dead Wyrm.
All that kept me from listening to that voice was Strange.
Ice trickled along the bond as he kept dodging away from the wyrm still chasing him around the cavern. Bit by bit, its movements slowed.
I dragged myself to my feet, the edges of my vision black, and the tunnel swayed as I stumbled closer. Each step was slightly easier than the last, until the healing crystal ran out of energy.
My arm ached, and my stomach roared for food, but Strange needed help.
I paused as he spoke in my head.
“Poison working…”
As soon as that registered, meat appeared in my mouth as I stumbled to the floor. I swallowed bite after bite, taking from my inventory and keeping my arm elevated.
It took longer than I wanted for the aching to go away, and even still, I carefully kept that burned arm away from everything.
The tears dried on my face as I traced Strange, dancing around the wyrm, only going in for a nibble when he felt safe. He caused the creature to use its steam breath several times, but it missed him every time.
Yet, it felt like a stalemate.
The Beast didn’t slow down anymore, even with the poison, and Strange could only get nibbles in bit by bit.
Frustration drifted my way, and it caused me to smirk. Enough so that it got me to stand and continue back toward the opening. Food helped lessen the pain to a manageable level.
“Need pack,” growled Strange.
I waited in the tunnel opening until Strange slowed down; the Pyre Wyrm leaped at his back but he sped up right next to where I hid.
The wyrm didn’t notice my knife until it sliced into its leg, leaving a stump. Blood sprayed everywhere, and Strange leaped in to finish the job.
It didn’t take long.
“Good job.”
“Hard when alone…”
His current skill set was based on him fighting with me, but we hadn’t really fought much as a team. We needed to, and soon.
Instead, my focus went to battle clean up, and the three hearts available. I butchered the animals we had killed, stowing as much meat as I could, and slowly consuming those hearts, focusing on stats. Each bite of them helped my arm feel even more normal.
[You have devoured a Pyrm Wyrm and have gained 2 stat points in Toughness and a stat point in Charisma.]
[You have devoured a Pyrm Wyrm and have gained 2 stat points in Toughness and a stat point in Charisma.]
[You have devoured a Pyrm Wyrm and have gained 2 stat points in Toughness and a stat point in Charisma.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 85 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have leveled.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 85 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 85 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 85 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have leveled.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 85 Pyre Wyrm.]
As long as I didn’t gain a level in my profession, my important stats were in balance, but the gap between my class and profession just kept widening. While I knew I could use the recording crystal to get a level in, I waited. I needed to figure out a way to fix this. The stat gains from hearts were helpful, but still not enough.
Yet, if I gained two levels, I could offset it.
I tossed Strange some meat and then pulled out the recording crystal and quickly got it caught up on everything that had happened so far.
[You have gained a professional level.]
[You have gained a professional level.]
[You have gained a professional level.]
I quickly allocated points, but that third level caught me off guard. Fortitude now led the pack.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t matter too much.
Strange chirped twice. “Keep going?”
“Yeah, let’s do this.” I backtracked to remove my spear and rope, then we continued on, leaping over the hole like before.
The Wraiths hadn’t returned to the hole yet, so we kept going. The path had another two Pyre Wyrms, but we knew what to do. They weren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. They chased things, and spat steam at them, and died pretty easily at this point, but they provided two more hearts and some experience.
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 86 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 86 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have devoured a Pyre Wyrm and have gained bonus experience.]
[You have devoured a Pyre Wyrm and have gained bonus experience.]
Another section with nothing, and some more leaping. I estimated we were in the bottom 25% of the hole. Glancing over the edge showed only 3 more levels before the floor.
The ominous red glow from below increased, but nothing moved, and staring at it didn’t bring up anything more about Magma Lurker.
The Wraiths came back, just slowly. Toward the very top of the hole, three Wraiths were back. That meant we needed to pick up the pace if we didn’t want to have to deal with them again.
The next tunnel gave us another three of the wyrms. We easily dispatched them using a combination of distractions, with two chasing me and one after Strange. Still, it felt like we weren’t clicking with the fighting together part. We weren’t really a pack yet, and it was slowing us down.
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 87 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have gained a level.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 87 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have gained bonus experience from defeating a level 87 Pyre Wyrm.]
[You have devoured a Pyre Wyrm and have gained bonus experience.]
[You have devoured a Pyre Wyrm and have gained bonus experience.]
[You have devoured a Pyre Wyrm and have gained bonus experience.]
My levels also slowed down, even with bonus experience, which meant that this would be a grind if they were the only enemy showing up.
We jumped across the hole once more, and I noted we only had one more jump to go. This close to the bottom, it became clear how large the distance from where the rock hole ended and the red glowing floor actually was. Too large.
This next section reminded me of the others, but there weren’t any beasts inside. That left us with one more jump. As soon as I leaped into the air, I felt the difference.
Heat, and so much of it. Sweat formed along my forehead, and my mouth grew dry.
Strange leaped to the ground, then darted down the tunnel, but not as fast as usual. A red glow came from around the bend. We both approached carefully.
Lava poured down the edge of the cavern wall, making the entire section glow. A river of it continued downward around another curve.
Strange glanced at me. “Up?”
“How about you hide in the shadow of my footsteps?”
His eyes brightened, and he vanished as we both stepped closer.
The lava created enough light that my shadow followed along on the other side of the tunnel. That’s where Strange hid.
The light didn’t help me at all.
The lava continued, and I peeked around the bend, still not feeling any creature. My aura sight showed nothing else distinct either, though the small flow of lava glowed unnaturally.
I kicked a small piece of gravel close to the lava flow near the weird aura glow.
A claw reached out and snatched the rock, before vanishing again.
[Mini Magma Lurker, Level 80, Predator, Unknown.]
