Chapter 260: Controlled

With the current number of the Kruthiks amounting to more than a thousand, of course, there must be someone that controls them just like the Hive.

Even the Evolved Kruthik bowed as soon as it heard the bellow from the ruined castle.

Katolin's ragged breathing was all that Ned could hear. They faced the ruined castle with the Evolved Kruthik behind them in a silent and well-mannered position as though its mind was immediately controlled by the scream.

All's well that should end well. Supposedly. But Ned knew it just getting started.

Then, the army of motionless Kruthik moved and created a path in the middle. Their formation was that of a royal parade passing in the middle of the castle.

Now that the fighting has ceased, Ned visualized that this underground dome was once an old civilization. With some pillars broken and designed like an old Roman empire, with the cracked pavement made of white stone. The plaza, or once a plaza, that was filled with the Kruthiks resembles a part of the castle where men once held their party.

The ruined plaza stayed silent, and sensing that Ned and Katolin weren't moving, the Evolved Kruthik behind them growled. Its yellow eyes boring at Ned. It then nodded its spiky head, gesturing both of them to proceed to the castle through the path the smaller Kruthiks made.

Seeing Katolin's uneasiness, she shivered, with her hands trembling, and eyes sweeping left and right, anxious that they might start to attack again, Ned held her shoulder.

Katolin in human form, with her armor, covers her body, stared at Ned for a moment, and nodded.

"This is better than fighting them all."

Ned assured Katolin. It was indeed better than to fight the thousands of beasts waiting for them. Ned looked over Katolin's shoulder, there he saw a tiny hill made from the dead bodies of the Kruthiks. From the fight alone, Ned assumed that Katolin was already at her limit, but she might not be aware of it.

"Ned," she started. "Just tell me, I'll fight them again. Even the bigger one."

"I know." Again Ned assured her. "But how long? Do you even feel your energy decreasing?"

Katolin didn't answer, instead, she lowered her eyes in disappointment.

It seemed that she couldn't gauge well her strength.

"Then how about you mana?"

Ned had to assess Katolin's situation. By there, he might find a way to use her to find their exit. Leaving her wasn't a part of Ned's thinking anymore, since she was already bonded by his blood. Ned had to come up with plans that would ensure both their safety.

"Uhm." Was all Katolin could reply.

"Conserve it. Even if just a bit, conserve it."

Ned wanted to add more but the Evolved Kruthik growled once more, this time its spiky limb moved pointing at the castle ahead.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Katolin said and Ned nodded.

Then they walked the path the smaller Kruthiks had made for them.

Now that Ned was closer, this army of Kruthik wasn't different from the rest: spiky bodies, pointy limbs, and even though they were not moving, their eyes were peeled looking at both of them.

Ned ignored the stares while he walked in the middle of the ruined plaza going to the ruined castle.

Katolin followed Ned with her face stiffened. She was always on guard.

As they get closer to the ruined castle, a thick fog was obscuring their vision. But some light made it through the fog coming from the castle.

There were lights affixed at the walls, and on the pillars. But the path that they were walking on was darkened, since the pillars that should have been a place to put the mana stones as the light was broken down. Added it with the numbers of Kruthik that were filed on both their sides, the light couldn't simply make it to the center.

Still, they were enough to at least see the path.

It took both of them to reach the edge of the ground where the ruined castle stood. The ground was slightly elevated as they enter the entrance of the castle. Still, the army of Kruthiks was on their side glaring with their eyes.

The thinning of the fog materialized the ruined castle ahead of them.

It was built gothic with its dark spiky spires that were twisting at the corners, but only one remained of this tower which was at the front left of the castle. Contrary to the white stones outside the castle. The black walls, or was once the walls were reduced to rocks as if something had stepped over them.

Still, the two proceeds. They then entered a part of the wall that once used to be the gate. This gate was almost 20 meters from above but was already broken. Yet some part of the gate remained with chains, and pointy metals adorning it. These pointy metals must be used to keep away the invaders from the outside.

Leaving the gate led Ned and Katolin to the entrance of the castle. It was dark and gothic in style but most of it was ruined. Only the entrance to the castle remained and its walls. Ned couldn't even see watchtowers.

At the entrance was a huge iron gate, rust formed not just at the edges but all of its surface. At the side of the entrances were stone stairs that led to another chamber of the castle.

No signs of life except the Kruthiks after Ned used his Detect skill.

The two stopped at the front of the iron gate.

Then a grating sound screeched in the iron gates hinges.

As Ned and Katolin emerged from the castle, they were welcomed by the looming darkness. Ned sensed that under this darkness were eyes staring at them.

Suddenly, Ned was tagged by Katolin from behind. She looked at her with her hair standing all over her body. All of a sudden, she was now in her complete human form with only the black-to-black cloak as her cover.

Katolin then screamed after a force pulled her away from Ned.

"Ned!" She cried with her arms stretched for Ned. "Help!"

She then floats midair and made a circle at Ned before she stopped hovering across him. Her eyes turned white then slimy violet tentacles crept over her shoulder, her neck, her forehead, her mouth, eventually this tentacle slither all over her body.

Ned frowned as to why Katolin wasn't struggling.

Katolin smiled before Ned could speak. This smile wasn't her at all. It was a creepy smile that widened her lips.

As she floats with the help of these violet tentacles she said, "Human."