Book 3: Chapter 15: Bug Hunt

Book 3: Chapter 15: Bug Hunt

Heather took the bone knight and made her way to the graveyard. She found Frank skulking amount the tombstones as he inspected the yard. He didn't react to her until she was nearly on him, and then turned to stare at her.

Are you done spending your points?

I think so, she replied and continued. I wanted to ask you something.

What?

Do you think there is a camp in the hills?

He sat on his heels and scratched his head in his familiar way as he stared at her.

They probably respawn someplace far away, he said. So they would make camps on the journey here. There has to be one nearby someplace.

Does the camp allow them to respawn there?

He shook his head and put his hands down to claw at the ground.

No, they would have to go to a spawn or a spawning stone of some kind.

She nodded her understanding and looked back to the distant hills.

So its just a camp to sleep in. Do you think they left anything of value there?

I don't know; I guess they could have, he replied.

She turned around with a smile and clasped her hands.

Can we go look for it?

You want to look for their camp?

She bounced and nodded her head excitedly. I want to see what they left.

You just survived an attack and had a monster prowling your hallways; now you want to wander into the wilderness?

My tower's defenses are respawned and upgraded, she said firmly. If we all go, I should be perfectly safe.

You will never be perfectly safe, he corrected. But I will go if you want to. Lets ask the others.

Heather nodded her agreement, and off they went to find Quinny and Breanne.

They called into the tower and brought out Breanne, who quickly agreed. She hid the book in the secret room and joined them outside to enter the forest. Quinny was in her burial mound, trying to shift her forest a little to protect Heather's tower. She readily agreed to go, hoping for more experience and points to spend. Twenty minutes later, they were walking to the hills with eyes searching all around. The bone knight brought up the rear, carrying her scythe and wearing a backpack with some things she wanted to bring.

Is this a good idea? Breanne said. There are ways to create magical portals between two places. Suppose they have one from wherever they respawn to here?.

If there is, then we need to know, Frank said

I hope theres a portal to one of the cities, Quinny added. We could go and buy all sorts of things.

There could be a portal to a city? Heather asked in confusion.

Frank sighed and nodded his head, drool flying from his jagged teeth. Several classes can open magical doors between two places. They don't last long unless you do something to anchor them. Even then, they only last a few days at most. To make lasting portals, you need to build a frame of some kind and magically enchant it.

Could I make one? Heather asked.

Not that I am aware of, Breanne said. Though there was a rumor, the necromancers were traveling somehow.

Thats awfully vague, Heather protested.

Breanne rolled her eyes and sighed. I only know what I heard. All the magical classes were researching spells that were not given by leveling. That book is probably full of spells you could cast if you knew how. For all we know, there are a dozen ways to travel for every class; they just need to discover them.

I wonder what else I can do? Heather asked as she looked at her tattoo. I should probably see what I got for leveling.

You still havent done that? Frank asked.

I was upgrading the tower and then talking to you. There is only so much time in a day unless the sun decides to stop moving altogether.

He shrugged and pushed on as Heather brought up her panel. She tapped to the level options and looked at her new spells.

Wailing skulls? she said aloud while pulling up the description. It was a spell that produced a floating skull that would circle her until she pointed at a target. Then it would race at the target with a shrill cry and do impact damage. At higher levels, she could make more skulls and cause them to burn doing additional fire damage.

I guess thats useful? she questioned as she looked at the next spell.

Invisibility to undead, why would I need that?

So the undead wont attack you, Frank said.

They already dont attack me, she protested.

We don't attack you because we're your friends, and our minions don't attack because you're on our friend's list, Frank said. But if you wander into another area with the undead, they won't care that you're a necromancer.

Hmm, Heather mused and poked to the next spell. Wall of bones?

Thats a very useful spell, Breanne said. Some of the other classes have that one too.

She squinted a the description to see it made a three-meter high and twenty-meter wide wall of bones. Jagged edges and grasping hands stuck out of both sides to hinder anyone who tried to cross it. At higher levels, she could increase its dimensions and add other dangers to it.

How is that spell useful?

Being able to summon a wall between you and an enemy instantly is very useful, Breanne said. Especially if you need to get away or time to prepare.

Its just bones, Heather said. Its not like it stone or steel.

Its magical, Frank corrected. And its probably a foot or more thick.

Heather shrugged again and tapped her way through the character sheet.

It says at level fifteen I get resistance to negative energy, what is that?

Some spells, weapons, and especially undead have attacks that use negative energy, Frank said.

Ok, but what is it? Heather asked as his explanation told her nothing about it.

He pondered how best to explain it and settled with a comparison.

Think of a lightning bolt as positive energy, negative energy is its opposite. It does roughly the same thing but from the opposite effect.

Like hot and cold?

Thats a better analogy, he replied. But negative energy often has special side effects. It can leave you weakened for a short while or drain away health. Its how my paralyzing touch works.

And my shadow spells, Breanne said.

Heather nodded and looked to Quinny, who shrugged.

Don't look at me; all I can do is bite you.

So when I hit fifteen, I will be immune to negative energy?

Not immune, resistant, Frank corrected. You will take less damage from the attacks or be able to fight them off for a short while.

I see, she replied and looked at her panel again. When do I become resistant to paladins?

Never, Frank said. Paladins and some other classes do holy damage. Undead are never resistant to holy damage. In most cases, it does bonus damage to us and infernal races.

So the demon, devily types take extra damage too?

All of them, he said.

Is holy positive energy?

No, Frank replied. It's very similar, but positive energy is more like a raw natural force. Holy power is from a divine source. The two do a lot of the same things but are treated differently for resistances. If you were resistant to positive energy, it would do nothing for holy.

That seems silly, Heather said as she closed her panel. It's two names for good magic. Why doesn't evil magic have two names?

It does, well, I guess it does. There is unholy magic as well.

A long sigh escaped Heathers lips as she rolled her eyes. Why is this world so complicated?

Quinny laughed and answered her question.

Because they ripped off every game, book, movie, and tv show imaginable. You have shadow magic, dark magic, black magic, and unholy magic, which are all nearly the same.

But that seems pointless, Heather argued. You're just making a whole lot of work for yourself.

I dont think the visitors care, Frank said. And they keep adding more.

Great, Heather moaned. Not only is it complicated, but it will become infinitely complex over time.

It's not so hard if you boil it down to tropes, he replied. Like Quinny said, the names are different, but most of the powers are the same.

Why not? He would be the perfect partner. Always ready to do your bidding any time of day or night.

I wanted a cook, not a consort!

Quinny giggled and shook her head. Trapped in a game world and no imagination.

What kind of games do you play?

I played a few spicy games, but you read manga, didn't you? That stuff is full of spicy stories.

Heather thought about it as they followed the stony shore. True many of the stories she read often had some element of sex, but it was often played for humor.

I didn't read all that many, she said at last. I was so focused on school and career that I didn't do much of anything that didn't further them. I saw games, and I thought about playing them, but there was always something more important that needed doing. I kept telling myself I would have time later to explore other things.

Now you have all the time in the world, Quinny replied.

I guess, Heather said as they rounded a large bush on the shore and came to a stop. There in the side of a hill, some eight meters above the stream was a cave. A path was worn through the weeds on the hillside to the cave's entrance.

Neat, a cave, Quinny said excitedly.

I bet whoever ransacked the camp is inside, Frank said as he scratched at his head.

Then lets go in, Heather said. I am sure there are more pots and pans to collect.

You wanted to come out here, Frank pointed out.

I wanted to look for treasure. What kind of fantasy game doesnt have treasures and magical things falling from the sky?

She has a point there, Breanne said. We have seen very little the way of loot.

We're not adventuring. Most of the things we fight are animals and will have next to nothing. If we want treasure, we need to tackle something bigger in its lair, Frank said.

This cave is probably a lair, Heather said. So, let's go in and find some treasure.

Call it loot, Quinny said.

Loot, treasure, whatever, lets just go find it! I want a magical pair of slippers or something.

Really? Ruby slippers are the only magical item you could think of? Quinny teased.

I know about rings that make you invisible, she retorted, but Quinny only laughed.

Frank led the way, stepping into the entrance of the tunnel and peering inside. It was maybe four meters high and wide but seemed to get wider further in. It looked like smooth walls cut from the stone by flowing water. The floor was littered with pebbles packed down to make a relatively level surface except on one side where a trickle of water still flowed in a tiny channel.

Heather used her undead sight and made her way in with the others. She felt oddly excited to be exploring a cave again. Just a few years ago, she thought of taking a cave tour, but school work got in the way. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how little she did besides work and study. Now she had a life all of her own choosing; maybe this would be a better existence?

Look, Frank said as he pointed down. They gathered closer to see tracks in a muddy section of the floor. They had three massive toes in front with a deep hole in the rear. It resembled a bird if that bird was as tall as a man and had toes as wide as two of her fingers.

What made those? Heather asked as she traced one with the butt of her scythe.

A monster, Quinny teased.

Were all monsters, Breanne snapped. The question is which one specifically.

Heather looked up and down the twisting tunnel. There is only one path, so it must be further in.

Lets hope it isnt behind us, Frank said.

How could it be behind us?

He turned to look at her and pointed back the way we came. How do we know it wasnt outside when we came in? It could come in behind us and trap us inside.

She hadn't considered that and turned to look around before getting a hold of herself.

We came in here to find the treasure. It doesnt matter if the monster guarding it is in front of us or behind us.

Frank shrugged again and moved on following the damp tunnel.

Eventually, they arrived at a larger room that had a partial collapse along one wall. And a pool of cloudy water that fed the little stream. Water dripped from the ceiling into the pool, causing a continuous tapping sound that echoed faintly.

The issue that presented itself now was the six tunnels that led away. Each was as large as the entryway or bigger and radiated off the main room like spokes on a wheel. There was also a smell in the air, something acrid and animal-like. On instinct, she sprayed the air with her scythe to mask the unpleasant odor.

Which way now? Frank asked as he studied the nearest tunnel.

Heather held an arm over her nose as she looked down another tunnel. There was a faint clattering sound, and something moved ahead just out of her view. She sprang back and raised her scythe in alarm.

Somethings down there! she cried in alarm, her voice echoing off the walls.

The others moved to her side as the clattering was heard all around them.

What was it? Quinny asked while drawing her sword.

I didn't see it clearly, Heather admitted. I saw motion and got spooked.

Whatever it is, it's coming, Frank said as a shape moved in the darkness beyond.

It crawled out of the tunnel on four spider-like legs that carried a barrel-shaped body. It had two large segmented eyes on either side of the body and two additional arms it kept curled under itself. Its mouth was beak-like and hooked with a tip that looked like it could bite through stone. The whole of its yellowish surface was plated like a beetle. As they watched, it unfurled its front arms that rose in three bone-like segments to end in a bladed tip. The whole monstrosity was half the size of a human, but it's bladed arms rose to 30 centimeters above their heads.

What is that? Quinny said.

Some kind of insect, Frank replied. But I dont know it.

The creature let out a hissing squawk that was answered from other tunnels.

This is a nest, Breanne said suddenly. There could be more down every tunnel.

Then lets kill this one quickly before more arrive, Heather said and pointed to the creature. Kill that!

The bone knight raced in, and she quickly fell into a spell. If more were coming, she was going to make it dangerous for them. The center of the room filled with a mustard-colored gas as her grave blight settled in. She wadded into the mist unharmed as Frank and Quinny aided the bone knight in battle. The creature shrieked and flailed out with the bladed arms, scraping the shield of the bone knight as the others attacked.

Heather landed a few rotting bolts to speed things along and then turned her attention to the other tunnels. If more were coming, they could show up from nearly any direction. Quickly she pointed at tunnels and fell and a singing chant, causing vines and plants to grow out of the walls, choking them off and blocking passage.

She had two tunnels completely sealed when a second creature arrived. It raised its bladed arms in a cry of alarm, but boney arms burst from the ground, grabbing hold of its legs and preventing it from moving. It tried in vain to slash at the arms underneath it, but its limbs were not designed to reach below it.

She turned back to the fight to see the monster hobbling around on three legs. One was cut off, leaving a long stump on the beast's side that oozed a greenish liquid. Its body looked battered and as it lashed about trying to keep the others away. Breanne tore it open with a bolt of shadows, causing the monster to flail wildly in desperation.

Heather knew it wouldn't be long. These beasts were nowhere near the threat some of the other things they fought were. She turned back to the tunnels in time to see two more of the creatures emerge. Skeletal arms grabbed at another one, but the third dashed at her with amazing speed. It leaped into the air as a skull raced up to meet it. The two collided, and the skull made a small explosion of dust before vanishing. The monster was thrown down, landing on it's back and twisting about to right itself.

Heather was pleased with how calm she was. After the day before, she realized she couldn't afford to panic when danger was near. Still, her heart raced, and a slight trembled shook her hands, but her spells came quickly. She pelted the free insect with rotting bolts as it got up and cast a second grave blight choking off the entire chamber in the caustic gas. Her skin took on a woody texture and thick leathery leaves wrapped over her chest and limbs as the natures armor spell protected her.

The bone knight ran past and took the still mobile insect into combat even as it blistered in her spell. She raised her scythe and ran in after him attacking from the side to avoid the bladed arms. Frank and the others were there in a moment later, and this insect lasted less than a minute. The other two were already half-dead in the cloud when they pounced on them.

Wow, Heather, you annihilated them, Quinny said as they felled the last bug.

I just wanted to keep them busy, Heather said.

You practically killed them all yourself, Frank said. I bet you could have done this alone with just your bone knight.

Why were they so easy? Heather asked.

They were lower level, Frank replied. Not everything in this world is as dangerous as a dragon.

Breanne looked over a bladed arm on one of the insects.

This explains the tears in the tents, she said.

They must have found the camp after the others left it, Frank said. They probably carried off anything shiny.

So, there should be a treasure in here someplace? Heather asked.

Frank could only shrug again, so Heather looked around. Vines blocked two of the tunnels, but a bug had come from all the remaining ones. She chose the first one on the right and led the way herself walking into the gloom.

It ended fifty meters in at a large round chamber strewn with branches, and loose stones. There were even a few animal bones from meals it must have dragged back. The next tunnel was more of the same, but they found another pot in the third. The fourth tunnel ended in a wider chamber with a depression to one side. Here they found what they were looking for, and Heather smiled at her success.

Well, it's treasure, I guess, Quinny said.

I am happy with it, Heather said as she began to dig in a mound of sticks and woody bits. There were coins scattered all through, and a few other items came up as she dug. One was a silver goblet, and that was quickly joined by a matching plate. To the coins, she added a tiny green gem and a helm with golden inlays. There were a few rusty weapons, a shield, some belts, and even a small mirror. It was near the bottom she found something of interest that captivated her gaze. Carefully she grabbed the small black statue of a raven.

What is this? she asked as she held it up for the others to see.

Frank squinted at it as Quinny ran a finger over a wing.

Its a statue, Breanne said sourly.

But is it magical? Heather asked.

I have no idea, I cant detect magic, Breanne said.

None of us can, Frank replied. But even so, there is no reason to think it's magical.

Heather sighed and looked around a bit more before finally giving up. She climbed out of the pit to look at her haul and wondered why she bothered. She had a dozen gold coins, some silver, and a pile of oddly colored ones. Frank explained they were copper coins and were worth the least amount. The silver goblet and plate were nice, as was the small gem, and she really liked the statue even if it wasn't magical.

She stuffed it all into the backpack on her bone knight and quickly headed out. She wondered if there might be more in the sealed tunnels but didn't feel like fighting more of the creatures. This was enough for one day, a small reward for a small adventure. As they left to go home, Heather held the raven statue in her hand and wondered where to put it.