by Adam Drake
“They're summoned. Each one comes out of a messed up looking plant-thing inside the cave. Or I think it's a plant. I never get enough time to give it a good analysis. But it's in there, trust me. It summons these things from one of the Many Hells as needed. Sends them out to forage for food and protection. At least that's my take on it.”
“They're from the Many Hells? I thought that was a figure of speech.”
Stenn turned his head slowly to stare at Rob. “You really are new, aren't you? Of course the Many Hells are real. I know, I've been to one of them. Trust me, any nightmare in this realm is nothing compared to what's in 'em.”
“Okay, so they're from the Many Hells.”
“Yes, they're demons of a kind, and real nasty.”
“So your quest is to kill the plant-thing summoning them?”
“Nope. My quest is to retrieve a statuette lost at the back of that cave. All these bugs has been keeping me from finding it.”
“And you've been doing it for days?”
“I get in there, fight for dear life, push my way through and try to locate it. Those damned things swarm me and I send them back to the Many Hells. Each time I do, the plant-thing simply summons more to replace the ones I mashed to a pulp. Then I run out, recharge and dive back in. Sometimes I break for a meal, or to make more potions.”
“What about killing the plant-thing?”
“Obvious, isn't it, new guy? Of course I know killing it would end the swarms, but I can't get to it. For one, its huge, like a large wagon, and it moves. Not fast, but enough to shift its position inside the cave. I can never get close enough to it to do any damage.” The big man sighed. “To be honest I considered tossing in this quest. It'll kill my quest-chain, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth all this hassle. I can find easier and less painful ways to get experience points.”
Rob looked at the demon-insects, again. Bugs generally gave him the willies. Giant mutant demon-insects scared the crap out of him.
Stenn noticed his expression. “What do you say, new guy? Not too late to back out now.”
You have been offered a quest. “Bug Bash”
Help Stenn retrieve the statuette from the Shale Mite cave.
Reward: Basic Alchemy Kit
Accept? Yes/No?
“Yeah, I'm in. Let's do it”
“Good to hear,” Stenn said, and mumbled a few words. A shimmering light pulsed over his body then vanished. He looked to Rob. “Got an Aura? You better or you won't last very long.”
“Yeah, but my cooldown is still going. Five minutes more, if that's alright.”
“No worries. Better to go in fully prepared than not.”
“Can I ask you a dumb question?”
“You just did,” Stenn said, then chuckled. “Go ahead.”
“What's a quest-chain?”
Stenn laughed, quickly covering his mouth. They both looked at the swarm, but none of the bugs appeared to have heard him.
The big man shook his head. “Okay, that was a dumb question. How can you not know that?”
Rob frowned. He didn't need to be mocked, he just wanted an answer.
“Okay, don't get sore,” Stenn said. “It a series of interconnecting quests that all lead to a big reward. Well, usually big. I've completed chains that ended up like ox farts. But usually, they're worth doing. Anyways, you start with the first, then when finished, you move on to the next one in the chain. Get it?”
Rob nodded. It was self-explanatory now that he understood. “So what's the great reward for finishing this chain?”
“Well, this ain't the end of it. More like the middle quest, as much as a pain as it's been. But the end reward is something truly magnificent. It'll make all the crap I waded through worth it.”
“And that is?”
“A pony.”
Rob let that statement hang between them like an ox fart. “A pony? A little horse?”
“No, not little. I call it a pony, but doesn't matter it's size. It's a mount. A special one. Not your run of the mill horse, either. A real magical horse blessed by the gods.”
“Huh. A magic pony. And you'll ride it around?”
“Ride it? Sometimes, sure. But it can do something few other mounts in the world can do.”
“Go on.”
“It can fly!”
“A flying magical pony?”
“Yup. I always wanted to fly, and always wanted a decent mount. Now I'll get both.”
They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Rob picturing the big man sailing through the sky on a magic pony.
“That timer of yours popped yet?”
“Oh, yeah,” Rob said and cast Damage Shield. It's comforting glint twinkled across his body. “Good to go. Oh, what's the plan?”
“Plan?” Stenn said as he stood, hefting the warhammer with both hands. “The plan is to kill, new guy. Let's get to it!”
Rob stood up. In the distance, the Shale Mites hissed and chittered at the sight of them. So much for the element of surprise.
Holding the warhammer over his head, Stenn ran forward, and Rob followed suit.
Together, they charged into battle.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Stenn charged down toward the cave with the warhammer over his head, shouting. The Shale Mites turned in his direction and scuttled toward him, some flying.
As Rob tried to keep up to the big man, he couldn't help but wonder if this was the wisest tactic; the bugs were prepared for the attack.
Stenn collided with the first group of bugs, and swung his warhammer, smashing three. Mites climbed up his body and he bashed them with a fist. More bugs swarmed, forming a living carpet around him.
This was stupid, Rob thought as he stopped in his tracks. A bug thumped through the air at him and he struck it down. Others sped along the ground, racing toward him.
He felt something pinch the back of his left thigh. A bug was trying to bite into him, but the Damage Shield was preventing it. Two strikes with his mace ended that, quickly.
A short distance away Stenn swung his warhammer in long arcs, like he was reaping wheat with a scythe. Whenever a bug landed on him or climbed up his body, he paused to pull it off or bash it with a fist. Amazingly, the man kept moving forward, closer to the cave.
Rob thought it would make more sense to wait outside and draw them out. Plowing into their lair was the fastest way to die. Yet, Stenn didn't seem to care as he heedlessly pushed forward, mashed bugs and carapaces in his wake.
Using his Sweep, Rob hit three bugs that got close, then deflected a diving bug with his buckler. There were so damn many of them. He needed a machine gun, not a mace.
A bug suddenly jumped from his right and managed to wrap its pincers around his waist. Rob gasped in horror at the thing clinging to his body and hit it over and over until it fell to the ground. More bugs closed in.
Hearing a noise, Rob looked to see Stenn laughing, then quaffing a Healing potion, even as bugs bit at him. Finished, the big man smacked his lips in satisfaction, as if finishing his favorite beverage, then resumed fighting.
Huh, Rob thought, as he struck down another bug. He'd never drank a potion while in a fight before, mostly because he was too busy trying to stay alive. Then he realized that nearly all the combat he'd been in up to now involved parrying enemy weapons. The tactics with these bugs were different. He'd have a chance to drink when his health dropped, instead of having to use his Heal spell. Coupled with a Damage Shield aura he would last a lot longer in a fight.
“Come on, new guy!” Stenn bellowed at him, bugs and bug bodies forming a hill around his legs. “Don't stop now!” He laughed and smashed a half-dozen bugs with a single swing.
As he fought his way forward, Rob was surprised to see a large Shale Mite coming toward him. It was twice the size of the others, its pincers ludicrous in size. The thing scampered over its smaller brethren in its eagerness to get to him.
Not one to wait, Rob cast Sun Bolt at it. The beam struck its blackened carapa
ce, but reflected off like it was a mirror. The bug didn't even slow down.
Uh oh, Rob thought, quickly bringing his buckler up as the large Shale Mite pounced at him. The thing was heavier than the others by a factor of three and Rob staggered back under the weight. Giant black legs wrapped around the buckler and its massive pincers snapped at his head, grazing his helmet.
As Rob tried to get the thing off of him, more bugs clung to his legs and he feared he'd fall to the ground.
Using his mace like a sword, he stabbed forward at the exposed chitinous underbelly of the large Mite. He felt a satisfying crunch and repeated the attack several times, all the while dodging its pincers.
With a final jab, green goop squirted out of the bug's wound, covering his shield and arm. The large bug's legs curled in around the buckler even tighter, then it went still.
Crap, now he had a giant dead bug stuck to his buckler, weighing it down. He struggled to hold onto it, while swinging. He moved over to a nearby tree, fighting bugs, trying not to to be pulled down. When he was close enough, he hit the dead bug against the tree several times, but it clung on with its death grip.
Using Sweep on a trio of bugs attacking his legs, Rob grew frustrated. The dead bug wouldn't come off.
Angry, Rob used Shield Bash against the tree. The dead bug exploded in a thick shower of black carapace and green goop, completely covering him.
“Dammit!” he shouted, then gagged as some green goop got in his mouth. He wretched, then vomited. Before he could finish, more bugs attack and he backpedaled, swing his mace. The ground was slippery with bug guts.
A short distance away, Stenn laughed. “Ha! Taste like momma's freshly baked pie, don't it new guy!” He was bashing a path through the swarm like it was the easiest thing in the world.
Spitting and gagging, Rob regained his senses and kicked a bug off his leg. He wiped bug guts from his eyes with the back of his glove. A bug fell from the sky and latched onto his weapon arm, its pincers digging into his flesh. Rob shouted, and smashed it against the tree. He looked at the wound and realized his Damage Shield was spent. It wouldn't be any more use to him until after its cooldown in two more hours.
We're not going to last two more minutes, he thought, kicking, and swinging with everything he had.
“Let's go!” Stenn shouted. “Can't do this all day!” He pushed forward and in through the mouth of the cave.
Son of a... Rob followed, fighting the entire time. Now that he felt the bites and scratching over his body, his doubts at surviving magnified. What was he doing here? He'd rather fight goblins than be in this mess. But he was committed and soldiered on.
He paused at the mouth of the cave and tried to look inside while keeping the bugs from overwhelming him.
It appeared that Stenn had cast Light, as the entire chamber - which was the size of an auditorium - was illuminated. Shale Mites seemed to cover every surface, on the ground and walls.
Trying to look for the plant-thing Stenn mentioned, Rob shouted in pain as a bug bit into left buttock. He smashed it in rage, but another bit into his right thigh. Then another cut into his left shoulder.
Rob spun about, smashing and bashing in a near frenzy. Even in this state of rage, he noticed his health had dropped well below half. Once he killed as many as he could, he pulled the mace's handle strap over his wrist and fumbled with his pouch. As he pulled a Healing potion out, a bug jumped off the ceiling and flew at him. He Shield Bashed it, creating another shower of bug parts and goop.
Heedless of the foul crap covering him, he quickly quaffed the potion. Thank god!
He glanced at Stenn. The big man looked like he was having the time of his life, laughing and swinging his warhammer, sending smashed bugs tumbling through the air.
Rob suddenly saw a trio of large bugs clamor out of a crevice behind Stenn. “Behind you!”
Stenn spun around just as the unholy monsters motored over the rocky floor at him. With a barking laugh, Stenn pointed out his hand and a column of ice shot forth. Instantly, the three bugs were encased in shelf of ice.
Iceberg spell, Rob thought, impressed at the sight. I gotta get me that.
He used Sweep to clear some of the bugs away from him, then smashed another out of the air with his mace.
They pushed further inside. Between fighting waves of bugs, Rob tried to catch glimpses of their surroundings. There didn't appear to be any tunnels or other ways out other than the main entrance. Nor could he see anything that looked like a statuette. He glanced at Stenn for guidance.
The warrior was having a field day, bashing and crunching his way through the cavern. If his purpose was to search for the quest item, he wasn't in a rush.
He's farming experience points, Rob realized. Here he was, risking life and limb to help and all this guy wanted to do was kill things.
Rob swept a group of bugs aside, and kicked one from his leg. A quick Shield Bash sent two others backward. He was getting some good experience points, too. But his Energy was dropping with all the effort he was putting forth to stay alive. It wouldn't be long until he couldn't even lift his mace, then he'd be swarmed. A fate worse than drowning.
Rob shouted, “What now?!” A bite on his left ankle made him grunt in pain.
Stenn looked in his direction to make a quick witted remark, when his eyes widened in alarm, and pointed behind Rob. “Watch it!”
Rob spun around, buckler up. He froze.
Something large and bulky hunkered against the cavern wall about a dozen paces away from him. Even with the place illuminated, it was hard to make out its details. It resembled a wide mass of quivering flesh, the color of mustard. Rob's brain identified it as fungus, but as he took in its huge size, the thing split down its length and opened.
A half-dozen Shale Mites tumbled out to land unceremoniously on the floor, some on their backs.
The thing's gaping hole then closed, as if zipped up.
Before a swarm of bugs descended on him, Rob caught its name – Death Flower.
Rob hastily fell back as the new arrivals joined the others in swarming toward him. That thing was no flower, he thought. It was the farthest thing from it. But its name was irrelevant. What it was spewing into the cavern, was.
Another Sweep kept the heaving swarm at bay, but their sheer numbers pushed him back toward the cave entrance. He suddenly found himself next to Stenn, back to back.
“Its a beauty, ain't it new guy?” Stenn said, shouting over the noise. Each bug killed emitted a shrill cry and the cavern was filled with the sound to the point of being deafening.
“We gotta kill it!” Rob said. Several bugs now latched onto him and he nearly panicked trying to get them off. “We need to do it at range!” Rob only had his Sun Bolt, but it would have to do.
Stenn walloped a large bug, cracking it open like an egg and sending goop everywhere. “I was hoping to avoid doing that. Attacking that thing is a bad... No, don't!”
Stenn's warning came to late.
Frustrated at the situation, Rob pointed his mace hand at the Death Flower and cast Sun Bolt.
The beam struck it and the effect was immediate.
The Death Flower split wide open, wider than before. From within gushed forth dozens and dozens of Shale Mites in one giant, writhing, chitinous mass. As the ball of bugs hit the ground, they spilled out or took flight.
And still more bugs burped out of the thing, filling the cavern.
“Oh, my God,” Rob said, stunned at the nightmarish sight.
“Now you've done it!” Stenn shouted. “Retreat!”
They backed up quickly, the bugs forming a living wall that chased them.
“Get back to the trees!” Stenn shouted.
Rob didn't need encouragement. The bugs were attacking with a renewed frenzy now that their numbers had grown.
As they fell back, Stenn kept Rob from being completely covered with bugs by swiping his warhammer in his direction. But even he was struggling under the onslaught.
R
ob's Energy had all but vanished, and couldn't risk using his Sweep ability without completely tanking out and collapsing.
Seeing this, Stenn put himself directly between Rob and the swarm. “Run! Just go!”
Too tired to argue, let alone fight, Rob spun about and sprinted for the treeline, exhausted. A large bug suddenly fell from the sky onto him. He barely got his buckler up to block it, which the thing latched onto. Unable to hold its weight, he let go of its straps and dropped them both. He didn't care. Escape was the only thing he wanted.
