18 Cave Exploration Drip Drip (1/2)
Korinne Cave. A natural cave which lied further inside Trenlant Forest. It was mainly used as a mining site for metal ores and precious stones. Expanded after multiple and prolonged mining operations, various levels were added to accommodate the growing needs of the nearby Wildecross City. The result was a complex and winding tunnel system that bore through the bowels of Kalonia. While it carried a calm and serene beauty within, it also housed dangers created by the mana exposure inside.
Drip drip
”This is a really quiet and dark cave. Good thing the walls are lit up otherwise it would be pitch dark. Where is that light coming from?” Sebastian loudly pondered as he led the party through the winding tunnel.
”It's called Mana Moss. This cave has a rich aura of mana within. Almost everything exposed to the mana here for long periods of time has mutated in some way. The Mana Moss is harmless and located all throughout the cave, but as the quest posting said, there are poison spiders and rat imps as well. On a more important note, what is that [Augment] skill of yours? It even allows you to see in the dark.” Aima walked beside Sebastian as she peered into his eyes. Due to his mana coursing through it, it glowed a faint golden amber color.
”I have adjusted the mana within my body to enhance specific areas. This sub-skill enhances the rods in my eyes while balancing the cones as well. The result is that it allows me to see better in low light. Although I am still enhancing my other senses so I won't miss anything.”
”For a country b.u.mpkin, you are fascinating in some ways, did you know that? Especially the part where you can 'enhance specific areas'. You might really know how to please a woman then.” Aima covered her mouth with her hand as she pretended to laugh again. She found that teasing Sebastian, whom she considered a country hick, was an entertaining way to relieve the boredom.
”Focus on the path ahead please, Sebastian and Aima. It's bad enough that I can't scout for the party, but relying on carefree adventurers is even worse.” Becky's remark silenced the two. She couldn't use her beastkin senses as efficiently as Sebastian's [Augment] in the dark, and she made no efforts to hide her annoyance.
”There's actually a group of spiders in front of us. I count 8. Should we lead with an offensive spell?” Sebastian looked at Aima beside him as he looked at the poison spiders in front again. The mutated spiders were the size of an adult's head, and their poison was deadly in large doses.
”Let's not forget that the mana is rich in this cave. I can cast a [Fire Bolt] that might turn out to be the size of a fireball. I don't want to die from something avoidable like a cave-in.”
”I'll use my arrows then. I'll deal the first strike and when they come close, Sebastian, Becky, and Jin can do their part.” Mel chimed in as she nocked an arrow onto her bow.
”That sounds like a good plan Mel. Keep shooting until they come closer. We'll give the signal for you to stop. There isn't much wiggle room in this cave. Also be prepared to use your sword if they manage to slip past us.” Sebastian also unsheathed his two swords as he lowered his stance to prepare for combat.
When she heard the last part, Mel shuddered and hurriedly took out another arrow. Silently nodding to the other party members, she took aim in front of the party where Sebastian pointed the poison spiders out.
”Let's go! [Light]!” Aima casted a huge globe of moving light source onto the wall. Although she used the usual amount of mana to cast it, the aforementioned rich mana in the cave amplified it to huge proportions. The bright light startled the spiders as they began to scurry towards their prey.
”[Double Shot]!” Mel started unloading her arrows while she reloaded her bow at amazing speeds.
TWOCK THWACK!!
”[Double Shot]!”
Tw.a.n.g TWOCK!
”Mel focus on damage! You're only injuring them at this point!” Jin noticed that Mel's arrows only managed to slow down the spiders' unrelenting march towards them. Their numbers remained the same as they advanced.
”Change to swords now Mel! Our turn! [Augment] Reinforce arm muscles!” Sebastian used his reinforced speed and power to cleave the spiders into two.
SHWING! TWA!
”[Spear Slash]! [Spear Thrust]!” Jin didn't miss a beat as he took down a spider while he stood in the front with Sebastian.
”[Shadow Step]!” Becky was busy rampaging through the enclosed battlefield as she appeared at the poison spiders' blind sides while cutting them down.
”[Light]!” Aima casted another ball of light onto the other side of the cave wall as she continued to illuminate the battle field.
Beside her, Mel took out her short sword as she readied herself for close-quarter combat. In the heat of the battle, only she could see that her sword was shaking as she panted. 'Steady yourself! This will not be like the mutated wolves!' She kept chanting to herself as she attempted to hold her sword with both hands then.
SSHH-BAM!
”[Ice Lance]!” Aima's spell crushed a poison spider beside her before Mel and the spider realised what was happening. Mel blankly looked to Aima as the huge ice lance broke her trance.
”Focus on what's in front - or beside you please. Don't forget you're here to protect the weak and fragile healer.” Aima smiled to rea.s.sure Mel before looking back at the battlefield.
Sebastian surveyed the rest of the cave in front of them. ”That's all of them. I can't sense any others. Whew.” He wiped the sweat off his forehead as he sheathed his swords.
”Let's remove their mana stones and continue forward again. As per this map, there should be a clearing where we can start mining nearby.” Aima took up her post near Sebastian as she pointed the party to their next destination.
***
Drip drip
In a pitch dark cell, a female elf gets up weakly. She sees a mana lamp on the floor with a food tray and a pile of stones beside it. 'It's already morning I see. Morning in this place anyway.' Without wasting further time on redundant thoughts, she picks up the tray and starts to devour the meal in front of her, saving the herbal tea for her task. After the meal, she immediately starts working on her one and only ch.o.r.e. Holding the smooth, dark stone in her hands, she carefully pours her mana into it. Eventually, it started to emit a faint glow, indicating that the mana was indeed stored inside. Once the stone's light is enough to fill the room, she takes another stone in her hands. She repeats the painstaking process, only taking breaks to take a few sips of the herbal tea which replenishes a bit of her mana.
Feeling the inevitable mana burn out, she quickly places the stones she made for that day along with the utensils and the mana lamp on the tray before placing it outside her cell door through a flap in the bottom. With this, her meal for the next day is a.s.sured. 'I've definitely chosen the wrong path being this master's slave. Not like I had any choice anyway.'