Chapter 30 learning from the elvers 3 (1/2)

after arriving at the river with Isabel and Victoria Mars spent some time bathing and drinking some water before he played with Victoria in the water, or rather he splashed her with water

”come on, come on!”

until she fought back, and as Mars learned from dogging lethal spells for the next 5 minuter Victoria doesn't like to be splashed with water, nor does she hold back when she's angry

”time out!”

as Mars yelled out to Victoria he set off from the riverbed and twisted his body as he jumped over a darkness spear that just missed him and landed on the opposite shore taking down a couple of trees, while Mars and Victoria was 'playing' Isabel watched slightly stunned not only by Victoria's show of force but also from the way Mars effortlessly jumped 4 meters into the air from standing in knee high water to doge and could not help to ask out loud

”...where you even serious when you fought us?”

of cause Mars was otherwise occupied so he didn't hear her mumble nor would he have time to answer her as Victoria had started to use her shadow decoys to launch spells too

after Victoria calmed down and left the river to cool off still slightly mad at Mars and the river turned peaceful again Mars dragged himself to shore and laid down on the grass while he slightly panted as he caught his breath while Isabel gave him a glance with a slightly red face before she gave a cough

”...would you please put your shorts back on”

as Mars had been jumping around without shorts for some time Isabel had seen more then she would likely ever admit

”sure”

Mars was unfazed by her glances but he still quickly put on his shorts before he laid down on the grass again and enjoyed the midday sun that was drying him off before he remembered something

”...yesterday you said something about a stealth acid spider nest right?”

at Mars's question Isabel paled slightly and swallowed nervelessly before she gave a nod as she replayed in a quiet voice

”...yes i did”

Mars was slightly puzzled by her attitude but then he remembered that it was Isabel's comment about the nest that made Alvin decide to attack him, aware of what she likely was thinking about Mars gave a sigh before he gave a slight smile

”i'm not angry about that, besides if you didn't convince Alvin i would had found another excuse to beat you all up”

a little color returned to Isabel's face and she gave a sigh before she explained

”we know there is a stealth acid spider nest about 10 kilometers form here, but as we didn't run into a single spider on the way here we amused that the nest was hunting something and took extra caution...”

hearing what Isabel said Mars felt a little funny as he knew what caused the missing spiders but still kept a calm face and waited for Isabel to explain more

”i think it's been 15 years since a stealth acid spider queen took over a small lake and made it it's nest... since then we have lost 4 patrol teams to that nest, it was suggested to clear out the nest meany times but the elders stubbornly have forbidden it since it helps reinforce the barrier forest against outsiders...”

Mars thought for a little bit before he asked

”...what class is the stealth acid spider queen?”

”...i think it was class 7 when it made it's nest, but it might be class 8 now”

”i see”

Mars thought about how much energy would be in a class 8 magic beast core and felt more and more greedy after the core but managed to calm down slightly when Victoria sent him a telepathic message

”Mars... the spiders... are here again”

Mars abruptly stood up and looked over at Isabel with a teasing smile as he picked his bone sword up off the ground

”speak of the devil... and he shall appear”

Isabel didn't know what he was talking about and was slightly confused but garbed the hilt of her own sword when she saw him pick up his and looked at Mars with caution before he turned towards the forest where Victoria appeared a few seconds later, and as he kneeled down to pet her on the head Mars asked her

”how many of them are there this time?”

”about... 30 this time... heading here... what should we... do?”

Isabel had no idea what was going on as she didn't hear Victoria's message so she just stood and watched them for a few seconds before she asked Mars

”what is it?”

Mars started to transform and looked over at Isabel with a slightly ferocious smile, and as his horns started to grow out from his head he answered her with a slightly excited voice

”stealth acid spiders, about 30 of them”

at fist Isabel thought Mars was joking but as she saw his eyes where serious her face paled as her legs began to shake slightly before she asked