The small group entered one of the many caves along the mountain path. Brornun shared that he never ventured into the caves because he and his pack had sufficient food along the mountain path. Due to the abundance of cave entrances along the path, the group initially struggled to decide on the one to enter. In the end, Ragellon was the one to select the cave and she simply picked one at random. The group would be led by Dreu who activated the illumination staff in one hand and held his blade in the other. Zog flew above Dreu to cover anything near the ceiling. Brornun and Aggich stayed behind the young man where they could support if needed. Ragellon and Dar stayed slightly further back while Ilveroz covered their rear. Dreu concluded that, if they were attacked by a powerful foe, they would have to learn to fight as they retreated from the danger.
“Stay on your guard!” said Dreu. “None of us excel at fighting in caves.”
The passageway started off wide at the cave mouth but it quickly narrowed, forcing the group to advance single-file. Eventually, the ceiling also got lower and forced Zog and Dar to perch on the head of Dreu and Ragellon respectively. The illumination staff had a radius of eight meters where it provided enough light to rival the outside when it was light out. However, anything beyond those eight meters remained shrouded in darkness.
“How long do these staff remain lit?” Dreu asked a question he should have asked before they entered the cave.
“They can last for three hours.” Ragellon’s staff then turned slightly brighter. “By injecting mana, you can extend its duration or increase the brightness.”
After the demonstration, Dreu tried it himself and noticed a slight change in brightness. He immediately stopped knowing he might need his mana for possible future battles. The group made its way deeper into the cave with only their footsteps echoing off the walls. They hadn’t heard or seen any other creatures.
I smell something.
Dreu took Brornun’s warning seriously. He knew the sense of smell on canines was always more trustworthy than a human’s sight or hearing. With a tighter grip on his blade, he advanced more slowly. Eventually, he could see the passage widening at the edge of the light.
“We’re entering a large space. Be ready for a confrontation.”
Zog offered to enter the space first. When asked how he could be so confident, the demon butterfly mentioned that he could cast a barrier on himself. To prove his point, a nearly transparent barrier formed around Zog. Dreu reached out and felt a solid barrier, recalling the barrier that protected him from the cluster of fel spiders. He traced his fingers until he determined the barrier to be a sphere with Zog exactly in the middle. Placing confidence in his demon butterfly’s plan, Dreu allowed Zog to enter the large space up ahead.
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Back away as soon as the enemy makes their appearance. We just want to deny them their element of surprise.
Meanwhile, he stood a few meters behind so Zog had some light to work with. The young man felt that his companion not only evolved physically but also became stronger mentally. He could only imagine the fear one had to overcome to enter a dark area with no knowledge of what danger awaited, especially if someone else sensed something.
You’ve really come a long way from a demon worm, haven’t you?
Zog looked around before stopping to stare at the ceiling. Given that he was still in the passageway, Dreu didn’t have a clear line of sight at what Zog was looking at. Unable to rely on his sight, he used his ears. It took him a few seconds to hear an unknown noise.
“What’s that scratching and rustling sound?” whispered Dreu, intending on letting Ragellon know what he detected.
Flying enemies from the ceiling.
Once Zog conveyed what he was seeing, he released a barrage of fireballs towards the ceiling. From where he stood, Dreu couldn’t see if any of the fireballs hit anything. He quickly ordered Zog to fall back into the narrow passageway. By forcing the unknown enemy into the narrow space from one direction, they could better fend off the attack. The group fell back slightly and waited for the enemy to enter the passageway. As soon as these creatures came in contact with light, they chirped loudly and turned around.
“Those are lesser demon bats,” said Ragellon. “They cannot harm us as long as we illuminate the area around us.”
The lesser demon bats looked like the black bats Dreu was used to seeing. Despite having never explored a cave before, he had seen his fair share of bats in Berkton. It wasn’t uncommon for bats to roost in buildings throughout the town. The fact that the bats ate insects made them a natural pest control for the town. After a better look, the young man concluded that the demon variants were slightly bigger. Otherwise, he couldn't tell the difference between the two.
“How dangerous are they if we are in the dark?” asked Dreu.
“The lesser ones are only slightly stronger than demon worms. Their bites sting more than mandibles but that’s it. If it weren’t for their numbers, I doubt anyone would take them seriously.”
“Slightly stronger than demon worms?”
Dreu found himself intrigued with the weaker demonic creatures because his ability could unlock potentials of demonic creatures no one thought they had. He couldn’t help but wonder if the lesser demon bats were in the same situation. If demon worms could evolve, there’s a possibility the bats could have evolutions too. In addition, he could use summoned units that were better suited for the caves. He needed a solution for any situation because, while on the run, he didn’t always get a say as to where he would end up.
They have fallen back! Should I pursue them?
Dreu told Zog to stay put as he stepped towards the chamber. Despite what Ragellon said about the bats being weak, he wasn’t taking the chance that they could be attempting to lure Zog away from the group. He then stopped when he noticed a few bats on the ground, noting the burn marks on their bodies.
