Mountain Of The Insect

I don't know what that woman wanted on the mountain so I bought whatever needed for this mission, like a medicine and food, I also bought a new arrow for Lamina, there's no way she can fight with wooden arrows. I also wanted to buy her a new bow but considering my finances were getting thinner. Damn it. Looks like we'll be stuck in this town for a while looking for some money.

I better focus on this mission for now, there's something more important than money right now.

I left my cart at the town and we just ride Tempest to the mountain that woman had mentioned. Some people we ask the way around always say the place is very dangerous and I just "Meh", I don't really care if I don't see firsthand how dangerous the place is.

"Master, where are we going?" Lamina asked, she sit in front of me and looked at me while asking.

"You'll know when we get there" I replied but my gaze kept on ahead.

"Okay, Master"

According to the people we asked, to get to that mountain we had to pass through a grimm forest. I don't know what that means but it looks like there will be a lot of monsters there or something.

It was noon (maybe) and we had been away from the town for a while now and finally we arrived at the forest.

If you look around this forest it seems just a normal forest but maybe on the inside a forest that is getting more dangerous. Our path was covered by fallen dry leaves and it was rather difficult to see the right path or not.

"Our path seems end here, everything is covered in leaves" I said.

Then I heard Tempest snoring and then looked at us.

"What's wrong Tempest?" Lamina asked, the two of them were talking and then Lamina looked at me with a smile "Master, Tempest said, just leave this to him"

I looked at them in confuse but I just nodded "Oh. Okay then, do what you want to do"

Tempest looked forward and opened his mouth then the wind came and gathered in front of his mouth and formed a ball made from wind, Tempest ate the wind ball and then he blew the wind from his mouth and swept our path from the leaves.

Oh.... So this is his wind elemental magic. I'm quite impressed. With the way he used his wind magic like that, he could use it as his strongest weapon.

Then Tempest walked over while using his magic and continued to sweep our way. From the thickness of this leaf, it seems that this place has never been visited by many people, maybe no one has come here, especially with the warnings from the people we met earlier.

We keep follow our path which was cleared by Tempest but not long after that the path had disappeared, rather it was already covered with grass.

“Dead end…..” Looks like we should find our own way huh?

I get off Tempest's back and decided to go on foot. Lamina tried to come down with me but I stopped her.

"Stay with Tempest, and prepare your bow"

"Oh…okay, Master" Lamina readied her bow and placed an arrow on the string.

In the dead end there was no other way other than the road covered with bushes and I believe there is a way if I keep following the direction of this dead end, even though it is closed but the road must be there and lead to the exit.

I took out my sword and then cut the bushes and led the way. The path is getting smaller for Tempest because of the trees so I chop down the trees around us.

"Look around us, Lamina. Shoot anything that moves" I ordered her.

I used my instinct to see far ahead of me and it seemed I saw the end of this road and..........a lot white stuff over there.

(My instincts aside from being able to see the enemy's status or someone can also see far away like binoculars. Sometimes I use it if I want to see the enemy's movements more clearly before he can attack. I still don't know what else my instincts can do)

After a long walk we finally made it out and now we are in a forest full of spiderwebs. The place was so white that even the ground beneath us was exposed to the net, it felt soft to step on. Even Tempest stomped on all fours.

"Woah...." Lamina was impressed. Not wonder, I admit this place feels beautiful and comfortable. Lamina climbed down from Tempest and started playing with the fluffy white thing beneath us.

This soft ground, for some reason I feel like want to lying there. I saw Tempest was already lying down and he was sleeping comfortably there. Lamina too, she started yawning and her eyes were half closed.

It's weird, I'm not that tired but it feels like I've lost all my strength. Is it because of this place?

Something not right here.

They both have fallen asleep but I'm still holding it in, it must be because of this place. I staggered towards the two of them “Lamina…… Tempest…… wake up” My eyes got heavy and I ended up falling near them because of this sleepiness.

"You have to save her"

I heard the same female voice inside my head.

"W-what?" I'm delirious.

"Don't let the girl die, Naruk"

"The girl?" What did that voice mean?, I don't remember any girl, all I remember I still asleep in my room. "The girl........ girl....................... La......... Lamina.... ..... LAMINA!"

I immediately open my eye and woke up quickly then I saw a giant spider is about pulling Lamina which was already wrapped in its web. That bastard lured us into this comfortable place just to get caught in his trap. I let my guard down.

My legs are still weak but I keep forcing myself to stay awake but my sleepiness is too strong. Then I took my dagger and then stabbed my left shoulder and thanks to the pain I regained my full consciousness.

I burned my sword and ran towards Lamina then cut the spider's thread. Lamina fell but I managed to catch her even though it made my shoulder hurt even more.

My drowsiness hasn't completely disappeared but that alone is enough to fight. I left my dagger still stuck in my shoulder so the pain kept me awake.

My instincts show that the giant spider is level 15, obviously I can beat it easily. But how can I get caught so easily in a stupid trap like this?

The spider was still hanging from the ceiling of the web and started shooting webs from his ass at me. The net he shot exploded and formed a net, just like the net shot only the difference is that if you get hit by the net you won't be able to let go because it's so sticky.

I keep dodge and then parried the cobwebs with my sword and the webs instantly wrapped around them.

Damn!, this bastard only fight me from afar and that shot getting pissed me off. Coward!.

Then I activated my skill and burned my sword along with the net and turn it into a dust.

"You pissing me off!" Then I hit my shield really hard, like every anger toward that thing I put on this punch into the ground that I had activated my earth skill and started destroying the soft ground and then the ground under it. I used up my Mana a bit more because my anger and my breakdown skill almost created a long gap.

The gap that I made swallowed every tree along with the spider who’s still hang on the tree and got fall to the abyss along with its webs, its screams faded as soon as it fell into it.

Because a lot of trees are missing I can finally see the sky and the mountain that the woman mentioned. Look like we’re getting close.

“Ahhhhh” I just sigh

I knew it he wouldn't die so easily if I didn't kill him. The spider managed to get out by jumping and landing right in front of me, it kept screaming on my face but I just standing there in silently and glare at it. I'm not afraid, I just let it be like (Really?.... is that all?)

The spider tried to attack me with its long pointed front legs but I deflected it easily with my shield then cut it. Green blood came out from it's wound and make it screamed in pain. I have no intention of fighting that thing anymore. I just want to finish my mission so I can undo poison spell from Lamina.

While the spider was screaming I cut off his right leg and make it down with his head on the ground, he crawl away with the remain legs, I just walked to catch up with it then I activated my flame sword skill again and with one powerful slash I slashed the spider, the slash is strong that making it traces from the shockwave of my slash then made that thing split in two.

"Ahhhh..... Finally" I put my sword back into its scabbard then I heard Lamina growl and look like she started to wake up. I walked over to her and then crouched down. "Lamina...."

"Ughh.... What’s happening?" Lamina getting up while holding her head "Master?"

"Wake up sleepy head, break is over. I really can't let you guys play for a while huh?"

Lamina was still in a daze and she didn't know what was going on with her…… That's good.

"I-I'm sorry, Master?!" Lamina's eyes widened after seeing the dagger still stuck in my shoulder. (Damn it, I totally forgot about that) Lamina immediately stood up "W-what happened to you, Master?" her forehead wrinkled with mouth opened slightly and trembled.

I quickly stood up and avoid her "It's nothing, I was just careless" as I spoke I pulled the dagger from my shoulder quickly and blood came out of my wound quite a lot. Lamina avoided her gaze as I did that. I wiped the blood on the dagger then I gave it to Lamina and said "Go wake Tempest up and remove the wrapped from him"

“Wh-what about you?. You wounded-” I glare at her and cut her off.

“I told you, is nothing, okay?”

Lamina look down "O-okay master" and then she’s nodded slightly after receiving the dagger then she walked towards Tempest. She might already guess what happened and felt guilty for letting me get hurt. This kid is starting to know I just lied to her.

I better treat this wound before it gets bad. Wounds that are not treated quickly will become poison to me and at the current level it will probably make the poison very strong against me.

#------#

"Tempest........ Tempest, wake up!" Lamina shook Tempest's head and finally woke her up.

"Uh..... Wha?....." Tempest opened his eyes then saw Lamina "Little lady?" the horse tried to move its body which was still wrapped in the net "Wh-what happened?. What is this stuff?"

"Hold still, I'll get you out" Lamina cut the wrapping slowly with the dagger and it take a long time because the wrapped is so thick but she manage to free Tempest.

"Ahhhh..... Nice to be free, thank you, little lady. But what happened to me, why did I suddenly fall asleep and get wrapped up in this thing?"

"I-I don't know, I also asleep and when I wake up i saw master get hurt with dagger in his shoulder" Lamina said glumly.

"Little lady.... Something might be happen when we fall a sleep"

Lamina nodded "He must be protecting us again but he doesn't want us to know. That's why he lied to me" Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Tempest. "I'm useless. I can’t even protect him"

Tempest was speechless and left Lamina like that for a moment.

#------#

It's really hard to bandage myself with one hand, I want to ask Lamina for help but if she sees this she will definitely fell guilty again and I hate that part of her because it will disturb her while fighting.

"Ahhhh....Lie or not the result is still the same huh?" I sighed and talked to myself.

"Let me help you, Master" Lamina suddenly take my bandage from behind and then started wrapped around my wound.

"Oh...... okay, thanks"

Lamina straightened the medicine that I put on my wound, she was still looking down beside me, at this time her hood was open and I could see her hair clearly. her hands are still shaking, Is she forcing herself?.

"Thank you for saving me"

I heard her whispering something and I didn't hear it very clearly but I saw her (even though it was only for a second)…….She smiling.

“Hmp……..” I just smile.

Meanwhile Tempest walk toward the cliff and saw a giant spider corps “What just happen over here actually?” Tempest feel tremble on his for feet after saw all of those destruction.

Then we continued to our destination and followed the direction of the mountain and finally managed to get out of the forest. Along the way we saw many more spiderwebs and I see many large insects, just like the spiders earlier, but none of them came near us.

I had a feeling that we had just passed through the giant insect area and the forest earlier must have been the a border line between the human and insect realm. But why can they be that big?

After a long trip we finally reach the mountain. There were a lot of giant bones along the path that keep leading us to a giant skull like……… dragon head?.

Knowing that I decided to slowly to go in there to check, who knows what we dealing with here.

"Woah!...." Lamina was impressed by how amazing this place was.

But for me “Ugh…. this place is like a graveyard to me”

After going through many bends we finally reach a bottom of the mountain and i saw a very big cave entrance.

The two of us got off Tempest's back and looked around this place. There still no sign of that woman.

Is this really the place?.

"Why are we here, Master?" Lamina ask.

"Because-"

“The hell?!. Where did you come from?”

Lamina couldn't help but feel happy to see that woman again "Ah!....Miss Phersi!"

Lamina run to her and tried to hug the witch, the woman also wanted to hug her but I blocked Lamina with my hand before reaching the woman.

"What did I tell you before, don’t trust any stranger you just met, right?!"

"But she is a good woman"

"Lamina!" I glared at her as I rise my voice.

Lamina lowered her head and answered sadly "Yes…. Master. I’m sorry"

"It's okay sweetie, maybe another time but now we have something to do" the woman smiled at Lamina and made her a little cheerful again.

But my anger toward her still exist and think all that’s smile is a lie "Tell us what to do, woman" I speak in anger and keep narrowed my eye to her.

"Okay, let's go straight ahead. This place calls a mountain of insects and what you have to look for is in the cave. I will guide you when you are in there so follow me" the woman walked first but I still hesitate to follow this slicker. Woman stopped and looked at us "what are you guys waiting for. Come on"

"Stay close to me Lamina"

"You know where to go?" I ask.

"Hmph...."

It didn't take long for the woman to suddenly cancel her spell as she said "Get down!"

"What is it?" I asked but the woman cut me off in a whisper.

"GET DOWN!"

I followed her and quickly crouch "What's wrong?" I whispered.

"I heard a sound, maybe it was the worker ants" She explained. "It could be bad if they find out where we are"

"Worker ants?" Then I heard the sound of feet in front of me and I used my instincts to see them. I can't see anything with my own eye, this place is dark as hell but with my instincts can see them only for a moment.

(This is my first time trying to see in a dark place with my instincts, and I think is more like using night vision.)

The woman was right, I can see the worker ants passing us and then turning.

"So you're saying we're in an anthill right now?" I ask.

"Not only ants, around the mountain is full of other kinds of insects"

Oh no wonder why there is a lot of giant insect in all the way. They must a lot of them, glad i'm not fighting all of those spider was. Whatever in that the forest might have attacked humans while passing through that place.

"Looks like we're safe. Come on." The witch used her spell and light appeared in her hand again and shine on our path and started walking.

"Little lady, if you are tired you can ride me" Tempest said through Lamina's mind.

The two of them walked behind me and the witch.

"It's okay, Tempest. I want to walk too"

"Did you say something?" The woman asked as she looked back.

"Don't mind her, woman. She just talking with the horse”

The witch looked at me in surprise “The horse?. How?”

“That's one of her abilities, she can talk to other living things" I explained.

She look at Lamina again "Oh.... interesting, I can speak with them too but only when we use a spell even though just a moment" Then the woman look at me "You got a good slave and the smart horse. Not bad" she said in a whisper and kind a mockingly.

"I don’t care about that, just focus on the path, will ya?"

“Yeah yeah”

Many more tunnels as we went deeper and deeper and I still couldn't see where we were headed, but the woman kept walking like she was turning her palm.

"Oh, these bones are a dragon, sweetie" the witch explained.

"Dragon?" Then Lamina tilted her head "What is a dragon?"

I look at Lamina in surprise, she has lived for a very long time but doesn't know anything about dragons?.

The witch is giggling and then she continued "Dragons are like giant snakes with two legs and wings, and their bodies are as big as the bones that you saw just now"

"Wow.... I want to see them" Lamina was amazed.

"Hahaha….. I just hope you not say that, sweetie. A dragons are very dangerous, especially to elves" She continued her explanation again "This dragon used to be called a Wyvern the lightning dragon. Thousands of years ago, probably before you were born, Wyverns invaded this land and slaughtered everything in its path. The gods couldn't stop the Wyverns' rampage until the king of Olympus, Zeus the King of the gods, descended and slain Wyvern with his lightning sword with one strike"

I rise my eyebrow and shock “Zeus?”

“You look so surprise. There’s no way you never heard about him, don’t you?”

Of course I know about Zeus but I never thought this world also have the same mythology God. This world is actually not the same as that game.

“I've heard stories about him and his brother Poseidon the god of the sea and Hades the god of death..... is that right?”

The witch nod “Correct. But now it's just the two of them. Hades have a bad fate for against his brother to rule Olympus. He was banish somewhere very deep in underground which is very cruel and dark where no one knows where it is”

"How cruel. Even though they are brothers, why do they hate each other like that?" Lamina asked.

"Because they're Gods. They don't care about anything but having fun with their powers" I answer her.

“Yes….. You have a point” The witch replied.

While they were talking I heard a voice from behind with the large amount and then a rock that was the size quite big was thrown from the shadows towards us, I quickly crushed the rock with my shield. As I parrying the giant rock their throw at me earlier I felt the pain in my left shoulder from my own stab, Shit!, how come it really hurt?

"Master are you okay?!" Lamina asked worried.

I nod "Ah. I'm fine. Draw your bow and shoot anything that moves in the shadows"

"Yes Master!"

There are bunch of big ant came out from the shadow behind us, their try throwing the same size of rock with their scissors mouth. I move in front Lamina to protect her with my shield.

Damn it!, it really hurt!.

After throwing the rock, Lamina shoot her arrow to them in the head couple time to bring one of them down. Lamina’s level increase to three and her shooting skill are getting better now. I’m impressed by how fast she learn something,

My interface showing those ant at level 5. With their level that much I can handle as much as possible. Then I rushed to the ants while holding the rock that their throw at me and when they got close I cut them down.

Some of the ants on the wall of the large tunnel were ready to throw another rock at me but Lamina shot them first and made them fall.

Meanwhile the witch keep shining the place with her spell and Tempest stand beside her to protect her. Look like the witch can’t fight if she keep activated the spell. Well I don’t care, I can kill all of them with or without her help.

Lamina really knows what she can shoot when I get distracted. She's really growing and her fighting abilities started to showing. Hmp….. glad to see that.

It did take a long time because of the large number of them but we managed to beat them all.

“Master, are you okay?” Lamina run toward me and then asked.

I put my sword back "You did your job well." I patted her head "Next time if I get distracted by the enemy then they are yours, got it?"

"Yes, Master" She look at me with a sparkling eye and smile. Well at least she didn't look down because of what happened earlier again and managed to raise her fighting spirit.

After retrieving the arrows from the dead ants we returned to Tempest and the witch were waiting for us and then we heard another foot screech behind us and this time it seemed much more than before.

"Looks like they already know where we are. We have to hurry before they come again" The witch suggested.

We quickened our pace and keep following the woman. As the woman said, the ants already knew where we were.

“They everywhere!” I shouted. Those and kept coming from every tunnel and we were forced to enter the wrong tunnel. “Damn it!”

Lamina was getting tired from running so I grabbed her and then threw her on Tempest's back.

Lamina wanted to shoot the ants in the back but I held back "Don't waste your arrows, they're too many" I pulled out my sword and attacked the ants that were about getting close to us and keep running.

We ran and finally arrived at a large room and quite bright and finally I can see them more clearly. I saw there was another tunnel in front of us but the ants were already there like they were waiting for us and then from behind the ants who chasing us came out of the tunnel behind us.

"We're surrounded!" The witch said.

"Any bright ideas?" I said sarcastically. The woman was silent and confused. I think I already know the answer is "Damn it, we're still going to fight them after all huh?"

I burned my sword again and Lamina got down from Tempest's back and got ready behind me, the four of us circled around each other. The giant ants were coming more and more and finally approaching us.

I hit a few with my shield then cut them with my flame sword, meanwhile Lamina shoot at those ants that are weakened, she shoot at the ants that were out of my reach but her attacks weren't too fatal to them.

And that woman canceled her light spell and started to use her wind magic and attacked our rear side. I admit she is quite strong, I wonder how strong she is with that attitude of her, maybe she has a high level too, and it seems she has the same wind element as Tempest.

Tempest kept kicking the ant on his side to cover the witch. As I expected, Tempest is having a hard time with fighting. The ant are keep coming from every way and getting more. Lamina can’t keep up to shooting them.

“Lamina, go to Tempest and help them. I will handle this side”

Lamina nod “Yes, Master!” and then she go while i cover her back. Finally I can fight freely.

Because my skill flame sword I can slash those ants so easily but they still keep coming. And because of that some ant reach my back ant bite my neck, I can still feel the pain even with my current level. Then another ant bite my right hand and both my feet and a lot of ant keep coming and they manage to hold my movement.

Lamina saw me struggle and run toward me “Master!”

“Lamina!. Is to dangerous”

“No!. I will save you. Just hold on”

She shoot some arrow at the ant on my back, I feel the ant bite on my neck are loose so I bump my head on the ant to release my back. Then I use my shield and smash the ant head on my right arm and finally I can cut another two on my feet and manage to escape.

“AGHH!!!” I heard Lamina just screaming and immediately look behind me. There’s two ants surrounding her and Lamina is felt down again. Tempest look can’t handle those ant that much too either.

“Lamina!” I’m scream in panicking. "Tch" I grit my teeth.

I use skill on my shield, Break down then I hit the ground so hard with more Mana with my shield and the crack appear around those Ant in front of me and break the ground along with them then I rush to help Lamina and kill two Ant that almost bite her. Meanwhile Tempest manage to defeat remain ant with that woman’s help.

I approach Lamina but we heard crack sound around the room and it started shaking. Might my skill was break the weak spot on the ground.

“Everyone, follow me!. This way!” That woman scream as the wall celling is started to falling.

I immediately grab Lamina’s hand and pull her up “Let’s go Lamina!”

“I-I can’t master!. My feet is hurt” Lamina fall down on her knee again. I look at her feet got injured, might be she got bite was “Just leave me, Master-“

“Shut up!, I'll get you out of here” I shout at her and carry her after put my sword back on the scabbard “Hold my neck” then I run in the ground is shaking and about to collapse. I saw Tempest for some reason waiting us. Lamina must be call him with her mind or something. After approaching Tempest, I put Lamina on his back and giving him order, wich I don’t wanna use it anymore “Tempest!. This is an order. Bring Lamina and that witch to somewhere save!” the horse roar and start running with Lamina on his back.

“No…. no no, wait!.....Master!...... NO!!!” Lamina scream and fade away.

“Just go!. I’ll follow” I try to keep up with them but the ground beneath me collapse and make me fall “W-wo…. WOAH!!!”

Note : I hope you guys like my new chapter and look like i will up date another chapter in 3 day from now on.

And don't forget to share and give a like for this novel and your thoughts too :-)