Well, not really. We must have been faster here than when we fought the mounted goblin months ago. Of course, it was their battle and we're much stronger now, but it still left a somewhat bitter taste in our mouths.
The only positive points of this clash were the gold coins (5 of them, actually) and the amount of Aether we managed to absorb.
–Wow, they were small, fragile, and annoying, but they had that much Aether?! – Mav said, astonished, and he wasn't the only one.
–I think those 5 had the same amount of Aether as 1 mounted goblin, or those creatures with fangs, what was their name again... Boa-dar? – Anna asked, feeling the Aether pass through her body.
–Boar, Anna, a kind of swine like pigs, from what I understand. – Cali replied, slightly annoyed at not having had a more active role in the fight, and still receiving the reward.
I like her desire to achieve everything through hard work, but it's a fact that without her orders we would have won "so easily," we would have won eventually, but it would have been more tiring than necessary.
– Don't worry so much, focus on the good parts. Now we know that these winged creatures are fast but weak and give a substantial increase in Aether, don't worry so much about technicalities. – Mav said after checking the blade of her predator sword and machete in the torchlight.
–True, but remember it's still too early to say that this will be the final insult given the amount of Aether they offer. – I said, reminding them of the master's theory.
–Ah! That's right, it's easy to forget that in the euphoria. Sorry. – Max said after storing the spoils from our first encounter on the 2nd floor; his item bag had the most space available.
We continued walking through the cave for a few more minutes, found another group of these winged creatures, and finished them off in the same way. It barely took us a minute this time. Oh, and now we've got an identification crystal. With it, we analyzed the spoils from the two battles and discovered the name of these creatures.
[Small Vampire Bat Wing
Type: Material
Grade: Common
Description: A common item obtained by defeating a small vampire bat, a nocturnal winged mammal. Can be used in clothing (in large quantities) or as an ingredient in some types of potions.]
Now we know that these creatures are called vampire bats, a type of flying mammal that, obviously by its name, feeds on blood. But before we arrived, I was sure I saw at least two of them chewing on some small centipedes. So they feed on both blood and insects?
(Kaio: Yes, I know that in reality vampire bats don't eat insects, but this isn't the real world, and they needed a food source for when they didn't have challengers, right?)
Never mind, we won quickly and continued (unfortunately, this time we didn't get any gold coins, but the amount of Aether we absorbed remained the same). Even when we were fighting the second group of bats, I could feel a breeze coming from further away, and it didn't take long for us to reach the end of the cave.
I thought that once we got out we wouldn't need the makeshift torch anymore, but I was quite wrong.
Outside it was indeed brighter than inside, but it was still dark, with a sky heavy with storm clouds and a light but constant fog that didn't let you see much ahead of you.
I think I could see about five or seven steps ahead, but if I tried to see beyond that, I only saw outlines obscured by the fog. Even the occasional flashes of lightning didn't reveal much of what lay ahead.
It was a dark, damp, and slightly desolate environment. If I had come here alone, I would have been very tempted to turn back. After all, if your best source of light continued to be a torch and you needed to fight, especially if your fighting style depended on both hands, things got very complicated very quickly.
Well, that would be if I were alone; fortunately, I'm not. But I guess my hero of sorrow didn't apply to everyone.
–Okay, we've come, we've seen, and we've fought. How about we go back and write a report after grabbing a hot meal in a warmer, more welcoming place? – Max said, glancing sideways at the entrance of the cave, gripping his short sword tightly.
–And more illuminated? – Mav asked with a slight smile. Max gave his brother a deadly look.
–WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT?!!, THAT'S JUST BASIC STRATEGY!!!! –Max practically yelled.
It was obvious to anyone that Max didn't like this place at all, and I understand why. We haven't been here long, but I can already see that it's a place that will hardly have any neglect like on the first floor. But this way he abhors the dark environment of everything is...
'Quite unexpected.'
I mean, he didn't seem hesitant at all in the attack on the goblins yesterday (or has it been two days technically?, my perception of time sometimes fails).
'Although perhaps it's simply because we know nothing about the creatures and animals that exist here. And is this fear of the unknown increasing his fear?'
(Kaio: I can practically see your thoughts from your expression, my dear Connor. And from Max's expression, I guarantee you, he's simply terrified of the dark. Why didn't he hesitate to fight against the goblins... because they were goblins, and with so many people together he must have thought they'd be finished quickly... And that's what happened.)
Max cleared his throat slightly and lowered his voice.
–It's much easier to hit when you see your opponent, if you don't know, earthhead. Isn't that right, Connor? – he tried to come out persuasive and turned with a bright smile in my direction.
'You really just passed the ball on me?!' 😓'
Anna and Cali just shook their heads at another of Max's "antics." Mav just shook his head and shrugged, but you could see he was enjoying his brother's poorly concealed panic. Before I could answer, I heard a sound in the background.
*Grró-...óoó-...oó*
*shhh-shhh...*
It was a low sound, difficult to hear, even I don't know how I managed to hear it.
–Something's approaching, get ready. – I said, preparing my wife with one hand and a throwing knife with the other; the others did the same. Fighting was the perfect way for Max not to worry (so much) about the environment around us (but he continues to hold the sword more firmly than necessary).
Slowly, emerging from the fog, I could see a figure forming. It certainly looked like a person, but they were walking awkwardly, as if one of their feet wasn't working. I could also hear a faint hissing sound, as if something was being dragged on the ground. In the past, I probably would have run to help, but now I know that not everything that appears to be something truly is.
Besides, we were still in the Trial (probably, the environment here was so different from the other "floor" that I wasn't sure anymore), so the certainty of a creature or even a person coming from somewhere, especially from an unknown place, meant caution was the watchword.
It took a while for the figure to become fully visible, and we didn't like what we saw at all. It was a man, a dead man. Dragging himself towards us with a rusty, damp sword dragging at his side.
The others were considerably uncomfortable seeing him approach; I hated it.
Because I recognized the partially decomposed face, but mostly because I recognized the rusty armor he wore. That was one of the Baron's knights who had died on the first expedition to the Trial.
Moving again like a piece of rotting meat.