The consequences of the war. A gift for the goddess. A Kiss.
"Not long ago, Sel Er faced slave traders who kidnapped reasonable people," said Derergon.
"Do you think they kidnap bugs from our level?"
"Yes, only from our level, since they are unlikely to pass through Kroark."
"Indeed, sometimes there were strange disappearances among the spikers, but they were all associated with final deaths or the departed," the old man said after a moment.
"With the departed?"
"Among the spikers were those who just left our lair, and thus they were so called," Inrag explained.
"We need to think about the rest, but for now let's go after the others," said Derergon as he followed the mercenaries.
In the meantime, we reached the pointed place. The gravediggers were in a cave from which it was impossible to get out since a large stone was blocking the pass. Several large spikers moved it away, and small bugs began to emerge. They were not less than three dozen.
"I know you," one of them said, glancing at Skal.
"My name is now Skal," said my friend, patting the shell of his relative. "And soon you will receive your names too."
They were somehow strange - as if they were not able to perceive the world around them properly. It reminded me of Skal when I first met him near the grave of my relatives.
It seems that having a name is very important for everyone, but why they have no names? I had not asked myself this question before, so I needed to know more in detail.
"Teacher, will you help me look after my relatives?" Skal asked the Death Herald.
"I will try," Mohr said and asked Derergon who approached him. "Will you help me set up a small corner for my co-relatives in Girerd?"
"That's not a problem, of course." The leader of the mercenaries nodded. "Besides, the gravediggers can help us. I'll tell you later in what way they can do it. Sel Er, this is for you." Derergon gave me the staff with the Efilioll's crystal. "You need such crystals, don't you?"
"Of course!" I was delighted, having taken the spell caster's staff, which had very interesting abilities. However, it was not for my level, and the requirements were very difficult. Shame. I would have to give it to the goddess.
"This is a gift from the previous owner." The mercenary grinned. "But why do you need these trinkets from which even Mohr could not extract any energy?"
"I cannot say yet." I think it's too early to tell them about the goddess.
"Well, as you wish," said the mercenary thoughtfully, examining the crystal on the staff. "Mohr, will you help with drawing up a contract?"
"No problem."
"Sel Er." I heard Karataruna's voice and saw two centipedes nearby. "We need to talk aside," said the Successor of the Ancients, and making a rush, she caught me in her sharp jaws.
"Sister, I ask that you don't bite him in two halves, please." Tarnaragun looked at the centipede, and she nodded slightly.
"I think we'll talk here." After a while, Karataruna stopped not far from the city of the spikers.
"Thank you for helping us in this difficult battle," I said, thanking the centi-pedes. "We wouldn't have done it without you."
"I didn't expect so much power from this spiker," Aerial Killer said, exhaling loudly. "What made him so strong?"
"I believe that it was his artifacts and this amulet." I showed an artifact in the form of a rat, from which rather terrible energy still emanated.
"Hmm ... an interesting thing. I need to take a mold of the energy and show it to someone," said Karataruna, and her emerald energy spun around the amulet, which enclosed a clot of the Darkness in a translucent sphere. "We will need your help, Sel Er."
"I am always ready to help my friends," I answered without hesitation.
"I'm glad to hear that." In Karataruna's voice one could hear both joy and surprise.
Apparently, she thought that I would be offended by the fact that she had already sent me to reincarnation twice. But I am not vindictive—at least, I do not see the point in enmity with such a powerful person. "Behind the rubble, in the nearby tunnel, there is a City of the Ancients. In that city, there is a place that looks like a temple. In this place, there is a mirror of control. Get to it and check the state of the source.
Karataruna offers you a task "A Mirror of Control"!
Goal: Find a mirror of control in the City of the Ancients.
Additional goal: Destroy all the guards of the mirror.
Additional goal: Check the source's state.
Accept: Yes / No?
"I will help," I said, and I accepted the task. What else did I have to do? I owed them, after all.
"Show your map. Alright, the place is right here." The Successor of the Ancients stared at a point, after which a mark appeared on it and, to my fear, I knew what was waiting for me there. It would be hard, and I would have to think a lot. "Well, you are not bad, since you have already found the city and even explored some of it."
The centipede spread her jaws, showing her approval
"Well, if that is so, then do something else," said Aerial Killer. "In that city, there is a statue of a two-legged goddess. She is very weak and needs energy, but not every type of energy will suit her. Take Efilioll's crystal and give it to her." Tarnaragun gave me a rather large crystal that was at least twice as large as the one in the staff.
I felt its energy with my entire body, but I couldn't absorb it - even though I tried. But all my efforts were in vain. Apparently, the level of ability needed to be somewhat incredible.
Tarnaragun offers you the task "The Energy for the Goddess"!
Goal: Deliver the crystal to the goddess in the ancient city.
Accept: Yes / No?
"I have already delivered a couple to her, so I will carry a few more crystals without any problems," I said, squeezing such a beautiful stone full of the energy necessary for the goddess in my hand.
"That's great." Aerial Killer nodded to me and disappeared into the darkness of the cave.
"Take care of yourself, Sel Er. Here's a goodbye kiss for to you." After Karataruna's words, a chill ran through her shell and squeezed my heart because I didn't want to die.
The head of a centipede with sharp jaws was approaching me, and I could not even move because of paralyzing fear. Karataruna touched me with the base of her head and gently pushed. "If you want to find us, or just me, then look for the eighth level of the cave," she said, and turning around, she quickly disappeared into the darkness of the cave.
And that's all? I was stunned as I had already said goodbye to my life several times over. And when I came to my senses, I hit my hand against my face plate, since I had completely forgotten to ask the name of the goddess.
Perhaps the centipedes knew it. Hmm ... there was something sticky and transparent on my face.
The particle of the Successor of the Ancients is absorbed!
New development opportunities are available!
100 points of experience gained!
Emerald eyes of the Successor of the Ancients.
Description: Emerald eyes will allow you to see what is inaccessible to others. Invisible beetles will not be scary to you, as well as the ghosts of fallen warriors that can move in the Astral. Also, your coordination and reaction will improve significantly if you become the owner of these eyes.
Stats: Mind +15; Evolution +5; Mobility +5; Health +100; Energy +100.
Effects: "Improved Vision", "Hypnosis", "Resistance to mental impacts + 10%", "Vision of the World".
Requirements: Level 75; Mind 60; Life 55; Evolution 40; Structure 50
These centipedes were still strange. It was elaborate to transmit to me the part of the genetic material in this way. I certainly would not refuse to have such eyes.