With the start of the commotion, All the mole men jump into battle mode.
"Ji! Go to the backside! Everyone else surrounds it. Don't let it get away!"
Running to encircle their foe. They swing all their weapons at the legs of the spider, trying to break its joints or smash into its shell with brute force!
The captain mole man faces the spider head-on as he swings his blade with incredible force. You could feel the pressure from the attacks across the room. A foreleg goes flying as the spider drops the paralyzed Mole man on the ground, pouncing at the infuriating Captain!
The spider topples the captain onto his back as the creature tried mounting over him and stabbing its fangs towards the captain. Much similar to how the previous spider tried pinning Lucas under it, Trying to prevent all escape.
The Captain managed to block all fang lunged at him with the side of his blade. Luckily he wasn't alone.
The soldiers managed to put in quite a bit of damage on the spider, forcing it to back off their captain. The Captain got back to his feet and with a fury in his blood. "Its time Ji, Stab now!" The Captain wound back and punched straight at the beast's eye at the same time as the soldier, Ji managed to ram their sword up into the web spinner on its abdomen.
Lucas winced at the move, Feeling in pain just from watching it.
The Captain took his blade and brought it down on the creature's head, cleaving it in half. Heaving a sigh of relief, the soldiers pulled the poor sod out from under the spider... But it was too late. His innards were already melted to mush by the poison.
Before Lucas could get his bearings, All the soldiers were back in battle mode and staring at him. "Come out! We know you're there" Spit spraying all over the ground as the Captain yelled into the distance.
Hoping for a chance at negotiation, Lucas slowly stepped out from behind the mushroom.
The Captain, having focused on Lucas, First thought Lucas was a mole man based on his humanoid figure. But when he focused his vision. He could make out the face and be startled to see such a being.
This was his first time seeing a creature with such... small teeth... and big eyes...
In the Mole men race, The more prominent the eyes, the higher your standing was. But that also applied to your front teeth.
Not entirely sure what to do, he called out. "State yourself! What are you?! Who are you?!"
Sweat running down his back. "I'm Lucas. A human! I bear no ill will."
"We'll be the ones to decide that!" The Captain wasn't about to put down his guard.
Leading his men to encircle Lucas, ensuring he doesn't runoff. "We'll take you to the Capital, Kirs city. They'll know what to do with you there."
Leading Lucas down several tunnels and after many twists and turns. They find themselves in another massive cavern. This Cavern simply too beautiful. Much similar to the cavern before the coffin. This Cavern also had many star-like stones stuck into the ceiling.
Giant mushrooms spread across the cavern, glowing in a light blue and green, lighting up the dark.
Mushrooms the size of houses scattered around the edge of the cavern, while the smaller ones spread through the center with an underground river passing through a city made of stone.
In the center of the city stood and giant pillar carved into a kind of crude castle shape, holding up the ceiling of the cavern.
Leading Lucas through the streets of the city, Many Mole men and women watched him from afar. Some were trading mushrooms. Others were selling insect-like creatures, Most similar to locusts but with two, bladed forelimbs like a mantis.
Through the windows of the houses, You could see mushrooms used as lighting. They were also used in food. It was probably serving as their most basic staple food along with insects.
Lucas didn't let the murmurs of the crowd unsettle him, though. This place was a sign of hope.
Making his way to the front of the castle. The Captain Mole man told his men to stand guard along with several hundred other Mole men; It didn't seem too big of a society.
Making their way into the throne room. Looking at the ground, You Lucas could see in place of a carpet. The Mole men grew a type of glowing, thin moss. It was very soft and gentle on the feet. I'm sure it also has a moisturizing effect. But their King would never know.
There sat on the throne, a Mole man so fat that you could hardly make out the throne beneath him. At about 2.5 meters tall, the King sat on his throne. Probably all his life. So many rolls of fat hanging down that Lucas almost got sick looking at it.
But looking at his teeth, you could see a pair of eyes much larger than even Lucas. Proving it's not as blind as the others. And a couple of giant teeth to match, The side of Lucas's whole hand.
Feeling a throbbing pain on his right arm and looking, The ring of scales already made its way up to his elbow. Lucas could feel his connection to those scales growing every minute that passed.
"grumble," The King's stomach rumbled, followed by servants bringing in a few platters full of mushrooms and those same. dead locust-like insects.
The Captain brought Lucas just before the stairs to the throne before announcing.
"My King! Our patrols found more intruders in our tunnels again! A Stalker killed two of our Mole men today again! How much longer should we stand this?!?"
"Mind your tongue Captain Mogu! Can't you see I'm eating?!?..." The King responds with a jiggle down his body.
Grabbing one of the insects, the King brought it up before his mouth and bite off the behind of the creature before slurping out all its innards. Then the King put the shell of the beast in his mouth, and the crackle of crackers could be heard.
Lucas almost vomited on the spot. The King also eyed him up and down just as the Captain inquired.
"My Lord, We also caught this creature in the tunnels skulking about! What shall we do about it?"
The King mumbled to himself in barley audible sounds before having a coughing fit. "Cough cough cough!! Mmmm Right, This does look like an odd one. Tell me, creature, What are you?.." The King narrowed his eyes into little crescents while watching Lucas.
Lucas felt a chill down his back, knowing his life was on the line right now. "Yes, my lord... My name is Lucas. I come from... the surface Kingdom as a representative for... for.. an alliance!"
Waiting for the King to respond, Lucas was shivering down to his bones.
The King watched him for a bit, trying to decern anything from Lucas's appearance. The King bursts out in laughter.
"Of course you are!! Who wouldn't want to be an ally with my Valder clan with a large population of 3612 already! I'll have you know; my Valder kingdom is the third largest clan of our kind!" The King says confidently while Lucas breaths a sigh of relief at his fortune.
"But what can you offer my Valder Kingdom, Little one?" The King Narrows his eyes dangerously, looking ready to eat Lucas up.
"My King! We can offer you bug spray! A weapon of great destruction against those... Stalkers! surely they bring great trouble to your people."
The King calms himself and looks over at his Guard Captain, who returns his nod.
The King Hums to himself and squits his eyes into what seemed to be a happy and satisfied smile. "I'll agree to your deal! This is most pleasing! I do ho-" The King was cut off by the sound of a pair of little footsteps rushing into the hall from a side corridor. In came a chubby little mole man, or should I probably say mole-woman.
"Daddy! My toy broke again!! I want a new one; It's boring!!" The little girl complained while dragging a chain with another bit of girl attached around the neck. She was a little too slow, which made the Princess yank on the string again, and the little thing falls to the ground in pain.
Seeming like a slave, red marks could be seen on her skin under the metal collar, and various scars could be seen in the tears on the back of her rag of clothes. They most surprising thing was, she had multiple spots on her skin covered with scales of different shades of grey and white. As she gets up with her deadpan expression, She noticed Lucas out of the corner of her eyes. But when she caught a look at his right arm, her eyes came back to life and full of hope.