We managed to escape from the Demon's sight and we kept riding to the east. Then when we left the grassland area, we turned to left and riding to the north. We reached a savanna with a small lake on it. We feel relaxed when we saw a blue lake and yellow savanna that looks beautiful in this crimson land. We are too focused with the scenery until we didn't realize there is a great danger that lurks below us.
*Brush* (Sound of something emerged from the ground)
"AN EARTHWORM?!" said Jack surprised.
One of the worst enemies for riders is [Earthworm]. Normally, you need to fight it on foot, not on the horse. Earthworm is always burrowing below its target, making it hard to be detected and killed. They have strong and hard skin, sharp senses but they have bad eyesight even though they have many eyes around their mouth. They are sensitive to light and sound but bad with smell sense. But the Earthworm that appears before us now has bigger body and strange shape. I heard Luna shouted this is a demonic Earthworm.
"All of you who have any kind of [See Through] and [Prediction] Skill or Spell, please activate it. One of you needs to prepare a huge fireball spell and launch it when the worm opened its mouth. Few of you, lure it by making a loud sound around of us!"
"I'll handle the fireball Kaichou!" said Tim with happy tone.
"You are good to go! But wait for further command."
"Yay! Fire!" It seems Tim is overjoyed.
"At 10 o'clock, the worm will appear Kaichou!" said Jack.
"First to Fourth Carriage keep going! Fifth to the last, turn left and regroup…NOW!"
As Jack predicted, the worm emerges after the fourth carriage. Luckily, the fifth carriage has turned left before the worm emerges from the ground. I looked behind and quickly took an action.
"Regroup! Regroup quickly!" The fifth carriage and the others turned right and followed the fourth carriage again. Now, we are set in line again.
"NEXT IT WILL APPEAR IN FRONT OF US!" Jack shouted.
"SCATTER! TIM AND THE REST OF WARLOCKS ON SEVENTH CARRIAGE, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE, MIURA-SAN PLEASE HELP TIM!"
"IT ALMOST HERE!" said Jack.
As I commanded to scatter, the carriages scattered into different location. I saw Robert and Arnold were slowing down their horses to guard the seventh carriage while Jack is commanding the scattered carriages. I turned my horse back to where the worm appeared.
"[Light Elemental Magic Rank A-: Divine Chain of The Sinners]" I chanted a bind type magic.
Miura also followed my lead by releasing [Light Elemental Magic Rank B: Endless Light Sanctuary] now the worm is frozen on the place. Tim launched his fireball, followed by other Warlocks who launched [Wind] and [Fire] Elemental Spells. Miura finished the chain attacks by launching [Light Elemental Magic Rank A: Rays of Destruction] to the worm. The worm's head exploded from inside but….
Arnold shouted in surprises, "IT'S STILL MOVING AND REGENERATING?!"
After hearing that, I headed toward the worm and ordered Nida to throw me.
"[ORIGINAL SKILL: MYTHELLIUS DEU DRIDER LISTHER!]" (Time Clash: Endless Reversal Cut)
I used one of my original skills to eliminate the worm's regeneration ability and successfully killed it.
I landed on the ground perfectly but suddenly my back started to sting intensely until I bent down to my knees. I quickly stored the worm in my inventory and called my Nida to come. After that, I continued to horse riding again with my caravan to east. There is no monster or beast on the way and we can continue riding without fear. The girls on the first until fourth carriage started singing to lighten the other members' mood. Well, the girls made a good initiative to cheer people up because the other members still feel scared and tired from the previous battles. On the beginning, they sang the songs about sea creatures, natures and winds until The Dwarves fed up and they changed it into country-like song and other songs that stated "WE AIN'T TREE!" whatsoever.
It escalated when Rania took the stage and started singing a good song, but if you hear carefully, the song contained somewhat indecent and lewd lyrics. Then, Zikiya took the broadcast and sang religious songs until it made us cry, especially the Paladins. Luna and Yuna took over the broadcast and sang the songs from Yamato Island, which is calming and good to ears. Lastly, the Bards took a whole broadcast for them only and sang various types of song until it made Arnold pissed off. He is slowing down his horse until he reached the sixth and seventh carriage. Then, he jumped in from his horse to there. On there, he smacked the Bards' head while shouting at them. After that, we chose to stop singing.
"Ow…ow…ow….my back hurts…" I rubbed my sore waist with my right hand while grabbing the rein with my left arm.
Julio surprised, "My Lord, are you okay?!"
I nodded to reassure Julio. We turned left when we left the savanna and entering a thick forest with a long earth road on the middle that divides them. From there, we took a heverra and fifteen minutes until we arrived at the camp place that I have chosen, a cave located above of the mountain trails, surrounded by tall trees, canyons and there are two ponds and two hot springs inside the caves.
We stored our carriages first and entered the cave. It's spacious, dark, and damp cave without Goblins, Gremlins, Cave Bats, Spiders, Scorpions, Rock Eaters, Slimes, or Worms, which is good because we can save more time and energy to rebuild this damn place. I'm positive with 150 people with me right now I can rebuild this cave before the Skoll rises onto its peak.
First, I ordered the Mages to reshape, resize and rebuild the cave wall. I also asked my Terra Elf and Dwarf members to assist the Mages to rebuild the whole cave interior because they have suitable abilities that related with Earth Dragon Gods and Earth Mother to do that. They flatten and smoothen the ground until it turned into smooth earth floor. Then, they removed the stalactites and stalagmites from the ground and ceilings. Next, they smoothen and flatten the wall while making rooms and corridors. They divided the rooms into boys and girls sleeping room, kitchen, dining room, public bathrooms, main hall, meeting hall, labs, storehouses, and living rooms. They also installed personal bathroom on each of the bedroom. After the main base almost done, they divided the labor forces for creating tunnels for escape ways, gates, and many others.
I left the labor forces to finish their work and walked outside. On there, I assisted The Sylph Elves and Dark Elves creating three until five watchtowers at specific spots for observing our perimeters. But Jack and Robert have almost finished creating four watchtowers. So, I only assisted them on creating the fifth watchtower on top of the hill. When we finished making the last watchtower, The Druids and Sages had finished creating barrier, recreating the perimeter around the base, and installing nature traps. The Fairies like Imp and Leprechaun returned after they finished installing complex traps and alarms. Then, Jack, Robert, and their squad members along with Rania went outside to install another set of traps, also to go hunting and mapping the area. When I returned, The Dwarves and Terra Elves are still making the road and widening it for carriage use. Well, our base itself isn't located really high from the mountain foot, so I hope they won't be too worked up and rebuilds the entire mountain trails. But seeing from the trail that we used, I guess they won't take a long time.
The Mages, Druids, Priests and Sages returned from their work and now they focused on making another barrier while fortifying the already existed barrier. They also fixed a few spots that can be infiltrated or destroyed easily. The Druids along with The Sages finishing the Mages' work by casting camouflaging spells. As I predicted, they finished everything at 9.38 P.M.E and The Scouts returned with maps and preys in their hands.
We eased our fatigue by dipping in the hot spring then refreshed our body by pouring a cold water over our body afterward. After changing to normal clothes, we headed to kitchen to have dinner that had prepared by the girls and sat for long time while chatting. The discussion continued as late as 11.27 P.M.E until almost every party members have returned to their bedroom, leaving only the squad leaders and a few people who still want to continue drinking or enjoying the night. I stood from my chair and clapped my hand to get their attention.
"Alright, alright guys! Before we head to bed and sleep, is there anything to report?"
"There is nothing to report, Leader. Except, I want to praise your decision by choosing this place as our basecamp. This place is secluded perfectly, hard to reach and well-protected by the nature itself." said Jack.
"Right, the caves are connected to big river up north. I also have created simple bridge mechanism. Oh luckily, there's no single Goblin or Gremlin's nest here. So, the ladies would safe." Robert added.
"Alright, all of you may rest. Thanks for your hard work." I bowed down my head.
"Delrieth-san, please prepare Undead Beasts to patrol until morning since all of us will sleep tonight."
"As you wish, Your Highness." Delrieth stood up from his chair and left the dining room.
I picked my plate and mug while walking to the kitchen. I washed the dishes in a washbasin that earlier I was confused where this basin comes from until Cynthia and Hime told me these washbasins were created by the Dwarves and Undine Elves when they were making the kitchen. The water that flows out from the faucet will last for a wikliviash since it used one of the [Water] Elemental Lifestyle Magic spells as the source of water. Hell, I didn't know lifestyle magic could be this handy and efficient in this situation….
From kitchen, I walked in the corridor with Robert, Toval and Arnold until we reached our bedroom. I asked The Dwarves and Terra Elves to create a simple bedroom for emergency case for this day only because it will take a long time if we install "two special tents" that Ayumi and I brought on our inventory.
The bedroom that they created is filled with simple long earth table and six chairs, along with six earth beds. The beds are created by hard rock as the foundation, then soft soil and sand on the top of it. The Dwarves and Terra Elves put a soft and bouncy bedcover created from earth to prevent the sand from getting in to our clothes and eyes. The bedroom is simple yet luxurious and makes me feel comfortable at the same time.
"Haah, even though this bouncy earth bed is really comfortable, somehow I still feel more tired than a couple daesh ago." Toval sighed and rubbed his head.
"Well, it can't be helped. Thanks to the enchantments that we had put on our body daesh before, our fatigues had greatly reduced and we didn't feel anything at all in our journey. But remember, since it had cancelled off, we will feel "something is missing" from us. Good night." Robert covered himself under a blanket.
"Hey wait…" Arnold and Toval are rubbing his crotch then they looked at each other with surprised face.
"OH SHIIIIIIIIIIITTTT MY D*********K!!!!!!! I CAN'T FEEL IT!" Toval is screaming in agony. Meanwhile, Arnold buried his face under his hands for a long time then he laid down on the bed and covered himself with a thick blanket that he brought from his home.
Yep, on that night, the boys who chose to horse riding for a week felt they weren't a "man" for an entire night. I chose to sleep soundly rather than hearing Toval's panic voice for entire night. He fainted when Arnold smacked his head thrice since he can't sleep because Toval kept screaming and disturbing another roommate. After that, all of us can finally can sleep peacefully thanks to barriers that Mages had created last night.
*******************
Meanwhile on another place, a demon is communicating with someone from faraway place. The demon looks troubled and panicked whenever a call ringing in its head. The demon keeps walking back and forth when grabbing his head tightly. The black giant with six hands, a woman with white hair, another woman with black hair, a neat man with purple hair and tall hat, a man with cold expression and wearing a glasses, a woman with revealing clothes, and a man with black robe staring at the demon intensely. Then, the demon answered the call.
"Wahederia vel Itperatora me Zijhe?" (How is your progress Zijhe?)
"Refathiries al del oretiria Milerdia elizar ivar skatteresd." (It went smoothly My Lord, now all of them scattered)
"Getd, nost whirl del elvatirth bays?" (Good, now where is the boy?)
"Dehim hadh gunt goh triferistia, el Ae—" (I saw he has fled into the deeper part of forest. I will—)
"FOOLISH! AE THERIAN MOU YTHERIUM ELPASKEL DARTEL IUVUSTEROS!" (YOU FOOL! I HAVE ORDERED YOU TO BRING HIM BACK HERE ALIVE!)
"Ahdeil Milerdia, aes—" (But, but Milord, I—)
"WHEST DAR AEMIY IOVDERIUM ELSARIASH SKATTERES TRIAGREP ELRI…?!" (WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "SCATTER" BEFORE? THEIR GROUP OR…?)
"Uh…Urdeliosvel eltriagrepur mastriators…" (Uh…the other parties around him…)
"THEE FOOLISH MAKZERIMAAARRR!!! NOST ESPASKEL DEHIM LA DEHER YTHERIUM DARTEL!" (YOU STUPID BASTARD!!! NOW BRING BACK HIM AND HER HERE ALIVE!)
The [Call] closed by an angry voice from "something" far away. After hearing that, the Demon is more confused and panicked. He is afraid if he couldn't fulfill his duty, his Master will punish him with something worse than death. Then, the Demon disappears from the sky. Most likely, it begins to search "the targets" his Master has ordered him to find. Meanwhile, the groups that have been sitting behind him looked at each other and they started to laugh, except the woman with black hair and a man with black robe. Both of them disappear from the place quietly without saying a word, leaving the group of demons in confusion.
The man with tall hat rubs his chin, "Oya…oya…seriously they left like that without saying a word? Even a demon has a manner, didn't they know?"
"Leave them be, ———————. By the way, that stupid Great Demon can't say anything when its beloved master scolded him before. How funny, I thought it would scream back to its master…" said the woman with white hair.
"Well, the one who scolded him was "The Lord of Calamity" or in other word is ——————. That's why he can't talk back to ——." The man with glasses fixed his glasses position.
"Geh…it can't be helped then. Now what will our Almighty Lord do?" The woman with revealing clothes and sadistic aura glances at the black giant with six arms.
The black giant with six arms stays silent in place and he didn't say anything. He kept standing in silent until tears were flowing out from its five eyes. Then, the black giant wiped out its tears with his upper left hand.
"What the heck, what's wrong with you?"
"Finally…it's has been long time…" He smiled widely. Hearing that, other demons looked at each other and they sighed heavily. The woman with revealing clothes scratched her head with confused expression. Then, she stares the black giant with detached look.
"Don't tell me it is—"
"YEAH…! YEAH…! THIS SMELL…! THIS PRESENCE…! THIS MANA…! UUUOOOOOHHHH!!!"
The black giant grins widely while drooling hard. Meanwhile, other demons looked at him with disgusted expression except the man with tall hat that smiles widely, showing off his sharp teeth. The man with tall hat pulled something black, long and emitting a dreadful black aura from another dimension. Then, he put that on his shoulder while putting a clown mask on his face.
"Alright…all set! Let us make a preparation for our honored guests, shall we?"
Then, all of the demons disappear from the place…