Plopping down beside her dazed partner, Ember chuckled. "Not what you expected huh? Clearing savage nests like these are very tiring and usually, combatants of our level aren't sent to them for that reason."
Nodding, Noxtis looked around at all the bodies littered around them. "I knew it would be difficult, but to see lesser and feral demonic beasts attack without disregard for their own self-preservation isn't something I expected. And the sheer number of them...it was overwhelming."
Patting Noxtis on the back, Ember comforted him. "Of course it will be, but considering that all the soldiers and myself are around the peak muscle stage and even Elder Nancy is a Grandmaster Inscriptionist, you did well and killed more than your share of them. Plus, we're in luck that these spiders are not well suited to face our Crimson Scale bloodline abilities. And hopefully, we can find something worthwhile for you in here."
"Heh, yeah. But I realize that while my single target lethality might be decent when there are many enemies I feel so useless. I'm so envious of your Blazing Crescent."
"Of course you would be, it IS pretty amazing. Matched with the second most beautiful dragonkin."
". . ."
"What? Do you expect me to say it isn't? While It may be a flashy move that is good for this situation, there's no reason why you won't be fantastic when your cultivation and bloodline skills are needed. You're an assassination-based cultivation type based on what Master Mirko has told me, there's no shame in being less useful in a frontal swarm battle like this. Plus these shadow-attributed spiders are weak to our fire dragon bloodline.
You can always learn or create a group attack but being able to boost your strengths isn't a bad way to go about it. What makes your attributes and fighting style different from anyone else, even your master will be different than how you will fight. Just like how I fused my swordsmanship and bloodline abilities to create my own signature move, you can be flexible and create a style all to your own."
"All my own. . . Also, you said second most beautiful dragonkin, who is the first?"
"Auntie Vel."
"Are you just saying that because she threatened to not make you food if you kept boasting?"
". . ."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Replacing their waning light stones, the group cleared the corpses to the side and stayed tightly knit as they explored the large room. Elder Nancy covered the corpses in a dissolving inscription after retrieving a few small beast cores from the Feral ranked spiders.
Unlike the previous smaller rooms they had crossed before, there were huge formations of stone spikes from both the ceiling and floor. Without the clamor from the fighting, Noxtis was finally able to notice the glinting shining in a couple of spots embedded into the stone face.
Elder Nancy surveyed the room with a fine-toothed comb. Identifying several spots, she brought out a brush and touched the wooden tip to her chin while thinking. Confirming what inscriptions to use, Elder Nancy walked over to several spots and used her brush to draw some ornate designs. Shockingly, without dipping into any sort of ink that he could see, the Elder's brush somehow left behind a reddish ink in its wake.
When the small designs had been completed, the marks glowed in a dark light. Nodding happily, the Elder applied another mark to the stone face and continued to do the same at other locations. Without even a shred of understanding as to what the Elder was doing, Noxtis marveled as Elder Nancy not only marked all the shimmering spots, but even some spots that didn't shine at all.
After a few more moments, the three groups of crimson scale soldiers arrived back in the room after scouting three tunnels that branched out from this room. Before reaching this junction of a room, the cave had only shown one pathway.
The squad of five gathered together to inform one another of their findings. After a short discussion, the head soldier ordered the rest to guard the other passages and went to report to Elder Nancy.
Reading the report, a small frown appeared on her expression as she sighed and told a few orders to the head soldier. Elder Nancy came to report to Embervesent and Noxtis. "There are a lot of valuable resource spots in this room alone. However; we are appearing to be getting close to where the spider matriarch has settled down. Of the three passages; one appears to lead to a dead end, the second leads to another large cavern with a large stock of resources and more dark spiders, and the last leads to where I suspect their brood mother has settled down her eggs.
We will still need a more thorough search and make sure to avoid being flanked either through a separate tunnel or a false wall in which they can come from a different direction. Hopefully, we can thin out the swarm a bit before facing off against the brood mother. If we are lucky then it will only have just become a Major ranked savage beast."
"And if we are unlucky?" Embervesent asked curiously.
"There could be a second, one. However; that is quite unlikely due to the savage spider queen being the strongest of the swarm and very rarely tolerating any subjects that could threaten its rule. From the aura she is giving off, it very well may just have broken through the major stage. I have already signaled for the captain to reinforce us with a few more soldiers and they should arrive soon.
Whatever the reason is, the dark attributed materials that are forming this close to the exit is good news for the tribe. But I would rather be cautious so we will wait for reinforcements while slowly clearing out the other passageways."
Questioning the soldiers a bit more about the spider's movements, Elder Nancy nodded and lead the group to the main passage leading towards the savage brood mother.
Leading past the rich deposits of minerals and crystals, the group came across another entrance. However, unlike the rough cavernous areas they had traveled through before, this specific entrance was much more refined and out of place in contrast to the rest of the cave's appearance. A wide arch was carved with a complex design and dotted with gemstones that shined with a dark luster.
Such an intricate archway had a few parts chipped off while others were entirely missing. Elder Nancy looked at the designs with rapt fascination. "Isn't it wonderful? This inscription is fascinating and clearly extremely old. Even though the barrier has been broken, the individual parts still contain a bit of the energy that was empowering them. Whatever this barrier had been protecting may very well be the reason why these dark savage beasts have gathered here and so fiercely protect it."
Footsteps approached rapidly from behind them and soon the soldier captain and four other soldiers came and bowed before the Elder.
"Welcome Captain, I suspect that there is an initial Major dark spider matron in the next room. I need you to work with me to contain it while the rest of you will be taking care of the rest. I cannot sense what other forces there are, but expect to face many feral and a couple of greater savage spiders at the very least."
Turning over to address Ember and Noxtis, Elder Nancy cautioned. "While I would've suggested you go back to the camp, with the forces we have here there shouldn't be any issues. However; be sure to protect your own lives at all costs. Remember to use the talismins I gave you should anything happen, your grandfather would scold me if his precious granddaughter got harmed on my watch."
Mentally preparing himself for what they were about to face, Noxtis held Ember's hand and squeezed gently. Looking into each other's eyes, they felt the bond between them warm and dispel much of the tremors of their hearts.
With the might of the ten muscle stage soldiers including the peak muscle stage captain, the group easily cleared the spiders in the other two passageways. In just under an hour, they cleared all the other passages and marked the resource spots, and arrived at the ornate gateway once again. Admiring the architecture and barrier design, Elder Nancy sighed that she wouldn't have time to research them more and entered the archway with the rest of the group.
An ear-piercing skittering screech rang in their ears as soon as they crossed the threshold.
"Ggg...eeettttt ooooo.....uuuuutttttt!!!!"