It took a week.
After completing my transaction with Ferelith, we made one final deal; in exchange for handing them blueprints for creating better abodes, she would lend us the manpower needed to create our own.
After travelling a good distance from the Medusaes territory, we found a good spot to claim. It took about three days to get the place completed.
A large building in the form of a cottage with seven compact rooms. I would have loved to do more but time wasn't exactly on my hands with the world ending quest ticking.
After sending the Medusaes off with a serious warning not to come into our territory, we proceeded to add the final touches.
Taking the web sack that I got from killing the larvae, we proceeded to gently pull the threads on it out little by little until we had a pretty good yarn.
The threads were razor sharp, prefect for barricading the area, and after three days of gently unfurling threads and forming a labyrinth of almost invisible death network, we finally got the entire place except for a small space that allowed entry.
"This is amazing." Noemie marveled at what we had done. I made sure he assisted as much as he could, after all, he wasn't just a Medusae anymore, he was now a member of Mariposa.
"Well, we've gotten everything we can." Faris yawned. We've been working non stop for a week, minimising sleep as much as possible.
"Good. Now that the barricade is in place, bring out the meat for curing and drying." I ordered.
"Noemie, go with Faris, you should learn as much as possible."
Faris trudged along with Noemie, leaving behind Nerissa and I.
"When do you think it will vanish?" She asked. I raised my head to look at the sky which was still dyed blue, purple and black, a result of my handiwork.
The phenomenon has yet to vanish, hanging there like a reminder to the entire planet that there was a threat that needed to be taken down.
Ferelith told me it would serve as a beacon of hope to others, but to me, it only served as a death reminder of the quest looming over our heads.
"We've got other things to worry about." I shrugged before heading for the cottage.
"Like what?"
"Like training. You should have felt it too, the loosening of your body."
"It was only faint. You know what it means?"
"A bit." Entering the cottage, the first thing that presented itself was a large space. This was the training room and the largest room in the building. After it was the meeting room, the storage and individual rooms for all four of us.
I don't think I'll have to take any more members soon enough and even if I did, we'll just have to share a room.
"Our potential has been increased and we have to take full advantage of it. We have to restart our training, from the very basics."
"Laying a more solid foundation."
"Yes. But more importantly, we'll be choosing a focus." One of the reasons why members of the SADF were jack of all trades was because humans were inherently weak and there was only so much you could train in one aspect.
But with multiple options, you stood a better chance.
"We will still practise multiple martial arts, but we'll narrow them down to only what we need."
We walked past the training room, down the corridor and into the storage room. Faris and Noemie were in there, unwrapping the monster meats we gathered.
We've kept them wrapped to prevent the smell of blood from leaking out and attracting monsters. Now that there was a barricade, we didn't need to worry about that anymore.
"We'll need water." Faris said the moment I entered the room.
"Do the ones you can, we'll scout the area." I glanced at Noemie, "any suggestions?"
"Rivers and other bodies of water are usually claimed by primitive beasts, we usually get water from plants."
'I see…'
"We'll look for a water source, and we'll claim it if we have to."
I went to a corner and picked up two daggers and a spear. Due to the rush and lack of more refined methods, the weapons were needle like. But it also made them light and durable, best for quick movements.
Nerissa grabbed a spike and we moved out.
***
"Don't over strain your self, be in guard but make sure your body is relaxed. If it's too tense, you might not be able to react quickly enough."
"I'm not a rookie, you know." Nerissa laughed but I could hear the slight nervousness in her voice.
As we moved, we made sure to mark the area. Although our aim was to find water, any other useful discoveries would also be great.
"After we secure the basic essentials, we'll begin on field training. Noemie should be able to sense aether, he'll be able to direct us towards the closest pillar."
"You seem to have taken a liking for him." I didn't need to look behind me to know she had a smirk on, I could hear it.
"I'm just intrigued. The races of this planet are endlessly fascinating. I almost can't wait to meet other races."
"Hey! Don't jinx us. From what we've heard, they are even stronger than the Medusaes. I'm way too stressed to engage in a battle against intelligent lifeforms." Nerissa grumbled.
I smiled and shook my head.
"Don't worry, this is too close to the Medusae territory, there can't possibly be other races h—"
My whole body tensed, my hair practically bristling with current, my heart thumping wildly as a surge of adrenaline pumped through my veins.
I couldn't even see the source of danger yet, but I could smell the scent of death.
I reacted instinctively, but the invisible foe was faster than I thought. There was no time to yell out a warning for Nerissa before I felt a collision that rattled my bones.
Bang~
I shot backwards, the air whistling in my ears and my eyes rolling to the back of my head.