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In the aftermath of the short fight, the Warriors under Captain Lin took quite a bit of time conducting their recovery. They tended to their equipment, patiently waited for the Healers to fix their wounds, or sat in somber quiet around a few pits of fire Jake had established within the cavern. They had won almost one-sidedly because of Jake's magic and the Maedra had been quashed without a single casualty on their side. However, even in their victory, it was a tough-fought battle. The men were weary and the attack was a reminder that safety was never guaranteed. The tunnels belonged to the Maedra. The Oryks were just visitors.
For Jake, the battle had a different kind of importance. He learned something important that he would make sure to remain aware of in the future. The Maedra wandered. Thus far, Jake had come across the Maedra only in places where large pockets of mana were found. He assumed they had been created in such places and didn't move from those places of interest. Well, he figured they moved once the mana source was devoured or if they sensed another large mana source nearby to eat. He didn't quite expect the Maedra to move in such a horde or deliberately. It was almost as if the Maedra had rallied to respond to the Oryk's moving into the cavern, as the Maedra had come ready for a fight. They even attacked the wall Jake had put up, as though they knew the Oryks were on the other side of it.
Something didn't feel quite right about that encounter which led Jake to believe that the Maedra weren't as stupid as originally thought. It was possible that, just like the Oryks, the Maedra lived within the Ravine and moved about it in small groups. The mana pockets served as places to rest, grow, and reproduce. The cavern might not have been a nesting ground but, instead, it might have been a recovery point or a place for the Maedra to settle in for short periods of time. It just so happened that one of the Maedra groups was returning while Jake and the Oryks were planning to set up the outpost.
Convenient? Maybe a little but Jake wasn't going to bottleneck the possibility that the Maedra were actually fairly intelligent. Though, they still couldn't be assumed to be anything greater than that of feral beasts. The Maedra flung themselves relentlessly at any living thing without fear of death. They did retreat if the opposing force was overwhelming but such instances were rare. Even if they were the last standing, a Maedra would charge, driven by hunger.
... Or was that line of thinking not quite true?
"Well done, Scout." Captain Lin's voice caught Jake off guard. The boy jumped a little and his back stiffened as he was made aware of the approaching Warrior. Jake had been standing beside another sentry at the exit point where the Maedra had attacked from, with his Sensory magic pointed down the tunnel. The other warriors were too tired to pull shift and the third squad that had been attached to the Outpost group was busy helping the workers.
"Thanks. All I did was my job," Jake said. He raked the edge of his blade over his whetstone, cleaning the weapon of Maedra fat. Captain Lin watched for a few quiet moments, smiling.
"No, you did far more than that," Captain Lin chuckled as he lowered to a knee beside Jake. He placed a large, mitted hand on Jake's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "You energized the men. Your magic gave them hope in the fight and your sword skills have earned you quite a bit of praise. Your swordsmanship needs some work but it passes. Thank you." Captain Lin spoke in a much softer tone and it felt weird to hear. Jake kept his eyes on his blade as the man spoke, avoiding meeting his eye. As long as people lived and casualties were kept to a minimum, he was satisfied. The boy knew he could never protect or save everyone, but he tried his best.
"Yea..." Jake muttered. His hands remained idle for a few more moments before he wiped off his blade with a thin cloth and then returned it to its sheathe. He collected his gear, tucked it all into his pack, and snatched up his cloak. He and Captain Lin rose to their feet together. "I'm going on a small patrol into the tunnel, Captain. I won't go far, but I just want to make sure the Beasts aren't lurking just out of sight."
Captain Lin stared at the boy, his eye twitching slightly as though the man was struck with a moment of indecision. However, he did not stop Jake. He gave the boy a brief nod instead and chuckled.
"Don't get into any trouble. I would spare a few Warriors, but I can't leave this place undefended. I'll post another two guards behind you. If you find yourself in trouble, run back to us and light a flare if you can."
"I will." Jake tied his cloak around his neck and then draped the hood over his head. He shrouded his body with the fabric, pulling it close around himself to obscure as much of his outline as possible. Then, he hurried into the tunnel.
The Maedra were an anomaly in the world. From what Jake had learned, they were created from what seemed to be nothing. They were grotesque molds of flesh that grew like a virus within the heart of the dark tunnels, birthed purely from mana. Just like Life on the surface, the Maedra attempted to thrive off the unfiltered essence within the Ravine. Chul had mentioned the possibility of them being intelligent before and the Maedra showed time and time again that they were capable of learning and adapting in a fight. Unless an entire horde was eliminated, there was a high chance that the survivors would return with information to the other Maedra and the horde as a whole would seem to change.
It made Jake wonder. Maybe the Maedra were less of a horde and more of a hive. A collective mass of flesh, interconnected by the mana they feasted on. A far fetched idea but one Jake was considering more and more after his increasing number of encounters with the creatures. Thus far, the Maedra did not show signs of language. They didn't communicate with one another openly, aside from their screeching which would earn the attention of other Maedra within earshot. They didn't build or create. They didn't settle. They didn't mine or collect. The Maedra were born to eat and it was all they did. But, what if the Maedra weren't random?
What if the Maedra had a centralized network of thought, with different levels of strength, a hierarchy, and different tasks for the Maedra to do? What if the Hordes themselves weren't hordes, but working parties sent out to gather mana for others? Whenever Maedra hordes were found and dealt with, crystals were always found nearby. Both from the bodies of the Maedra and in the surrounding walls. Crystals were found in other places as well so the Maedra weren't always present where crystals were found, but they were generally nearby most of the time. What if that was on purpose? Planned? What if the Maedra were harvesting the crystals and using them to grow others of their kind?
In the location where Jake had slaughtered a number of juveniles, the number of crystals around the area was less than usual. It could be a coincidence but Jake was beginning to hate that word. Nothing was a coincidence in this world. Everything had a purpose and meaning. There were rules, rule sets, and steps that the world followed. Just like magic. If that were true and the Maedra were more than just feral, mana-consuming creatures lurking within the shadows, then Jake had a feeling there was more to the Ravine than just a few stories.
Chul's role of keeping Adventurers out of the Ravine was beginning to have a far wider meaning to it than just guarding a summoning circle and a dragon vein. Maybe Chul was pest control. He kept Adventurers out and the Maedra in. With such a large and powerful foe keeping them pinned down, the Maedra remained beneath the surface. They lived within the tunnels, thrived near the Dragon Vein, and evolved slowly out of sight of the world above. Chul likely kept the Maedra from escaping through the Ravine's maw but Jake had to wonder if he ever traveled beneath the surface. Now that Chul was gone- there was nothing keeping the Maedra from moving around anymore.
The answers to Jake's questions and his musings weren't ones he honestly needed an answer to. As he ran down the tunnel, Jake was well aware of the fact that he may never truly, fully understand the Maedra. He would never know if they could think, if they were interconnected, or if they were 'intelligent'. But, what he could learn was their behaviors. If he could understand how the Maedra functioned, reproduced, and how they survived in the black pit of the Ravine- he could learn how to exterminate them. A likely impossible task to do on his own but it would make the task something tangible rather than a dream.
If Jake could find out the rules that the Maedra followed, then it meant they could be eliminated.
The boy triggered his Night Vision and sent his Sensory magic forward, pumping more magic than usual into his eyes to stretch his vision as far ahead of himself as he could. The tunnel began to twist and eventually, it actually started to angle downward. The decline increased to a massive slope and Jake found himself hopping quietly down the massive drop. He could feel the temperature in the air drop and the pressure of mana increased the further he descended into the tunnel. The Maedra remained missing, however.
At the base of the slope, Jake paused and looked back up the way he had come. He fired off light and gauged the distance- about three hundred meters down. When he looked ahead, the tunnel stretched forward and began to curve. The walls were no longer straight, with massive protrusions and bulges in the stone showing the rawness of the path. Most tunnels were relatively smooth around the edges. Though the tunnels were cuts in the rock and natural passages, the walls were generally formed with convenient space and shapes. A gentle arc, flat walls, flat floors.
However, the route ahead was not so perfect. The passage swayed from left to right. Massive rocks blocked certain viewing angles because of how the rock had been carved out. The floor wasn't entirely flat and there were several holes or dips in the rock. The ceiling was also fairly uneven, with rocks jutting out towards the floor, or just a general inconsistency with the stone along the path. It gave the tunnel a more 'real' and natural feel. This was definitely underground and far more ominous now that Jake couldn't quite see everything in front of him. Not with his Night Vision. On the other hand, his Sensory magic ignored the imperfections and told Jake he was in the clear. No Maedra in sight.
The boy pushed on, running quickly down the tunnel until he hit the bend. The tunnel curved sharply left at a steep angle, button hooking and then sloping downwards again after fifty meters. Jake cleared the initial fifty with his eyes and then inched forward slowly until he could see over the crest of the slope. The amount of mana in the air was still high but now he could feel where it was coming from.
At the base of the slope, Jake noticed the floor sharply flattened out and a single mana crystal shimmered just barely out of sight, blocked by the ceiling. The boy moved carefully and smoothly downward. The mana crystal inched into view as did several more. The tunnel continued for another short distance before it opened up into another cavern. This time it wasn't empty. Jake could see a massive, hulking shadow standing within it. It loomed in the center of the tunnel's arch, its body still as the stone it was surrounded by. With Jake's Sensory magic, he could sense a large amount of mana radiating around the shadow. However, the density of mana in the air had dropped. Upon closer inspection, Jake could make out the shape of the Maedra.
Yes. A Maedra, not a Maudraga. The creature was certainly larger than the usual Maedra and it was larger than the average Maudraga. However, in its right hand, the creature did not have a large crystallized staff to cast magic with. No. This creature carried a towering shield, a massive, thick slab of hardened flesh. The massive arm it was attached to was only a stub, the thick ropey muscle barely able to support the weight of the shield.
And there wasn't just one.
Jake inched close to the cavern and his Sensory magic picked up on two other Shield-types looming within it. The space was large enough to contain all three, and they stood equidistant from one another inside of it. They seemed to be dormant, or sleeping, as they weren't moving and their chests raised slowly in time with breathing. Jake dared to get closer until he was at the entrance of the cavern.
The space inside was empty aside for the three Shield-type Maedra. No other Maedra were anywhere detectable. The crystals in the walls were dark, cloudy, and lacked any color. The mana in the air was thin but the residue of essence lingered. The large creatures likely spread themselves out to ensure they were each getting their own share of mana being produced by the Ravine, and it was just enough to sustain them. They had drained the walls and had likely killed off their kin to achieve the size they had.
Jake felt something off and decided to check the room in its entirety. The walls were rounded, giving the cavern a circular shape. There were two exits other than the one Jake crouched in- one at an angle off to his right, and a second straight across on the far side of the cavern. The ceiling was high and the rocks jagged. As he scanned the ceiling, he noticed where that feeling of unease was coming from. He also realized why the Shield-Maedra were all facing inward.
Tucked into a large indent in the ceiling, an Arachkin held firm onto its webbing. The creature was no where near the size or strength of Chul, but it certainly looked threatening. Its long, thick legs stabbed firmly into the webbing it had laced its den with. Its large body dangled within the dark dome, hidden from normal sight and safe from the Maedra below.
Why was there an Arachkin here? Jake had gone further down into the Ravine, not up towards the surface. Chul had mentioned that his kin lived generally in darker places, but Jake never expected to come across one here. Not deep within Maedra territory. Though, if the creature was smart and quick like Chul, it likely survived by plucking Maedra off one at a time or it placed traps. Or, it was good at magic. Judging by its current situation, Jake doubted it was strong enough to handle itself in the grand scheme of things.
Rather than retreat and head back to the Outpost, Jake made the decision to provide some help. The Arachkin was cornered and Jake had no idea how long it had been stuck up in that hole. It could lose its strength and fall at any moment. There was also the threat of more Maedra coming, Maudraga in particular. If Jake left, the chance of the Arachkin surviving would plummet. The boy didn't know the capabilities of the Shield-Maedra. However, they lacked offensive weapons. They only had their massive shields and powerful left arms. The shields were likely used to protect the body. The hand was probably used to grab, smash, and punch. If Jake stayed out of its range, he figured he would be fine.
"Wait..." Jake narrowed his eyes and focused on the Arachkin. Something was off about that thing, and he was right to check again. That was no Arachkin. It was Maedra.
The creature had developed to mimic the shape of an Arachkin. Though, rather than eight legs it only had six. It had four eyes, not eight nor sixteen. It had no fangs but instead had a mouth that was hanging open, drooling. Was it a Maudrake? A smaller version? Or was it a Maudrake that was still in its initial stage? Jake couldn't be sure but either way it was dangerous. Fighting it alone would not be intelligent so Jake pulled away from the cavern and quietly retreated back the way he had come. He made his way slowly up the tunnel and once he hit the incline, he triggered his Flight magic. The boy hopped into the air and propelled himself back the way he had come.
The boy had stopped himself from jumping into the fissure on the ground out of fear of coming across something he could not handle on his own. He entered the tunnel with the task of only conducting reconnaissance and trying to learn more about the Maedra if he could. He would have been quite the fool if he turned on his word so quickly. He was thankful for that decision, even if it had led him to another dead end. The Maedra were evolving, changing. The beasts he was used to seeing were only the beginning of the horrors the Ravine concealed.
The Maedra were living things just like anything else. They needed to eat to survive, they evolved to adapt to their situation, and they strove to become something more. That much was evident. Now that Jake had discovered those new types of Maedra, it only reinforced his thinking that the Maedra wasn't just a virus. They were a true danger to the surface and life as a whole. If left alone, the Maedra would continue to develop, evolve, and become more powerful. The Maudrake he and Chul encountered had likely evolved to counter-entities like Chul. It may have grown into its form with the sole purpose of fighting and killing powerful Guardians.
Those Shield-Type Maedra were likely evolved to counter the Warriors of the Oryks. Those shields were likely replicas, a trait developed after years of fighting the Oryks. That Arachkin-type was probably supposed to be an initial response to Chul, but Chul had killed one of those before in its adult form. So Jake wondered why it would still exist.
...unless it wasn't birthed to fight Chul. Chul was a powerful foe for the Maedra. He knew magic, reinforcement spells, barriers, and had a very strong fighting skill set for all three spheres of battle- long range, medium range, and close range. Chul could react, counter, and slaughter the Maedra with an efficiency Jake strove to one day rival. The Maedra likely picked up on that. Hence, why the Arachkin-type Maudrake had been born.
The Arachkin-type within the cavern was likely just a smaller version of that but meant for the tunnels and dealing with the Oryks. If that were the case, then the Warriors would be in a lot of trouble if they had to fight that kind of foe. Even Jake would have trouble with it, especially if it had Chul's agility and combat speed. With those six legs, the Arachkin-type would be able to maneuver across the battlefield almost unchallenged in a wide-open space. Jake would have to develop a plan to deal with those things. Hopefully, he could do so before they became a problem.
Jake reached the top of the slope and then took a quick pause to use rock magic in the tunnel. He pulled the ceiling down and the walls inwards, crumbling the rocks to block the passage before using mana and heat to seal the stone together. Unlike the wall at the cavern entrance, Jake made sure to fill as much of the tunnel with debris and solid stone as he could. This way, if the Maedra were going to try to break through, they would have a much harder time. The density of the rock would hopefully dissuade them from trying.
Jake used his Sensory magic to verify that the Shield Maedra hadn't followed him, and then he quickly headed back to the Outpost area. Reporting his findings to Captain Lin took priority, and he would need to head to the Library to train. Developing his magic further to handle those foes in the future would be key to success. Not only that but if the Maedra were developing into Arachkins and Oryks, the boy could only imagine what else the beasts had in store for him.
Jake had promised Yae he would become strong enough to where she would never have to worry about him. He had certainly become capable of wiping out the regular Maedra and Maudraga. It seemed even that would not be enough. The world was full of powerful entities, of enemies that would always cause him to pause and consider his chances. The Maedra was just that type of enemy. Even with the best odds, Jake never ever believed that victory would be assured when fighting them. Only when the last Maedra was killed did Jake feel any relief.
The return to the Outpost was less eventful. Now that Jake knew the way and knew that it was clear, he moved quickly. With every step, he pushed off the stone and utilized Wind magic to accelerate his pace, lengthen his stride, and speed himself up. He kept his night vision active to keep himself from barreling into a wall, but he reduced the range of his Sensory magic. The entrance to the cavern came into view in a fraction of the time it initially had taken Jake to scout.
As he approached, the boy slowed his pace from an open sprint down to a jog, and then down to a quick walk. When he was within one hundred meters and the sight range of the sentries, Jake activated a light spell so they could identify him. The guards had initially stiffened up due to the sound of something approaching. Now that they could see that it was Jake, they relaxed. They lowered their shields and weapons and stepped aside as Jake reached the entrance.
"Excuse me." Jake slipped between them and quickly identified where Captain Lin was at. "Captain Lin!" Jake shouted to get the man's attention. As Jake called out, the boy jogged to meet him.
"Well, you took your time," Captain Lin spat as he identified Jake. He turned to face the boy and crossed his arms over his chest. He muttered something to the worker beside him and the other Oryk folded up a piece of paper before leaving. "What did you find?"
"The tunnel drops twice, hooks around, and then spits you out into another cavern. There are no Maedra between here and the other cavern," Jake reported. Captain Lin nodded.
"Good. So we'll push up to that cavern and ensure they don't come into the tunnel. That should help with the security of this outpost," Captain Lin spoke as if he were ready to move forward with that plan immediately. Jake's hand shot up in response.
"Captain, you can't," Jake interjected. Captain Lin furrowed his eyebrow, confused.
"Why not?" He asked.
"I had to seal the tunnel," Jake said. Before he could explain, Captain Lin's eye went from open wide to almost closed.
"And why would you do that?" He growled.
"Would you listen to everything first?" Jake spat, clenching his teeth out of annoyance. Captain Lin opened his mouth, as though he were going to speak and Jake honestly considered trying out that Suffocation spell. When the Oryk closed his mouth, Jake took that as it was fine for him to finish.
"I cleared up through the tunnel to the next cavern, but after seeing what was inside I sealed it. I came across four Beasts, likely ones that are far stronger than the average. Three of them carry massive shields and their bodies looked tough. Tougher and more muscular than anything I've come across in these tunnels so far." A slight lie but Jake didn't want to explain his encounters from when he was with Chul.
"The fourth was an Arachkin-type. It had six legs and was hidden in the ceiling. None of the four looked to have magic capabilities, but they were a lot more dangerous than what we've come across before. So, I sealed the tunnel. They weren't moving and looked to be waiting or unable to leave that room. I doubt they will come up the tunnel, but I closed it off just in case."
"And you didn't fight them?" Captain Lin asked. Jake found that to be an odd question.
"No. I have never seen these beasts and I wasn't going to test my luck," Jake answered. The boy shrugged it off and scratched the back of his head, ruffling his hair a bit. "Judging from their looks, I would have lost on my own."
"You think so?" Captain Lin muttered and Jake nodded. The Captain rumbled a bit, stroking his beard as he stared towards the tunnel. "Then it's good that you closed it off. We'll continue to establish the Outpost but I will ensure no one goes further. Good work, Jake." Captain Lin reached down and tapped Jake on the shoulder.
"Head back to the village and get yourself some well-deserved rest. While you were gone, I sent a runner with details of the mission to the Scout Association. I instructed her to have the Association put your payment together so it should be ready for you by the time you return." With that, Captain Lin turned and started to leave.
"Uh, Captain!" Jake called out. The Captain stopped and turned partially around, his eye opening a bit. "Thank you for your help today," Jake bowed slightly at the waist, which drew out a small laugh from the Captain.
"Don't thank me, boy. You showed your worth today and earned the respect of my men. You've done far more than anyone could have asked. Now go home and rest." The Captain turned and left.
Jake straightened his back and stared at Captain Lin as the Oryk returned to working on the Outpost. His hands began to direct traffic. His voice boomed through the cavern. And his laugh echoed as he settled into his usual self. The boy wanted to say more, to thank the Captain and his men for their help. For having faith in him, for giving him the chance to show that he was capable of being useful.
The Maedra had lost today. Jake had succeeded in wiping out a large number of the creatures and the village was now able to build an outpost within the tunnels, expanding their influence and safety net. The tunnel between the village and the outpost had been secured and the resources within could be mined and returned to the village to support its growth further. The progress which would have taken weeks, Jake had done in a day.
Being praised for such work seemed almost unreal, and Jake didn't know how to accept it. He had failed to defeat the Maedra outright several times. The creatures had killed his friend, they had nearly killed several more during the recent operation, and they had almost killed him. Jake had thought he had turned the tables just for him to encounter another, new, more deadly threat. It felt like the Maedra were always a step ahead. Being praised for barely putting a dent in the ability of such an enemy felt... hollow.
Maybe if Jake was strong enough to kill those four beasts and secure that second cavern, then maybe he would be able to accept those words of acknowledgment. It might take some time, but he would do his best to become deserving of their respect. Within the depths of the Ravine, nothing was given. Nothing was easy. Nothing came free. Jake would have to earn his worth.
Whatever it took.
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