- Day 12 into Day 13 -

Catacombs, Part 5

As a group, and after Bella reclaimed her weapon, we follow after Sybil's chalk arrows as she's long since left our visible range. Now back in the unknown, we make slow progress, taking extra care with each step to move as quickly and quietly as possible while training our eyes on every flickering shadow. It's exhausting, more so than the actual combat we just did. I remember reading somewhere that the human mind can only maintain full concentration for about three minutes at a time without wandering off somewhere. I guess that's the same for my new species as I'm still doing my monologue routine. At least it helps me relax, talking to myself like this. It also lets me put my more profound thoughts into priorities. I wonder why I never did this in my previous life?

*Trip*

Ah damn. See, 3 minutes at a blasted time. If I weren't talking to myself, I wouldn't have missed that damn stone.

"You alright?"

I nod at Bella and get back on my feet. Angelic luck we weren't ambushed at that moment.

Before heading on, I had thought about collecting all the corpses for storing them, but I wasn't sure how I would respond to the obvious question 'why' by the others. True, I may be able to sell them but over 300? Nah. It's not worth the looks.

We continue down the winding tunnels following Sybil's chalk arrows at each intersection. The goblins really didn't just retreat, they've pulled a bloody Houdini on us, taking whatever was making those thunderous booms with them. I was confident that whatever made those sounds would be just further in but no, not one encounter yet? Did we really completely scare them off?

...Well, if someone walked into a shopping centre and massacred nearly everyone, I guess I wouldn't hang around either--

Hmm? A light.. I don't see Sybil?

We move slowly towards it. Edging closer and closer until I notice Sybil hiding behind a rock some way off.

Is she mouthing something?

...R...U...N..? Is she telling us to run?

A giant blacken figure rises up from the ground, seemingly pulling all light into it. Screaming with a roar that reverberates through the entire cave and makes my bones hurt. It's too loud, my vision is being affected, and I think my eardrums might perforate--

"------!! --!"

"A---! We ---- -- r--n!"

What the.. fuck is that?!

"AU-BRI! It'- a raks---!"

... ..Yes. Risk, you're absolutely right. You would not want to stand in a Rakshaws den. No sir. Nope. Yet here we are. Apparently standing right in one. Go figure...

"ABURI!?"

What the fuck are you looking at me for? That thing is over 8 metres tall and belongs in a horror movie. How the hell does it even move in this cave system?

"Snap out of it! We need to run!"

[Scan]

Name: Rakshaw [Greater]

Race: Demon

Level: 136

HP: 100% MP: 100% ST: 100%

Yes. Yes, we do.

*Zip*

"Hey, Sybil. Excuse me"

*Zip*

I warped over and picked Sybil up in a princess carry before warping back to the group.

"Everyone! Form up!"

*Zzup*

HP: 1633 / 1633 MP: 110 / 3430 ST: 3101 / 4572 (STA Buffed: 2286)

"This is as far as my mana will take us. We'll have to walk the rest of the way to the entrance."

"That. That was a close one *HAAAH*"

Katharine collapses to the ground, relieved to be alive so it would seem. Our ears are a different story though. Mine are definitely bleeding and that ringing! Argh!

We're about half-way between the Catacombs entrance and the second-floor entrance. Everyone is looks to be okay, but Emily is visibly shaking. I can understand why; insane metres tall, black, a face of teeth with one enormous veiny eye, single pure white talons on each leg... Really. That thing was scary like something out of the deep dark depths of Stephen King!

"*ha* I would just like to thank Risk for verbally summoning a Rakshaw with his retort from earlier."

"You're blaming me!?"

"In a completely benign and unserious way. Yes. I mean really, was it necessary to tempt fate with that Rakshaw den comment?"

He lets out a forced laugh.

"*sigh* I guess it was rather coincidental wasn't it. Fine. From now on I won't mention big terrifying monsters unless their right in front of us."

"Good, glad we're on the same page. Anyway, sod this for a laugh, let's head home. I don't know about you lot, but I've had enough crazy for one day."

I release Sybil to her feet after shamefully forgetting that I'm still carrying her. Strangely though, she hadn't objected or said anything while I was holding her. Guess that's just her nature...

The journey back out of the Catacombs is uneventful. It's a shame to end the run on a low note like 'run for your life!' but at least everyone is alive and has all their limbs intact! Besides, no matter how the day ended, it can't be said that we didn't come off victorious with that haul of magic stones and jumping a whopping 29 levels. A wins a win after all, and I should remember that.. Still, I'll have to come up with some way of killing that thing or our next run in the Catacombs may end the same way!

We exit the Catacombs, and bright sunlight hits our faces. Judging from the suns position.. it's about 7 am.

...?

Ah! Did we spend the entire night in there? I knew collecting the stones took forever but being in the dark sure does mess with your concept of time. I only sleep every two days so it's no wonder I don't feel tired, but everyone else must be wrecked.

"I'll get the carriage."

In a rare vocal appearance, Sybil speaks and volunteers to get the carriage. I think she likes the horses. I nod in affirmation and take the same boulder for a perch as last time. Everyone follows suit and sits or lays down, some more exaggeratedly than others.

"Awah- I need a drink!"

Says Bella in typical, sprawled out fashion.

"I'll head over to the tavern when we get back and pick up some ale. I know we've all but run out."

"The good stuff right?"

"Yeah, the good stuff. You'll have to settle for the best the tavern has for now, but I haven't forgotten my promise."

"love you, boss."

"That's your alcoholism talking."

"Yesh but love it, so it's a triangle."

She makes a triangle with her hands and raises it to her eye.

"Um, sure..?"

She's coming down off her high I guess and barely making sense. Bella really is the embodiment of a Viking Berserker that gets high on bloodletting. It makes her a hell of a warrior but also a little weird at times.. The others seem to find her comments pleasantly distracting, smiling and laughing at her incoherent jabbering but I'm slightly more concerned. The others may not have seen how she harvested the stones, but I sure did...

While we wait on the carriage. I guess I can spend my stat points.

STAT points remaining 292 STR: 060 / 999

AGI: 060 / 999

STA: 050 / 999

VIT: 050 / 999

PER: 040 / 999

INT: 140 / 999

WIS: 170 / 999 STAT points remaining 4 HP: 3266 / 3266 MP: 10,616 / 10,616 ST: 3601 / 4900 (ST Buffed: 2450)

Spellcasting is going to be my primary nature, so it's important that I increase those stats as much as possible. I can't forget that I'm also an all-rounder though so I've pumped some points into my other stats too. Hopefully, this won't affect my LP building ability, but if it does, it's not the end of the world.

[Detailed Scan: Emily]

Name: Emily Serl Class: None Sub-Class: Slave of ??? Race: Human Sub-species: S2G6F8 Ancestor Code: D2A4F5 Level: 2 (53) EXP: 1423 / 3533 (10600) HP: 34 (918) / 34 (918) MP: 12 (318) / 12 (318) ST: 28 (3566) / 142 (3566)

(ST Buffed: 71) Hunger: 18% Thirst: 11% STR: 008/999 Strength. Your physical strength is governed by this. AGI: 012/999 Agility. Your speed and reflexes are governed by this. STA: 007/999 Stamina. Your overall perseverance and tolerances are governed by this. VIT: 015/999 Vitality. Your overall health and resistances are governed by this. PER: 015/999 Perception. Your overall ability to spot and understand is governed by this INT: 006/999 Intelligence. Your spell power and understanding is governed by this. WIS: 004/999 Wisdom. Your mana and brilliance are governed by this. STAT points: 106 Affinity: Wind Known Skills:

- Sinki Language Lv 7 / 10 [>]

- Cooking Lv 1 / 10 [>]

- Arithmetic Lv 4 / 10 [>]

- (Archery Lv 2 / 10 [])

- (Short-bow Proficiency Lv 2 / 10 [])

- (Gathering Lv 1 / 10 [])

- (Awareness Lv 2 / 10 [])

- (Scout Proficiency Lv 1 / 10 []) Skill Points: 29 Magic:

- None Static Effects:

- [In love], Prone to making rash choices when thinking about the target of affection

- [Vampyric Protection], Blessing of the undead. Immune to disease Status:

– Advancement (Racial)

– Class system (Racial)

As I thought. Even though she's now level 53, because Emily's basic stats were so low, to begin with, she'll always be at a disadvantage to the likes of Risk or Bella who have trained all their lives in combat arts. It wouldn't matter if I give her god-like bow skills using her skill points. The difference in ability will show through on her stat count.

I guess for now I can't touch Emily's stat points until she raises them to something much higher via LP. I can probably still mess with her skills, though it would be better to do that back at the house as I don't want to have to carry her... Disappointedly for her

Risk and Bella have gained 40 levels each, putting them at levels 66 and 65 respectively. I already know I can advance Bella's abilities, but with that rift forming between Risk and myself, I don't think I can help him advance until I figure out a way to 'seal up the cracks' so to speak. I'll try chatting with him this evening.

There's one more oddity I don't quite understand, and that's the bracketed stats, but before I have a chance to even finish the thought, Sybil returns with the carriages. She's sat up front with one of the coach drivers. I guess I'll ask AE about this later.

"To the house?"

"Yeah. I think we all could use a bath and some relaxation Bella."

Katharine, Bella and myself ride in one carriage with the others in the second. I thought with all the excitement, Bella and Katharine would be worn out, but instead, the journey back is filled with talk about the Rackshaw--

"You want to go back!?"

Katharine looks at Bella like she has two heads. I can understand her concern.

"You don't? That thing would make one hell of a trophy."

"Aburi?"

I'm the wrong person to ask; I'm afraid Katharine I fear I have more in common with Bella than I'd like to admit openly.

I really kind of want to warp back down there now and try my luck. Without having to worry about you lot, I'd have far more options open to me in a one vs one situation.

"I agree. Besides, we can't leave it down there, can we? I have some ideas on how we might fight it too."

"You too?"

She looks visibly stressed out by this.

"I don't understand.. That thing could have easily killed us.."

"There's nothing to understand. It's a challenge! A test!"

I kinda agree.. ugh, again.

Although truthfully, I'm more interested in thinking about the stone it has. Eye on the prize and all that.

"As much as I agree, that thing is not to be taken lightly Bella. We won't be doing anything but running from it until we have a clear handle on how to defeat it."

Katharine seems overjoyed that I looked to have seen reason. 'Buzzkill' came from Bella's general direction.

We get off the carriages to head inside the house when Katharine decides to continue on home. She probably wants to get out of her goblin stained clothes and get cleaned up as much as I do so I offer to run in and grab her armour and arrow for her, so it's not forgotten about again. I remember seeing it left in the dining room, so I head in there only to find Kate, Millie, Hannah and Gruff all fast asleep sat around the table. It's an endearing sight to understand that they were worried about us but I did tell them we might be gone for longer than this.

"M-master?"

I gesture to Kate to stay quiet.

"Good morning. We're back."

"..Welcome back"

She rushes over and hugs me tightly... ... .. Perverted thoughts be gone!

"I must reek of blood and guts Kate."

"... ..You really do."

And yet your still holding tight huh? We must have worried you all. Sorry.

"It was quiet an eventful night. Could you run me a bath? I just have to take this armour out to Katharine."

She nods at me while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

I head back outside and hand Katharine her things and wave her off. I told her we wouldn't be doing anything today but if she gets bored, to pop round for dinner. The more, the merrier as the saying goes.

Before heading back inside, I let everyone know the girls are sleeping in the dining room and express the need to be quiet as it's clear they didn't sleep much without us. Bella makes a quip about who they were really concerned for, but I let it slide without a reaction, much to her annoyance.

"Welcome back!"

It seems Kate woke them up... Oh well.

"Are you hungry? I'll put breakfast on!"

Millie rushes off like a jet fighter taking flight before anyone has time even to answer.

"Was it scary? Did you kill anything? Wow, you really stink Emily."

Hannah spit-fires questions at her without giving her chance to answer.

"Your bath will be ready shortly Master."

We head into the dining room and sit around the table chatting while Millie readies breakfast. As Risk starts recounting our grand tale to Gruff, the rest of the table goes quiet, attentively listening so as to envision the events as if they were right there with us. Realising he has everyone's attention, Risk theatricalises the events while Bella adds unexpected sound effects causing Hannah and Kate to jump. It was quite amusing to watch, but I leave half-way to get washed up.

One of the primary advantages of being the master of the house? First dibs on the bath. I naturally waste no time disrobing, throwing my clumpy strained clothes into a corner before literally cannonballing into the bath.

*SPA-LOOSH* "Aaaaa-aaA, this was needed!"

...Still no soap or shampoo but I make do with the scented hot water, scrubbing myself with a bit of cloth. Every time I think I'm clean, I find another clump of coagulated dark-green goblin blood behind or in some orifice or another. Disgusting...

Eventually, I feel clean enough to exit the bath, but erm, I feel sorry for the next person as I've simply destroyed this room..

As expected.

"Kate"

"Master"

She cutely curtsies and proceeds to help me into my robe.

"Thank you kindly."

"Master. I'll see to your clothes but before that."

She holds out a hand.. Oh, you're offering your blood. Thank you~

*blink*

HP: 3266 / 3266 MP: 10,616 / 10,616 ST: 3958 / 4900 (ST Buffed: 2450)

Blood State: Normal

I thank her and head upstairs and quickly get dressed. I have a number of plans I want to take care of and the days a-wastin.