I'm back! Wow, already chapter 7! I made this one slightly longer than some of my previous chapters so please don't be mad it took so long to write. . I would like to thank readers for your reviews and questions (there were a lot this last chapter ;) ). As always, I DO NOT own Rising of the Shield Hero but I DO own my OCs and plot shenanigans. There will be swearing and violence (mostly against monsters). Now, back to our recently teleported heroine…
Hazel keeps her eyes closed and tightens her grip on Sher as they are warped somewhere else. Eventually the spinning sensation stops and Hazel feels her feet touch ground. Warily, she opens her eyes then pales.
Knokene and Rysty had teleported them to the edge of a cliff! Immediately Hazel jumps back, lifting Sher at the same time and getting away from that fucking hazard!
"Master? What the heck happened?!" Sher demands, glaring up at her.
Hazel grimaces.
"We got teleported."
Sher blinks at her in surprise.
"Eh?"
Hazel nods grimly, scanning their surroundings.
"We need to see if Rong made it or if she was left behind. Stick close, I don't know where we are and what monsters are in the area."
Sher's fingers tighten on the naginata shaft as she follows Hazel.
Rong's Point of View
Rong stands up unsteadily, bracing herself against a tree trunk. Teleporting had not agreed with her. Once she recovers a little, Rong checks the backpack and sighs in relief. Their supplies and the monster eggs are safely tucked inside, exactly where they are supposed to be.
After re-shouldering the pack Rong activates her [Sense Presence] skill. Immediately she senses lower level monsters and two non-monster presences. Swiftly she makes her way over to them and sees Hazel killing a small mob of lizard-like monsters. Sher is standing behind her, wide-eyed as Hazel pulverizes the mob into pulp.
One sneaks to the side and charges Sher, hissing loudly. Sher turns and tries to move the naginata its direction only to be over balanced and falls down. Rong sighs and throws a knife, skewering its brain. A clean kill. She steps into the open as Hazel finishes the last of the monster mob, catching the Hero's attention.
"Rong! You made it!" Hazel grins in relief.
"Ilmatar-san, Sher." Rong acknowledges.
Hazel sighs and glares down at the monster corpses.
"And right back into monster-fighting hell," Hazel comments, rubbing her forehead.
"Where… are we? Weren't we just at the weapons' shop?" Sher asks, getting to her feet.
Hazel and Rong look at each other, then Sher.
"… Might as well ask the culprits." Hazel states, glaring down at Rysty and Knokene.
"Why did you teleport me- us?! How did you even teleport Sher and Rong to begin with?! And where are we?!"
[Gauntlet Hero is not allowed to interact with the Cardinal Heroes.] The message flashes.
Hazel's frown grows darker.
"Why. Not?" She grits out.
[… Gauntlet Hero is the mediator- they must remain unbiased.]
"You're tiptoeing around the question! What's the real reason?!"
[Hero does not need to know at this time.]
"The hell I don't!"
[Hero and party are located in Siltvelt.]
Rong blinks at the change in topic.
Are they trying to distract her?
"Lovely, great, we're in another country. So why are we in Siltvelt?!"
[Hero should not interact with the other Heroes!]
"Again- WHY?!" Hazel roars, fed up.
[…]
"… If you tell me I might be more understanding…" Hazel coaxes them.
[… Previous Gauntlet Hero gave an order: prevent the next Gauntlet Heroes from suffering her fate.]
Rong's eyebrows climb behind her mask.
"What was her 'fate' and what does it have to do with the other Heroes?" Hazel questions them, aiming for more information.
[That is confidential.]
Hazel glares at them.
[We will teleport Gauntlet Hero and your party if there is an encounter with the Cardinal Heroes outside stipulated circumstances.]
"… so I can't see them if we're not fighting in a Wave or fighting each other? What is the logic behind that?! Aren't we supposed to work together to defeat the Waves?"
[Heroes must cooperate to defeat the Waves or they will fail.]
"Oh really? You think throwing five strangers together and expecting them to work as a team is feasible if they don't communicate outside of the Waves? Great, just great."
Hazel sasses them, sarcasm dripping with every word.
"Wha… What's a me-de-ate-or?" Sher sounds out the unfamiliar word with a frown.
Hazel rubs her forehead with a sigh.
"Someone that helps settle an argument, usually without violence, between other people. They tend to be more necessary in meetings between parties with histories of bad blood."
[The Gauntlet Hero will mediate disputes between the other Heroes as needed.]
"Ugh… Fan-fucking-tastic, so I'm the designated babysitter." Hazel groans.
She glares moodily into the woods for a moment before slapping herself. Rong twitches and Sher jumps in surprise.
"Nope. Gotta focus on the problems at hand," Hazel says softly before looking at Rong and Sher apologetically.
Have a freak out later, Hazel! She tells herself.
"I know this wasn't exactly what you signed up for, Rong, but we could really use your skills and knowledge."
Rong inclines her head slightly.
"I will endeavor to assist."
Hazel nods in thanks and looks at Sher.
"Sher, we're gonna be around a shit ton of monsters and we're gonna be training your ass off so you can stay alive. Got any questions?"
Sher shakes her head, wide-eyed.
Hazel nods and grins; both unintentionally flinch at the unholy glee in her eyes.
"Alright-y, time to train~!"
Several days later…
Sher swings her naginata and cuts a mushroom monster in half vertically before spinning and sweeping the spear sideways to cut the two behind her horizontally. With a sigh, Sher rests, taking a drink of water. Once that is done she whistles piercingly. Rong appears and nods at Sher's kills.
"Well done. Ilmatar-san has already made camp to the east of your current position, so please bring the mushroom monsters' remains with you."
Sher grimaces.
"I hate eating mushrooms!" She whines.
Rong gives her a stern look.
"No complaining." She tells Sher shortly before disappearing into the trees.
With a sigh, Sher bundles up the monsters and lugs it all back to camp. Her muscles ache in places she didn't think they could ache. With a groan, her mind flashes back to the first day of training with Hazel…
"Alright-y, time to train~! Sher, let's go!"
"Eh?"
Hazel laughs and beckons to her.
"Come on, we need some space for this!"
Sher frowns but follows, not wanting to be zapped by the slave crest. Hazel leads her to a small clearing, barely ten paces across, barely enough room for both of them. She turns and smiles at Sher.
"Okay, the first thing we're gonna work on is your grip on the naginata and the fourteen basic strikes."
"My grip?"
Hazel nods, her face serious.
"If you hold it incorrectly, you could die. It's that simple. So we're gonna work on your hand positions and grip before working on the strikes and blocks."
Sher nods slowly, eyeing Hazel's hands.
"How are you going to show me, Master?"
Hazel winces.
"Don't call me that! Call me Hazel dang nabbit!"
Then with a flourish, the gauntlets change- into chains? Sher cocks her head, confused. Shackles with purple gems encircle Hazel's wrists, the chains wrapping seemingly endlessly around her forearms.
"How are chains supposed to help?"
Hazel makes a face.
"Well, since Knokene and Rysty won't allow me to even hold a stick without shocking me, I went with the next best thing."
A chain unwinds from her left arm as she talks, until it is nearly three feet long. Hazel absently flicks her wrist and it whips around to land with a 'smack!' in her right hand.
"While admittedly not the same, I can still demo grips, how to move your arms for the fourteen basic strikes and blocks."
Sher chews on her lower lip, eyes flickering between Hazel and the naginata.
"Wha… what if-" Sher stammers, stomach churning.
"What if I'm no good? What if I'm just a waste of space?"
Sher's voice is small and she hates it. Hates how she sounds weak and insecure when she needs to be confident and strong!
'Why can't I be confident!?'
Hazel's expression softens.
"No one starts as a master. Even we Heroes had to start at Level 1. Mastery comes with practice, practice, real life application and yet more practice. If you want to learn, even if you are absolutely hopeless, I will work with you until you are satisfied. And if the naginata does not suit you, it's not the end of the world! There are so many different weapons to try and learn!"
Sher stares at Hazel, looking for any sign she was lying, any at all.
"… You promise?"
Hazel smiles at her and makes an X over her heart.
"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." She vows solemnly.
"… Okay."
"Ready? Hold the naginata shoulder-width apart, left hand palm down and right hand palm up." Hazel instructs, demonstrating with her chain substitute.
Sher sighs and lugs her burden on; at level 9, she isn't as weak as she used to be. Catching the scent of smoke, Sher quickens her step until she reaches a huge hollowed out tree. Hazel set up a small fire and stowed their belongings inside the tree.
Hazel waves at her and continues to chop up an Upasil: Hazel had developed a taste for the rabbit monsters over the last few weeks.
"How was hunting?" Hazel asks, sliding all the meat into a cooking pot.
"Good. I leveled up again, Mas-" Hazel glares at her.
"… Hazel." Hazel nods, her glare fading.
"Awesome! We can work on a kata this afternoon and then go hunting again so we have enough surplus for when the eggs hatch."
Sher nods as she hands over the mushrooms with a wince. Hazel notices and smirks.
"Still don't like the taste of them?"
Sher makes a 'bleh' face, inching away from the mushrooms. Hazel rolls her eyes at Sher's antics.
"They'll help you grow,"
"Don't want them!"
"Yeesh, you sound like my younger brother…"
She yawns and covers the pot to let it simmer as she chops the mushrooms. Sher sits across from Hazel and glowers at the offensive food.
"… When are the eggs hatching again?"
Hazel blinks and looks up, pausing her chopping.
"The timer says in about 3 days: that's why we're hunting so hard right now. Gotta stock up with two new hungry mouths to feed~!"
Sher tilts her head at Hazel's cheerful mood.
"You do know Filolials and Dragons don't get along, Mas- Hazel." Sher corrects herself.
Hazel smiles at her.
"And?"
Sher stares at her.
"They'll try to kill each other."
Hazel dumps the mushrooms into the pot and stirs it.
"I've heard. But here's the thing- we're getting them as babies, right? In my world we could train animals that don't get along from infancy to tolerate, if not like, each other. So why not try?"
"… You're weird."
"I know; you are talking to an otaku~!" Hazel says with a grin.
"Shaddap! What even is that?!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Stop laughing!"
"Nope~!"
"..!"
Three days later.
Hazel stares at her status screen and frowns.
"How the heck does this leveling system even work?! Wait, right, this is a party system so everyone shares the experience points, but even so I didn't think we would be killing enough monsters to explain my level going from level 14 to level 24 in under two weeks! That's almost a level per day! Augh! This makes zero sense! And how does that freaking title system work?"
She directs the question to Knokene and Rysty.
[Hero must meet Level requirement for next Title Selection.]
"… So what is the level requirement?"
[Level 25.]
Hazel groans.
"Okay, so not impossible, but still, there's level requirements? Wait, then why did I get to select a Title at level 8?"
[Hero unlocked Title System at Level 8.]
"Oh, right."
Hazel glances over a Sher and Rong: Sher had zonked out immediately but Rong had taken more convincing.
Who would think a ninja would be so hard to convince to rest?!
Hazel sighs and turns her attention back to status screen.
3 minutes to hatch, huh? Do I have the mush?
She glances down and confirms the giant bowl of mushed plants and ground up monster meat. Hazel smiles and cradles the eggs closer to her.
"I can't wait to meet you both," She whispers.
"Hmm, what should I name you two? Let's see, if you're both girls then let's do Meili and Jia. If you're boys, then Xiang and Kai! And if we get one of each, then Meili and Kai!"
Crack!
Hazel blinks and looks down, then her eyes widen.
"It's starting, it's starting! Rong, Sher, they're hatching holy moly crap, the eggs have started to hatch! C'mon, wake up!"
Hazel yells excitedly.
Rong snaps awake in an instant while Sher tries to fall back asleep only to get shocked by her slave crest.
"Ilmatar-san?"
"Ow?! What was that for?!"
"It's time, it's time! Look, look, look! It's happening! They're hatching!" Hazel chatters as the two eggs start to crack.
Rong spots the mash and pushes it closer while taking a handful in one hand.
"Sher!" Rong snaps.
Sher blinks and scowls but moves to take a handful herself, kneeling next to Hazel on the other side.
Cri-crack!
Pop!
CRACK!
With one final heave, both eggs explode and two adorable baby monsters fall out. One is a honey colored bird with blue eyes and the other is a purple (or is it black?) dragon with golden eyes. Both are mewing piteously as they writhe in Hazel's hands.
"Oh, look at you! You're so adorable, yes you are! Here, have some mash, yes it's good for you now let's eat it up alright?" Hazel coos, nestling each hatchling in a crook of her arm.
Rong and Sher are hard pressed to keep up with their ravenous appetites, but they eventually settled down: only to notice each other for the first time.
"Grr!"
"Gwah!"
They squawk and snarl, trying to break free from Hazel's grip to attack each other. Hazel simply readjusts her grip so her hands are on their chests, trapping them in the wedge of her elbows. They beat at her with their wings, furious to be denied. She looks down at them and sighs.
"Hush, you two."
They blink at look up at her quizzically.
"Grr?"
"Gwah?"
Hazel nods when she sees she has their attention.
"We'll be working together to survive: no hurting each other."
Rong and Sher stare at her in a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
"Ilmatar-san, they are babies. They are too young to understand." Rong points out.
Hazel shrugs, keeping a close eye on her new charges.
"I want them to listen to my tone of voice- if they understand me, great, but tone is what animals listen to. I'm gonna set them down- if they try to attack each other, bop them on the noses."
Sher blinks at her.
"Bop them?"
Hazel nods.
"On the nose- it's startling for anyone to suddenly get their nose tapped." She demonstrates on herself.
"It has to be hard enough to catch their attention but not hurt them."
Sher and Rong nods hesitantly. Hazel grins at them.
"Let monster training begin!" She carefully places the Filolial and Dragon on the ground, supporting them until they stand on their own.
Both wobble but manage to stay upright, fluffing themselves up or shaking. Almost as soon as they gain their footing, they dive at each other with squawks! Hazel curls both index fingers back and flicks the two monsters on their noses.
"Eep?!"
"Grao?!"
The babies look at her in absolute shock and disbelief. Hazel calmly meets their eyes.
"No fighting."
Her voice is gentle but firm- her resolve is very clear. The two glance at each other then her. Hazel patiently waits to see what they do next. An intense stare down ensues until they suddenly attack each other. This time, Sher bops the Dragon while Hazel handles the Filolial.
"Gwah?!"
"Gaow?!"
"No fighting." Hazel and Sher remind them.
The two baby monsters sulk, glaring at them reproachfully. Hazel can't help but smile at them.
They're so damn adorable!
Hazel leans back against the tree, feeling her sleep deprivation catching up to her as she yawns.
"Dang, I guess it's my turn to sleep." She mutters.
Rong pins Hazel with a glare.
"I warned you to not overwork yourself." She says in a chilly voice.
Hazel winces.
"Okay, okay, I get it, I'm going to sleep now, stop giving me the ice glare! But first, clean up~!"
Hazel grabs the egg shards, feathers and dragon scales that fell off the baby monsters and feeds all of it to her gauntlets.
[Monster Egg Gauntlets I: Unlocked! Monster Growth Adjustment (Small).]
[Monster Egg Gauntlets II: Unlocked! Monster Growth Adjustment (Medium).]
[Filolial Gauntlet Series: Locked. Filolial Stat Growth (Small). +5 Agility.]
[Dragon Gauntlet Series: Locked. Dragon Stat Growth (Small). +10 Defense.]
"… Okay, don't worry about it, just go to sleep and figure it out tomorrow- yeah that sounds like a great idea." Hazel mumbles, dragging her blanket up and closing her eyes.
The Dragon and Filolial exchange glances and burrow under the blanket to cuddle up next to Hazel.
"Gwah!"
"Grr!"
Hazel absently pats them as she drifts off.
The next day…
"I believe the Dragon is female and the Filolial is male." Rongs stats after examining the two hatchlings.
They are still wailing at the uncomfortable positions Rong had subjected them to. Hazel and Sher give them pats on the head.
"Shh, you're both fine." Sher tells them.
Two sets of tiny eyes glare at her, not believing her. Hazel covers a laugh.
"Well, we better name you two now!"
Both hatchlings turn and blink at her inquisitively.
"Gwah?"
"Groa?"
Hazel points at the Dragon.
"Your name is Meili! And you," Her finger switches to the Filolial.
"Are Kai!"
Kai and Meili cock their heads, confused. Hazel reaches out and rubs Meili's head.
"Meili." Then she rubs Kai's head.
"Kai."
They coo with happiness at the pets. Rong sighs and stands, dusting her hands off.
"Ilmatar-san, we should travel and build a new camp, as well as hunt monsters. This area has very few monsters left in the vicinity."
Hazel groans but nods.
"Alright, Sher, can you keep an eye on Meili and Kai while we pack? We'll be heading out shortly."
Sher nods, taking charge of the two monsters as Rong and Hazel get everything ready. Soon enough they start hiking through the woods again, occasionally killing random monsters that get in their way. Hazel absorbs the bodies to reduce waste.
[Freshwater Lizaldar Gauntlets: (15/15), +2 MP, Water Resistance (Low), Skill: Water-walking (Locked).]
[Porcupine Gauntlets: (3/10), Skill: Needle Fists (Locked). +4 Stamina.]
[Baltaboar Gauntlets: (1/10), Skill: Trampling Charge (Locked). +7 Strength, +5 Defense.]
Hazel sighs as she looks at her current skill trees.
Nice to know that damn boar thing gave something back- it almost killed Sher!
Hazel fumes at the memory of the boar monster thing seeing Sher and deciding that it's a dandy idea to rip her apart. Fortunately, Sher dodged its initial rush and stabbed it in the leg to cripple it as it tried to turn around. Then Hazel got over there and broke its head open after smashing her fists into the back of its skull repeatedly.
It was gross.
[Hero has reached Level Requirement: Choose a Title?]
Hazel picks the 'yes' option as she walks slightly behind Rong (apparently she smells strongly of gore). The screen flashes and changes, revealing her Title options.
[Title options currently available:]
[Master of Beasts- +20 for commanding and controlling monsters under your command. Gains (Locked) skill Beast Whisperer.]
[Ranger- +15 for Agility and Stealth, gains (Locked) skill Unseen Hunter.]
[Monster Slayer- +15 for Collecting and gains 10% damage bonus against low level Monsters.]
"Hold up, Knonene and Rysty, where did Renegade Hero go?" Hazel whispers harshly to them.
[Hero no longer fits requirements for 'Renegade Hero'.]
"So… what, it's gone forever?"
[Hero was recognized by the Queen of Melromarc as a valid Hero.]
Hazel blinks.
"Wait, it's because we talked and she believed me?"
[Affirmative.]
"… Huh. Can I pick one later? I need to think about this."
[Understood.]
The forest becomes less dense as they had walked, the trees thinning out so they can actually see further ahead. Sunlight filters through the trees and illuminates the forest floor. Hazel sighs at the sight (nature always relaxed her) and flinches when she feels something sticky brush against her face.
"Wah?! Get off, get off, get off!" Hazel flails, trying to get the awful thing off.
Rong reaches over and pulls off a spider web.
"Ilmatar-san, please calm down. It is only a spider's web." Hazel blushes.
"Oh… figures this world has them too." She mutters, embarrassed.
Sher muffles a giggle and Rong nods in response to her question.
"We do, but the small ones are not a problem: their monstrous counterparts are more dangerous."
Hazel groans.
"Go figure, of course there's monster spiders; why not?"
Sher snickers.
"Do you not like spiders, Hazel?"
Hazel winces.
"Is it that obvious?" She asks sheepishly.
Rong and Sher nod. Hazel winces again.
They continue to walk along, the light fading as the sun starts to set. Rong pauses, considering the terrain then glances at Hazel.
"We should camp soon."
Hazel glances at the sky and nods in agreement.
"Let's see if we can find something sheltered; not having anything guarding our backs makes me twitchy."
Rong nods and races off to find an appropriate campsite. Hazel and Sher pause, staying put until the Shadow returns. Meili and Kai wake up from their perches on Sher's head and Hazel's shoulder and start demanding food.
"They're such gluttons!" Sher complains as Kai gobble up the last of the mash.
Hazel smiles wryly.
"Hopefully their appetites slow down after they've grown a bit."
Sher makes a grunt of agreement. Leaves rustle nearby and Hazel looks up with a grin.
"Hey Rong-!" Hazel freezes mid-greeting, paling.
It's not the stoic Shadow staring at her. Not with eight beady eyes.
"Shhsik!"
Sher snaps around and her eyes widen.
"That's-!"
"Not Rong." Hazel finishes with a faraway look on her face.
Sher stares at her in confusion.
"Hazel?"
"Ah man, when I heard that we could be fighting monster spiders I was hoping they would be the size of a Chihauhau. Guess the gods hate me, because of course it's the size of a truck and it really is rather hungry looking, isn't it? I wonder if it was lured here by the smell of the mush… Ah ha ha ha ha…"
"Hazel! Please snap out of it!" Sher starts to panic at Hazel's strange behavior.
"Hmm? Sher-chan, what's the matter?" Hazel asks her in a dazed manner, not really paying attention.
"The spider monster is attacking! We need to run!"
"It is? Oh, look, it has very big mandibles…"
"…!" Sher grits her teeth and grabs her Master's hand and forcibly drags her out of the way.
"Hazel! Please wake up!" Sher hisses, panicked.
The spider rears and shoots out webbing, hitting Sher in the leg.
"Gah!"
She falls and the spider immediately starts dragging her towards it. Sher slashes at the webbing, almost taking her own foot off but frees herself. She staggers to her feet and has to jump back as the monster pounces. Kai shrieks at the enemy, furious. Meili adds her own growls as the spider advances.
Hazel winces from the sudden noise and the dull look fades from her eyes. Then her eyes widen. Hazel shifts her gauntlets to her Hellhound Claws.
"Sher, move to the side! Let it focus on me while you cripple its legs!" She barks, charging it.
Sher complies, moving to the left as Hazel ducks the spider's maw and uppercuts it, sending it reeling. It retaliates by shooting webbing, but Hazel sidesteps and slashes at its belly. She misses but the spider has to scramble to avoid her. Then Sher strikes.
With a powerful sideways slash, she cuts two of the left legs off, unbalancing it. It lets out a horrible scream and both adventurers flinch. It turns and charges Sher, who falls and tumbles to the side as it stabs where she had been. Hazel grits her teeth, runs and jumps onto its back. Sinking her claws in for grip, Hazel starts stabbing her hand into its back.
Screaming, the monster tries to buck her off, staggering under the additional weight. Meili clings to Hazel's shoulder, wide-eyed as Hazel attacks the spider monster. Sher drags herself to her feet and attacks again, going for a front leg. In her haste, the dull side of the naginata blade hits first, only denting the chiton. With a hiss, the spider slaps Sher away. Kai screams as Sher falls, tumbling off of her. The spider monster focuses on the small Filolial and scurries after him, eager for an easy meal.
Hazel runs to the head of the spider, channels Ki into her arms and uses a double elbow strike on its head. She grimaces at the squishy feeling as two eyes pop under the force, sufficiently distracting it from Kai. The spider rears, unseating Hazel and she tumbles off. Rolling, Hazel gets on her feet and moves, avoiding the spider stabbing her. She doesn't manage to dodge the follow up strike and Hazel slams into a tree with bone-breaking force.
Despite two missing legs, the shitty spider monster is moving way too easily. Hazel narrows her eyes as she gets to her feet and changes her gauntlets to the Chain versions. She whips Knokene's chain at the spider's face, going for another eye. It reacts predictably, flinching away. Hazel grins.
Rysty's chain wraps around the monsters weaker left legs and she pulls hard to the right, forcing them to collapse. Hazel slams Knokene's chain on its head, stunning it.
"Sher! Get up!" Hazel yells, using Rysty to bind the legs together.
Sher staggers to her feet, the crackling from the slave crest fading as she complies. Hazel doesn't have to tell her what to do. She tightens her grip on her naginata and moves to behind the spider's head, then brings it down like an ax. It takes her multiple hits, but she decapitates it in the end.
[Sher gains +650xp. Sher Level up! Level 13!]
[Kai gains +650xp. Kai Level up! Level 4!]
[Meili gains +650xp. Meili Level up! Level 4!]
[Rong gains +650xp. Rong Level up! Level 89!]
[Hero gains +650xp. Hero Level up! Level 26!]
Hazel unbinds the spider corpse and leans on her knees, huffing a little.
"You… okay… Sher?"
Sher groans.
"No…"
"Okay, take it easy. I'm gonna dismantle the corpse." She tells her.
Hazel shudders as she pulls the remaining legs off and then starts cutting the abdomen free with her claws.
Ick, ick, ick-!
"Hazel?"
She pauses, grateful for the distraction.
"Yes, Sher?"
"Were… you scared?"
"Scared?"
"Of the spider?"
Hazel can't hide her involuntary reaction of twitching.
"… Was it that obvious?" She says finally, sighing.
Sher nods. Meili and Kai mimic her, bobbing their heads.
"… Yes, I was scared. I have what my world calls an 'irrational fear' or a 'phobia' of spiders." Hazel explains.
Sher tilts her head in thought.
"So that's why you acted weird?"
Hazel nods.
"I don't cope well where spiders are concerned."
Sher smiles slightly at the understatement. They fall into companionable silence as Sher rests and Hazel butchers and absorbs the spider remains.
[Golden Spider Meat Gauntlets: +4 Cooking.]
[Golden Spider Carapace Gauntlets: +11 Defense, Skill- Hardened Shell (Locked).]
[Golden Spider Leg Gauntlets: +10 Agility, +5 Attack, Bonus Skill- Silent Step.]
[Golden Spider Fang Gauntlets: +15 Attack, Poison Resistance (Medium).]
[Golden Spider Web Gauntlets: +2 Agility, +4 Attack, Skill- Web Spinner (Locked).]
[Golden Spider Eye Gauntlets: +2 Defense, Skill- Keen Awareness (Locked).]
Hazel stares at her skill menu in a mixture of horror and fascinated respect.
"I… don't even know what to say about this."
[Hero gains +700 xp!]
[Rong gains +700 xp!]
[Sher gains +700 xp! Sher Levels up! Level 14!]
[Kai gains +700 xp! Kai Levels up! Level 5! Kai Levels up! Level 6!]
[Meili gains +700 xp! Meili Levels up! Level 5! Meili Levels up! Level 6!]
Hazel jumps back as the notifications start pouring in. She glances at Sher and shares a confused expression with the young Demi-human.
"Okay, we're not fighting anything, so that much mean-"
"Rong is?" Sher finishes Hazel's logic.
[Hero gains +730 xp! Hero Levels up! Level 27!]
[Rong gains +730 xp! Rong Levels up! Level 90!]
[Sher gains +730 xp! Sher Levels up! Level 15!]
[Kai gains +730 xp! Kai Levels up! Level 7! Kai Levels up! Level 8!]
[Meili gains +730 xp! Meili Levels up! Level 7! Meili Levels up! Level 8!]
They flinch at the next flurry of messages.
"What the heck is Rong even fighting?!" Hazel wonders in amazement.
Distracted, Sher and Hazel fail to notice a new threat above them. The Golden Spider stalks them from above, pleased that the adventurers are too green to check their surroundings. It weaves a quick web between two trees and starts to drop on them. Kai happens to glance up and screams an alarm, but Hazel and Sher don't understand what it means.
Meili looks up and hisses, baring her fangs at the Golden Spider. Barely ten feet above their heads, Hazel glances up and her eyes widen.
"SHIT!"
She knocks Sher out of the way as the monster lands on top of her. Swearing, Hazel catches its mandibles in her hands to keep it from eating her face.
I know Mom recommended exposure therapy to treat my arachnophobia, but this is ridiculous! She has time to think.
Meili, who had fallen off of Hazel, runs forward and opens her mouth. She unleashes a small fireball at the Golden Spider's face. It immediately rears back and swipes at the dragon. Meili squawks as she scrambles to dodge. Sher cuts one of the rear legs off to distract it only to but hit with webbing the spider sprays in retaliation.
Hazel swears again and slams both of her feet into its stomach, trying to knock it off balance. She fails and the spider stabs her in the left leg. She muffles a scream, switches to her Hellhound Fang gauntlets and tears the leg clean off. The spider scurries back, hissing. Hazel staggers to her feet, her wounded leg bleeding sluggishly.
She knows with absolute certainty if she fails to dodge it will be game over. The monster charges and Hazel grimly charges Ki into her legs and arms.
It was less than twelve feet from Hazel when Rong suddenly drops on it and cuts its head clean off. Rong flicks her daggers to clean them of gore and jumps down, assessing the rest of the party.
[Sher gains +680xp. Sher Level up! Level 16!]
[Kai gains +680xp. Kai Level up! Level 9! Kai Level up! Level 10!]
[Meili gains +680xp. Meili Level up! Level 9! Meili Level up! Level 10!]
[Rong gains +680xp.]
[Hero gains +680xp. Hero Level up! Level 28!]
Wasting no time, she gives Hazel a healing potion to drink and frees Sher from the webbing. Rong gives Sher a healing and stamina potion to recover and checks on Kai and Meili. Once she has made certain that everyone is more or less alright, Rong looks them over with a grim expression.
"We need to leave. There is a Golden Spider nest near here and they are vindictive killers. While I do not recommend traveling after dark, we have little choice. The edge of the forest is not far, so we will at least be out of their hunting area."
She tells them, watching as Hazel grimly absorbs the carcass before shouldering her pack. Sher nods, her face still a little pale as she gets to her feet.
The group stays close together as Rong navigates them around the webs and traps the Golden Spiders had set up. Absently, Hazel notices that she can see perfectly fine, even though it's nighttime. Soon enough, they break out into the open and see the starry skies and open plains. Rong gestures for them to continue on until they find one of the traveler's camps.
These nifty camps are defensible areas chosen by frequent travelers, offering basic shelter from the elements and protection from local monsters. Everyone is exhausted by the time they reach it, barely taking the time to pull out bedrolls and start a fire before collapsing. Rong forces herself to stay awake, keeping watch over her vulnerable comrades.
And she thinks over what needs to change in their party.
Hi everyone! So I have two polls for people this chapter! The first is Hazel's next Title: send me your thoughts and opinions about which one she should choose! Options are Master of Beasts, Ranger or Monster Slayer. My second poll is for the Boss monster candidate for the Siltvelt Wave; I hope that wasn't a spoiler, but yes, they are going to be caught in the Wave.
So, here are the three options I have thought up; Manticore, Hydra or Ice Drake. Give me your thoughts and opinions! Until next time!