At least by Ohio standards, the exhibit was relatively normal. Glass displays, circular in shape, protruded from the walls, forming domes inside of which were recreations of what the world had looked like thousands of years ago. The dome to his left displayed an uncanny recreation of a mammoth and a sabertooth tiger - something about the way their fur hung stiffly looked unnatural. And to his right, behind a thick pane of glass, a group of monkeys - possibly early humans - hung from a tree in the African savanna.
However, as they delved deeper into the exhibit, they found something strange. Inside a display that had its glass barrier missing, a grove of trees with thick leafy branches had twisted against each other, forming a fae passageway. Hanging from the branches, mostly tucked behind bundles of leaves, circular fruits made of crystal glowed softly, illuminating the way forward in a shade of blue.
From his vantage point, Clover could not see what was at the other end of the leafy passage, though, likely created by a System, a smooth stone walkway that curved to the right at its end followed the path of trees, inviting him to follow it.
Not being a total idiot, Clover didn't immediately wander into the strange new area. Instead, he wheeled closer and craned his neck around, trying to get a better look at what was at the end of the branch-made tunnel.
"I'm not an architect, but shouldn't that be impossible," Ron said as he alternated between glancing between his treasure map and the magically altered exhibit. "The trees tunnel past where the wall is supposed to be."
Strands of sunlight didn't trickle from its far end even though, at least from the looks of it, the passage tunneled outside the museum. Clover shrugged; it was only a minor physical impossibility - nothing too impressive by System standards. Though, he was curious how the System had managed the feat. Maybe it had bent space, or maybe it had created a pocket dimension.
"I mean, it's weird - definitely physically impossible," Claire said as she carefully poked at a tree with her sword. "But it's not that much weirder than some of the other things we have seen today."
"The giant spider we saw downtown should have been too heavy for its legs to support it," Clover chimed in scientifically.
“Don’t remind me of that thing,” Ron said with an exaggerated shiver, only half joking.
Clover wheeled closer to the entrance of the tunnel, crossing an unseen barrier; a blue screen appeared.
Congratulations! You have discovered a Monster Nest. An item of great power has taken root here, mutating the local wildlife and environment. If unchecked, the Monster Nest will evolve into a ?. To prevent that disastrous future, delve into its depths and destroy its core. If completed before the first phase of System integration, bonus rewards will be available.
Clover’s breath caught in his throat. Was this where the emerald had gone? He pushed down his rising anticipation, knowing that it would be for the best if he didn’t allow himself to get too excited. For all he knew, an item other than the Emerald of Life could have been at the heart of the Monster Nest. He didn’t want to have his hopes crushed again.
Still, knowing that, he couldn't shake the thought from his head. If the jewel even remotely lived up to its rumored ability to raise the dead, then maybe it could cure him…
Clover shook his head.
"It'd be a shame to come all the way out here and not at least check it out. The map says…" Ron flipped the piece of yellowed paper, squinting his eyes at it. "The core or treasure, or whatever it's called, shouldn't be too far away," Ron said, visibly excited by the possibility of a treasure hunt.
Clover glanced down at his wheelchair. The journey to the museum had significantly depleted its charge; if he wanted to return to the Safe Zone without running dangerously low on battery, he'd have to leave soon. All the way out here, if his wheelchair broke down, it would be a death sentence.
He stopped his shoulders from tensing, forcing them to relax.
He wasn't helpless anymore. Worst case scenario, he could ride his dinosaur Golem back to the Safe Zone. He paused, considering the possibility. After a moment of thought, he amended his statement. With how bony and uneven the Golem was, he doubted it would be possible to ride it. However, in that case, he could command the Golem to push his wheelchair. Though, that would be slow and cumbersome.
“Sure, let’s check it out.” Clover paused. “What do you think, Claire? Should we do it?”
“It said there was a bonus for clearing it before the first week, so we probably should,” Claire said. She didn’t sound particularly confident about her statement, but she didn’t show any signs of backing down. “Or at least, we should scope it out today, so we know what we’re dealing with. No one else knows it's here; we don’t have to rush.”
"Fair enough. I like that idea. Let's poke our heads in and see what we're dealing with and then come up with a more in-depth plan," Clover said with a smile. He enjoyed making plans an inordinate amount.
"Sounds good," Ron said. He folded the map into his pocket and then turned to enter the Monster Nest.
“Wait,” Clover said. “Let me send in a Golem first.”
Ron nodded, relieved to not have to be the first one in.
Following through on his plans, on the other hand, he enjoyed doing less. The Monster Nest represented a valuable opportunity, but it was also certain to be dangerous - more so than what they had faced so far in the museum.
Clover plucked Mr. Cat from the ground and placed it on the triceratops's back, taking a second to think about how he should approach the problem ahead of him.
Satisfied with the basic plan he had come up with, he grinned down at the goofy-looking configuration. It wasn't just for show - Mr. Cat was too small to easily strike at the Two-tailed Squirrels' vital points, so he figured if the Golem started from an elevated position, it would have an easier time pouncing on the monsters.
Focusing his intent, he commanded Mr. Cat to hang on, then he ordered the larger Golem to slowly walk into the Monster Den. As it stepped onto the stone path and lumbered deeper into the tunnel of twisted trees, Clover expected it to be attacked - for some sort of ambush to be sprung. However, when he marched the Golems up and down the pathway, sending them to the edge of his range - the attack never came.
“I don’t know how to say this in a way that won’t jinx it, but I think it's safe,” Clover said.
“There’s no point in worrying about jinxing it. No matter what we do, we’ll be attacked eventually,” Claire said as she stepped into the wooded tunnel.
Clover gave Claire a pointed look, then followed close behind, careful to keep his golems in front of them, ready to intercept any monsters that came their way. It may have been true, but there was no point in inviting disaster.
“What! It’s true,” she said defensively.
The stone path sloped downward for a hundred feet or so. They reached a curve in the path. Cautiously wheeling around the corner, Clover and the rest of the group entered a large cave.
Jagged boulders of stone stuck out of the walls, and around the outcroppings, a moss-like series of repeating vines that glowed a vibrant green sprawled across the gray stone walls, lighting up the cave system. Branches sparsely lined with blue crystals poked through the ceiling, an inverted version of the trees that had marked the Monster Nest's entrance.
Strangely, the plants and stones within the cave seemed to repeat as if they were clones of each other. Past its basic magical appeal, it was minorly unsettling to look at.
At the end of the cave, two tunnels curved off in separate directions, presumably continuing the cave system.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
"Okay, I take back what I said earlier. This has to be the weirdest thing we've seen," Claire said, glancing up at the ceiling that hung far above them. It didn't make any sense. They weren't deep enough underground for it to be so tall, yet it was.
"Top three, at least," Clover said over his shoulder as he wheeled toward the closest wall. The ground was relatively smooth, but still, moving in the subterranean terrain caused his wheelchair to bounce around as he ran over bumps. It wasn't likely to happen, but if he wasn't careful, there was a real chance of getting stuck.
He tried to not feel too out of place. Inside, he felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb - like he didn't belong here. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts down.
Ron squinted at the treasure map. “What tunnel should we go down?” Ron asked.
"You can pick; they look the exact same to me," Clover said while examining the gloving vines of moss that lined the wall. He went to poke them but pulled his hand back at the last second. Putting some distance between himself and the wall, he commanded Mr. Cat to slice off a small sample. The golem chomped down on the vine, biting it multiple times. Eventually, a chunk broke loose. At his command, it brought it back to him.
“Really?” Claire said, fighting back a laugh at his paranoid actions.
“First, I’m lazy. Second, in movies, when people start picking glowing objects off walls, they typically die.” Clover made an X with his arms. “I don’t want to die,” he said matter-of-a-factly.
Using his undamaged hand, Clover clumsily inspected the plant. Even though it had been pulled from the wall, its glow had not diminished. It clearly had a magical quality to it.
“[Appraisal].”
Congratulations! Appraisal has reached Level 3. +1 Skill Point.
Glowwood Moss
A common alchemical ingredient.
Clover tucked away the Glowwood Moss in his bag. He'd have to bring [Appraisal] to a higher Level to get a more detailed description. Still, he was grateful the description had revealed as much as it had. He had a good feeling about the moss; eventually, he'd find a use for it. Maybe he could incorporate it into a Golem somehow.
“Somethings coming,” Claire said with a flinch as she stared into one of the tunnels. “Get ready.”
Clover called his Golems to attention. He did not know how she knew - maybe it was a Skill she had not revealed, or maybe it was the accumulated effect of 4 Levels worth of Stat Points. Before he had the chance to ask, three Two-tailed Squirrels burst out of the tunnel, charging at them at full speed.
Two-tailed Squirrel - Lvl 2
Two-tailed Squirrel - Lvl 2
Two-tailed Squirrel - Lvl 5
The highest Level monster was moderately larger than the others, and one of its tails was on fire - a smoky red that burnt brightly.
“I’ll get the big one,” Clover shouted, a wave of adrenaline bolstering the noise. With Mr. Cat on its back, Clover commanded the dinosaur Golem to charge forward and intercept the monster.
Claire and Ron shifted into motion, though with how focused he was on controlling his Golems, he could not track their exact movements.
Thankfully, the Level 5 monster was rather stupid - its System-given name tag was a light red - the usual color for an enemy - not the deep color that marked more dangerous and intelligent monsters.
The flaming Two-tailed Squirrel picked up speed and altered its course slightly to meet his Golems head-on.
Clover's forehead wrinkled, waiting for the perfect opportunity to spring his trap. Finally, within striking distance, the monster planted its foot on the ground and pivoted, winding up a strike. At that moment, with it distracted, Mr. Cat stylishly leaped from the other Golem's back.
With its claws extended, it soared through the air, then, once in range, it swiped its claws shallowly, cutting into the monster's eye. However, before Mr. Cat could do further damage, it sailed past the beast and crashed to the ground in a tumble. Clover had missed; instead of landing on the monster's face, it had flown right past it. Damn it. He had gone too early.
Splitting his attention, Clover commanded Mr. Cat to rejoin the battle.
As the mutated squirrel slammed a claw into the dinosaur Golem, blasting off a chunk of material, the animated dinosaur skeleton continued forward, smashing its blunted horn into the monster in the next moment. The horn stabbed into the beast, but before it could do so deeply, the Two-tailed Squirrel twisted its body and leaped out of the way.
With a crash, the off-balance Golem tumbled to the ground. There, the monster struck it with its flaming tail. For a moment, the smoky red flame dimmed, and then, part of the dinosaur Golem's ribcage caught on fire, burning in a way that should have been impossible for the fake bone material.
Sparks shot off the monster's other tail as it too ignited.
Before it could unleash another attack, Mr. Cat came from behind and clipped its ankle in a spray of blood. The monster screeched and blindly smashed its tails against the ground, trying to crush the tiny Golem in a rain of flames. Following the command to avoid the attacks, Mr. Cat stylishly bounced back and forth, zig-zagging between the monster's legs, mostly succeeding in evading damage.
Contrasting Mr. Cat's dexterous movements, his other Golem stumbled back to its feet. With its ribcage still on fire, it dumbly charged the monster with an awkward gait. It crashed into the squirrel's side, knocking the monster over like a bowling pin. Though, it recovered quickly, not allowing him the time to capitalize on the opportunity.
As things were, both sides were equally matched. If the battle continued without outside interference, one of his Golems would likely be destroyed. He did not want that to happen.
Commanding both Golems to attack, leaving the details up to them, he focused his attention inward for a fraction of a second and called forth [Unstable Mana Bolt]. Energy surged through his bones and veins, forming a lumpy blue ball in the palm of his hands.
Clover strained, holding back the bolt of magic while he watched the fight unfold, trying to find a clear shot. With how much his Golems and the monster were moving, it wasn't easy.
Slightly singed, Mr. Cat slashed at the monster's legs, cutting red lines into them. A stray claw sliced a chunk of clay from the Golem's side. The dinosaur golem repeatedly rammed its head and horn into the squirrel, trading blows with no care for the damage it was enduring in the process - each time they clashed, the Two-tailed Squirrel would whack the Golem with its flaming tails, further igniting its skeleton.
Finally, Clover found his opening. The monster overextended, locking itself in a forward motion as it pounced at Mr. Cat. With a flourish of mental effort, the bolt of mana rushed through the air. Unable to dodge, it landed squarely on the monster's jaw in a ripple of flesh and fur.
Congratulations! Unstable Mana Bolt has reached Level 26. +1 Skill Point.
Out of the corner of his eye, Clover noticed an object tumbling toward him. He ducked, barely avoiding a rock as it sailed over his head. Breathing heavily, he traced its path back to its source.
From the tunnel, another Two-tailed Squirrel had emerged.
Two-tailed Squirrel - Lvl 5
Through some sort of magic, the monster created a ball of rock. It wrapped its tail around it, then, in a flicking motion, it launched the chunk of rock at them.
“Watch out,” Clover yelled at the top of his lungs, ducking his head - he was not the target.
It sped past him, and then as Claire stabbed her sword into her opponent, finishing off the monster, the rock slammed into her stomach. With a grunt, she crumbled to the floor.
Shit. That wasn’t good. Clover’s heart raced faster as his stress rose. Was she dead?
Contrary to his fears, Claire had not died from the strike.
Angrily, she shot to her feet. “Fuck you,” she said, hurling the rock back at the monster. Through some mixture of luck and Dexterity, it slammed cleanly into its forehead, rocking it backward.
Congratulations! You have defeated a Two-tailed Squirrel - Lvl 5. +300 Exp. For defeating a rare mutated version of a Two-tailed Squirrel, you have been awarded an Aspect: Ignition (Minor).
While Clover had been distracted, his Golems had finished off the monster. He glanced over, keeping the rock-throwing monster in the corner of his vision. Rather dumbly, his Golems had yet to cease their attack. Mr. Cat continued to claw at the corpse, and the dinosaur Golem repeatedly rammed its flaming head into it, causing bundles of material to crumble away from its failing frame.
Clover knew that his bone Golem wasn't long for this world - soon, the flames would overcome the magic that had animated it. Most people would despair, but Clover saw opportunity in the flickering red flames that licked at its frame.
He commanded the dinosaur Golem to charge forward one last time. As it gathered speed, courtesy of [Windswept I], a gust of wind built at its back, propelling it forward faster and feeding the flames that burnt at it, whipping them into a frenzy. The Two-tailed Squirrel tried to escape, but by the time it had noticed the approaching threat, it was too late.
The Golem crashed into the monster, sending tongues of flame lashing out in all directions. The Two-tailed Squirrel screeched, burning intensely like a campfire built by drunken bachelors. At the same time, in Clover's soul space, the horn that connected him to the Golem crumbled.
The monster rolled around, pressing itself against the floor in an attempt to put out the fire.
Claire screamed, charging at the monster with a vendetta. Distracted, it didn't notice as she swung her sword down like an executioner. She chopped the monster three times, swinging with all her might. Finally, on the third swing that caused cracks to run up the sword's length, the beast died.
Congratulations! You have significantly contributed to the defeat of a Two-tailed Squirrel - Lvl 5. +250 Exp.
Class: [Apprentice Golemancer] has reached Lvl 6. +4 Magic, +3 Intelligence, +2 Dexterity, +1 Strength, +1 Perception, +1 Vitality, +3 Free Stat Points.