This story takes place during Ch.103, when Sylvia decided to go out on an adventure with Veme after her fight with the others.

Sylvia Talgan’s POV

I made my way through the city to the front gates, with my mind swirling and conflicted. I wasn’t sure if what I was doing was actually the right decision. The way Voker was acting was…odd…I guess.

I know he has been going through a lot recently but so have I. I just…I just need a little break from everything. I did think about taking him along, but I decided against it. Maybe giving him some space and free time to himself may help him?

Wait…I’m lying to myself…Voker is going to do something stupid! I know he is…oh…I should just turn back right now and stop him before it’s too late.

“Good morning, Sylvia,” Veme chimed.

“Ah!” I squealed. “Veme! That’s…that’s not okay!”

Beastmen! I swear…how are they able to sneak around so well? Or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention…gah…

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she apologized.

We weren’t even close to the front gates, and Veme had already found me. Or was it by coincidence that we ran into each other early?

I stared at Veme’s blank expression for a while. Veme was beautiful and had an aura of maturity that surrounded her. Something I felt that I lacked…amongst other things.

Why are Beastmen so well endowed? What did Elves do to deserve this? What did I do?! I’ll sacrifice a hundred years of my life for just a little bit more!

Veme tilted her head, but her face never changed. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I told her.

Talking with Veme was like talking to a female version of Voker. The two were so similar it was frightening. They both talked and acted the same. They even asked questions with the same blank, placid look on their faces.

It’s sort of adorable…in a weird way when they do this. Even when Voker…am I weird? No…I’m not.

“Your ears…Sylvia, are you well? We can—”

I waved her concerns away. “No, it’s fine. Let’s get going. We have a carriage to catch.”

I need a break…everything is reminding me of him.

—

After a few hours on a carriage, we found ourselves east of the capital, heading towards the border with Tel’an’duth. Of course, we weren’t going anywhere near the actual border, but this was the closest I’ve ever been. It’s also been ages since I’ve left Vinovia.

When Veme and I arrived at the end of our carriage ride, we decided to walk using the last few hours of light we had left. I was very tempted to buy a room at the small inn, but that would have increased our travel time, and I did promise Voker I would be back in two nights.

Two nights…two nights for him to do something stupid! I know it! I just know it…

“Sylvia, would you care to take off your mask and relax?” Veme asked me while stoking the fire.

“Eh? What why would I—”

“It’s okay. I know you are a Vampire,” she told me bluntly.

I blinked a few times and shrugged. Well…I suppose it’s my scent. It would probably be pretty obvious if somebody smelled like blood every day. I’m sure the Beastmen around the school have figured it out, or maybe since I’m not close to any, it’s not a problem.

I do have that soap I use…it’s terrific and masks any smells…not that I really smell like anything…I think.

“I uh…it’s probably best if I keep my mask on most of the way,” I told her.

She may know I’m a Vampire because I smell like Voker’s blood, but she doesn’t know what kind of Vampire I really am. Unless I’m old!

“Do I smell old to you?!” I blurted out.

Veme’s cyan eyes showed a small amount of confusion as she looked at me. “No, you don’t smell old.”

“That’s good,” I moaned in satisfaction.

I don’t know what old smells like, but I don’t want to find out or smell like it. But…

“Aren’t you afraid of me, Veme? What if…I attacked you or something,” I questioned nervously.

“I don’t mind you being a Vampire. I’ve only ever seen one from a distance, and although people do speak poorly about your kin, I have no reason to think that way. I imagine you are just a normal person, living your life like all of us,” she said honestly.

“Thank you, Veme…” I whispered.

Veme grunted and started unpacking things from her bag. Pots and pans and a small satchel of something overwhelming in overpowering and conflicting scents. It was like twenty different things in one. She also brought out a slab of meat that was wrapped in paper, and the aroma was making my mouth water.

Oh, that smells great.

I don’t typically crave regular food all that often. Sometimes I’ll eat something if Voker leaves food for me or if I’m just bored. I do enjoy the taste of regular food, but that’s about it. It never sates my hunger and just kinda makes me tired, so I try not to eat it all too often.

But there are some things I am looking forward to, and this is going to be one of them. “Veme, can you cook?” I asked her.

She nodded and began preparing the meat by slicing it into strips. It was already seasoned, and it looked like she had done a lot of prep work already. “I can,” she responded flatly.

I felt like I could get along with Veme. I mean, if I can get along with Voker, the two of us could be friends. Even more so since I just ruined all my previous friendships. At least, Veme isn’t going to try and seduce Voker behind my back.

“Okay…do you…like cooking? Is it a hobby for you or something?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t say that. It’s more or less a simple choice. The choice between eating something bland or something flavorful is simple to me. So it only takes a little extra bit of effort on my end as well,” Veme stated.

“So…you like cooking?” I asked her again.

Veme shrugged. “I suppose I do.”

This brings me back to the dungeon. It’s like I’m experiencing him for the first time all over again, just without the yelling and screaming…or nearly dying parts.

Veme sighed, and a slight frown tugged on the corner of rose-colored lips. “I…am sorry. I don’t make for the best conversations.”

I couldn’t help but giggle. “It’s fine. You see who I spend most of my time with anyways.”

Veme chuckled slightly, and that frown turned into a slight smile. “Yes, I suppose I do. Say, do you enjoy cooking, Sylvia? Do Vampires even eat regular food?”

I felt my ears flush, and my heart started beating just a little faster. “I…well…cooking is uh…”

How do I explain to her the only reason I started learning how to cook was for Voker?

Veme watched me expectantly. “Ah, yeah, I guess I enjoy cooking. It makes me happy, in a way. Although I’m not very good at it, to be honest. And yes, we can eat regular food for fun.”

Veme opened her satchel, and inside was an assortment of small shakers with labels. I saw spices of all different kinds from all around the world. Her collection was impressive, and I even recognized a few of them as being from Nul…or, well, what used to be Nul.

“Is cooking sort of a hobby then? I’ve heard people often do things they enjoy even if they are not necessarily good at them,” Veme asked me curiously.

“A hobby? Uh, no, I wouldn’t call it a hobby,” I admitted. “More like…something I really want to do to help someone else, you know what I mean?”

Veme licked some of the fresh spices off her finger and parted her white and gray hair from her face. “Sort of.”

The conversation seemed to enter a lull as Veme set the meat onto a pan and began working on cutting green vegetables. She must have paid a considerable amount for this food…it seemed a little much for an adventure like this. On the other hand, perhaps she just wants to be kind? I guess I can help her with this much.

“Would you like some help with that? I can prepare the greens for us.”

Veme looked from her ingredients to me a few times. She seemed almost conflicted, but she nodded and handed me a wooden board along with the vegetables. “Thank you.”

I accepted them and began separating the leaf bits from the hard stock using the knife she gave me. “Do you have any hobbies, Sylvia?” Veme asked me.

“I uh…no, I don’t think I’ve ever really had any. Now I just study for tests, do homework, and train with Voker. That normally takes up my entire day, so I don’t do much else,” I explained. Veme grunted softly and pursed her lips like she was about to ask me something but stopped short. “What’s the matter?” I asked.

She had just finished buttering the pan, but Veme was furrowing her brows. “You mentioned that you were going through a lot and needed a break from things. Perhaps it is because you don’t have any free time to yourself?” Veme asked, uncertain.

“No, that isn’t…it…mmm,” I stopped myself short in a moment of clarity. Perhaps what Veme was saying was right. I really don’t do anything for myself these days.

I mean, I lounge around and make sure to get a proper amount of sleep, but that’s just the basics; everyone needs to do that. I don’t really like doing anything else…I don’t go shopping, nor do I want to. I don’t do anything for fun like hunting, riding horses, or…literally anything. Hanging out with my friends exploded into a raging ball of fire and put me in my current situation, so that’s not going to be happening again anytime soon.

Honestly, we may not even be friends anymore. But…yeah…I guess I don’t do much other than spend my time with Voker. And you know what?

I’m okay with that for now.

I feel happy and satisfied around him. Voker makes me happy, and although we aren’t doing things, I have fun. They are fun because he’s there with me. I guess…I just want to spend more quality time with him…the kind of time that really matters.

Ah! I can’t believe I’m even saying this to myself right now! Focus!

“You know, I guess I do have a hobby, Veme,” I told her.

Veme raised an eyebrow at me. “You do? What is it?”

“Taking care of the world’s biggest idiot,” I said playfully.

Veme snorted and actually started laughing. She began to touch the collar around her neck fondly, and a shy smile appeared on her face. “I understand how you feel.”

Ad—adorable…

Veme looked up to my ears and gave me a worried look. Instead of addressing the problem, I just decided to go around it. “I remember you mentioning you had a partner, but I’ve never even seen you with anyone before. Where are they?” I asked Veme.

Veme set the pan with the steak onto the fire, and I added the chopped vegetables after seasoning them. “Far away. We agreed to meet up again in Luminar in two years' time after we saved more money. However, I’m starting to get old, so it’s getting more difficult by the day. I’m afraid having offspring of my own may prove difficult…”

“Old?”I choked. “What? How old are you, Veme?”

“Four decades and a year,” she stated flatly.

“Forty-one?!” I said in shock.

Veme cocked her head. “Yes?”

No, you do not have a right to be confused with me. Forty-one? She looks like she is barely twenty. Do Beastmen even age? How is this fair? What god did Elves piss off?

I cleared my throat and sat a little straighter. I could see that Veme’s demeanor changed ever so slightly at the mention that she couldn’t have kids. It was a slight change…almost like somebody let out a bit too much air from her. I doubt I would even pick up on her slight change if it weren’t for my extensive skills in picking up on Mr. Grumpy’s mood swings.

“You shouldn’t worry about it too much,” I told her. “I don’t think you will have any problems, and if it comes down to it, I may be able to help you. But no promises.”

Veme blinked a few times. “I thank you for your offer, but I don’t need you to birth my children, Sylvia.”

“What!?!” I screamed.

Veme sighed, and a tiny hint of sadness washed over her face. “That was…a joke…” she said in defeat.

They are too much alike.

Veme wiped her face and gave me a kind smile. “But thank you. I appreciate it, and…if it comes down to it, I may request your help, whatever that may be.”

“Of course.”

The steak began to sizzle, and the savory odor began to waft through the campsite. We did have to be cautious of monsters somewhat, but it shouldn’t be a problem for the two of us. I honestly didn’t think we were going to have any issues on this quest.

We were tasked with hunting a Lurker that was sighted on a farm. Initially, Veme offered to take me on another quest, but that fell through, so we were doing this one instead. Thankfully it hadn’t been activated, so the creature should still be docile. However, it’s been proving difficult to find as Lurkers have a natural ability to hide. The hunters ended up putting a quest to the guild, which Veme and I accepted.

“Come to think of it, why didn’t Bella join us?” I asked.

Veme blushed slightly and turned away from me. “Bella is…busy. I guess you can say she is on her own kind of hunt right now.”

“Oh…okay then,” I muttered.

That’s an odd yet cute reaction from her. I’ve never really seen Veme get embarrassed before.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“I hope you like your meat rare because that’s how I’m cooking mine,” Veme said, trying to change the subject.

I snickered and suppressed my laugh. “The more blood, the better,” I told her.

Veme stopped flipping steak and gave me a worried look. “Uh…”

“It was a joke…”

Veme let out a single breath that sort of sounded like a fake laugh, but she didn’t continue on. Instead, she nodded her head thoughtfully. “Okay.”

Well…it was worth a try.

—

“I never did tell you that your cooking was amazing,” I told Veme.

“You think so? You seasoned our vegetables to perfection. I can see your practice is paying off,” Veme praised with a half-smile.

“I’d hope so…I’m dedicating almost seven hours a week or more to practicing cooking. But, even then, I still don’t think I could cook a steak half as well as you can,” I admitted.

Veme shrugged and stared off into the empty farm. “On the way back, we can hunt something, and I’ll show you some things I’ve picked up. You can probably find some of my spices in the Vinovia markets.”

I followed her gaze. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

This place was desolate as the property was empty as all the farmers and farm hands had been evacuated. The area consisted of one large farmhouse, a barn or two, some sheds, and a smaller house for the farm hands—all of them were made of white timber from those massive white trees.

These monsters were weird in every sense of the word. They looked strange and acted weird as well. Lurkers were slippery bastards, and finding them was a challenge for anyone unless you happened to be a Beastmen. Veme had confirmed that the Lurker was indeed still here, but its scent was just about everywhere.

All the overpowering smells of manure, fresh soil, and people are mixing together, making it difficult for her to pinpoint the thing, which is unfortunate because we are probably going to have to split up soon. These things were attracted to the blood of mages and often prayed on children because they were easy targets. But well…Veme and I weren’t children, nor are we mages.

But am I a mage? I sort of am…but also not really…huh…

“Veme, why did you take this quest? It’s at Amethyst level, so don’t you miss out on any serious rewards?” I questioned.

Veme was a Ruby-ranked adventurer, and this quest was technically out of her bracket. Although the guild allows people to accept quests one rank below or above one’s rank, taking a quest below isn’t a wise decision as the pay is less, and the credit that goes towards your rank up is nonexistent in most cases. Sometimes people even get angry if higher-ranked adventurers are taking lower-level quests.

“Not every quest needs to be an epic adventure. Sometimes it’s just best to relax and reset. Besides, no one was taking this quest, and it pays well for the travel, so all is well,” Veme said while sniffing the air.

“We are going to have to split up, huh? So we are positive this thing isn’t active?” I asked.

Veme nodded. “Yes, there have been no deaths or missing people reported. Splitting up to maximize our search range and getting home sooner is ideal.”

“Agreed. Just shout if you need me,” I said to Veme while walking towards the barn.

Veme made her way towards the farmhand’s home. “Likewise.”

The barn was longer than it was wide. It was primarily made of timber but did have some stone holding it upon a second look. The second I neared the building, I instantly regretted my decision. I should just turn around and search the house.

This place reeks like a farm…which makes sense but doesn’t make it any better.

I tossed the giant barn door open, and it slammed against the wall with a loud thud. Oops, that may have been a little much. I peered into the gloomy darkness and felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Dark…dark…of course, the damn barn is dark and smelly!

I summoned my sword from my ring and slowly walked into the barn, checking every corner...stabbing loose hay…just being careful. Careful…yes…careful…I need to be careful. And wait…

Where are all the animals? Maybe they went with the farmers? Yeah…that makes sense.

I climbed a ladder and began searching through the rafters. Lurkers were somewhat intelligent in that they would hide anywhere they thought they could get the jump on someone. Why these monsters felt the need to touch the same person twice in a row was beyond me, but…at least it would be easy to kill.

Huh…I’ve gotten used to killing monsters, haven’t I? I guess I am changing after all this time.

I poked the end of my sword into a large stack of hay, and I nearly had a heart attack as someone screamed bloody murder. It was so loud, and the timing was perfect to where I thought I had just stabbed someone, but I realized the scream was from far away.

Veme!?

Blood rushed into my limbs, and my beating heart went wild as I jumped down from the rafters and ran straight towards the house Veme was in. As the wind rushed past, it took me almost no time to make it there. I booted the door in and found Veme standing in the center of the room, her body shaking in fear.

Veme turned and faced me; complete terror was written on her beautiful face. This was the same Ruby adventurer that barely raised her voice when a Lich showed up or when a horde of the undead surrounded us. What has gotten into her? Is that…

“A spider?” I muttered.

“Yes! I checked the cupboard, and it jumped out at me and—” Veme kept rambling on while repeating herself.

I’d never seen her act so animated as she threw her hands around wildly, trying to explain the situation. Her face was a bright red, and the poor woman looked ready to keel over from embarrassment and fear. Never in my life did I imagine she would be afraid of a spider…a spider that she demolished with a single blow.

I couldn’t be sure how big the spider was before Veme smacked it, but it couldn’t have been bigger than the palm of her hand. Now it was just a blue and black splatter on the wall.

I gently rubbed her shoulder to stop her hysterical fit. “Veme, relax…it’s dead. You killed it.”

She stopped suddenly and her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked about ready to cry. “I did?”

“Yes, Veme, you did. It’s very…very dead,“ I reassured her while patting her on the shoulder.

I guess this is what separates her and Voker. Voker would probably burn that thing’s nest down to the ground without even batting an eye.

And I would help him.

“So I take it you didn’t find the Lurker?” I questioned.

Veme was wiping her face and taking long deep breaths. Finally, she stopped shaking and nodded her head. “Yes…I searched the house and didn’t find it. But it’s been in here for sure and recently.”

“You sure about that? Doesn’t it have those long claws on its hand? How is it going to get into a house without making a mess?” I asked.

I mean, I could understand it sneaking into a barn or waiting in a basement or something. But sneaking into a house without being noticed or leaving any kind of trail doesn’t seem possible for a monster. Are their stealth abilities really that top-notch? Voker did tell me that he found it difficult to pinpoint that monster despite it watching him.

“You are underestimating this thing. It may be aggressive in its active state, but when it’s docile, a Lurker can be very cunning. It’s been in this home, I’m certain of it,” Veme said with absolute confidence.

I waved my hands towards the door. “I understand. In that case, lead the way.”

Veme finished composing herself, and she led me towards the main house. I calmed my body down and released some of the tension caused by my Blood Sorcery. It probably didn’t help that I was still a little taken aback by Veme’s sudden scream of panic.

At least it’s good to know that Veme is normal…not that I didn’t think she was in the first place. Well…maybe a little.

Once we got closer to the house, Veme stopped, and her nose wrinkled. She looked behind us and all around, then seemingly settled on the farmhouse again. “Be careful.”

There was no second floor, and the basement was relatively small. There was an attic because of the slanted roof, and that would be the last thing we checked. I had a sickening feeling that it was going to be in there.

This damn monster. I know it’s going to sneak up on me, and I hate it. Of course, it’s not dangerous in its current state, so it’s not like it’s going to hurt me or anything. But I just don’t like being scared or nervous…

Maybe I don’t really like going on adventurers… perhaps I just like going on nice vacations. Like an average person does. A vacation would be nice. Maybe Voker and I can go to the coast or something…I’ve only seen the ocean a few times, and it has been a few years, to say the least…maybe it’s changed?

What am I doing? I’m just trying to distract myself…gah…

The gnawing fear I was getting grew as I put my hand on a doorknob to a closet. I didn’t hear anything, but it was just a gut feeling that this thing would be inside of it. I steadied my heart and strengthened my resolve, and threw the door open. And…

Nothing.

There was some random assortment of things on the ground like winter coats and such, but not enough to hide a Lurker. So I shifted them around just to be sure when a loud bang echoed through the house.

Veme looked back at me sheepishly. “Sorry…it was a pan,” she muttered.

“Jeeze, Veme what—”

I stopped talking as something touched the back of my head. It felt soft, and it was broad like a palm. I could feel the pulse of a living thing, and now I could hear its breathing right next to my ear.

I turned around slowly and came face to face with a single large eye. It was a deep green, and it observed me with a curiosity that made me want to vomit while screaming. Then it retracted its clawed hand from my head. Those things looked sharp enough to sever a limb, yet the monster didn’t even so much as scratch me. Of course, it was hiding in the top of the closet the whole time…

I screamed.

It screamed.

Veme ran towards me.

In a panic, I forced warm blood into my limbs and lunged at the Lurker. My blood was pumping, and we were still screeching. The Lurker was trying to get out of the closet, but I wasn’t going to allow that. I wrapped my fingers around the hideous monstrosity's neck, and my scream grew louder upon feeling its sweaty, slimy skin.

So I tossed it through the wall.

I wasn’t sure how heavy the Lurker was, and I didn’t give a damn either. I felt violated just by touching that thing, and the only thing I regret is not snapping its neck. A wave of disgust washed over me, followed by pure anger.

Thankfully, Veme had reacted better than me and chased the monster through the hole I had made. With my body enhanced, it only felt like a few steps to catch up to Veme, but this monster was fast. I was going to have to push myself a bit harder to catch up.

I started running faster and pulled ahead of Veme. The warm wind rushed past, and for a moment, I felt free. Then I remembered what had just happened, and my anger returned with interest.

I’m going to kill this thing, and when I catch it—

I heard something odd and felt the ground beneath me move. I planted my feet, and I could feel my legs burn with pain as I came to a sudden stop. I pushed off the ground as hard as I could and rolled to the side.

The ground began to rumble, and I turned just in time to watch something explode from the soil. Eight massive hairy white and black legs wrapped around the Lurker, crushing it. Bones snapped, and blood sprayed as the Lurker disappeared along with the legs back into the ground.

I looked over to Veme to confirm what my eyes were seeing, and she was stunned as well. Her sword hand was shaking, and her cyan eyes had a single tear rolling down her face. I knew she was either about to pass out or scream.

That was one gigantic spider.

I tried making it to Veme in time, but I watched as her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her body went limp, falling to the ground. “Veme! Veme!? Veme!” I shouted while slapping her in the face a few times.

Wake up! I can’t leave you here, you big dumb wolf! Gah!

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Veme making it this far as an adventurer with a crippling fear of spiders. I mean, that thing was absolutely terrifying, and I was getting scared just thinking about it, but that didn’t mean I was going to pass out over it.

Does she just…not fight spiders? In theory, she could avoid any quests with spiders in them…it may be hard in dungeons, but…ah…whatever.

I scooped Veme up and took her back to the house. Now that I had calmed down a bit, I winced slightly at the hole I made, but I just rationalized it as a necessary sacrifice. I’d leave some money for them to fix it at the very least.

Veme started to rouse, and her head snapped forward like a baby, so I supported her. Her eyes went wide, and she let out a very late scream but quickly calmed down upon realizing she was inside.

“I’m! I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I fainted!” Veme was really going in on herself. Watching her act like this was so weird that it made me kind of nervous.

“Okay, Veme, I’m going to need you to take a deep breath and relax,” I told her.

And just like that, Veme stopped and took a long deep breath. “Now…please wait here while I go kill those things.”

“Wait, I can—”

I laughed at her and felt bad as her face turned bright red. But what I was about to say was the absolute truth. “Veme, there is no way you can go down there and kill that thing…is there?”

Veme shrugged, and although she couldn’t see my face, I gave her a knowing smile. This is what Voker must feel like when he decides to do something on his own.

It makes me feel kind of stupid inside…hopefully he gets that through his thick skull.

“You wouldn’t happen to know what that thing is by chance?” I asked her while standing in the new doorway.

Unlike Voker, I wasn’t aware of every monster that existed. Some things seemed to surprise him, but he had an odd amount of knowledge about monsters he should have never seen before. I think he said he read a book but what kind of book gives that much information?

And what kind of parent buys that for a child? I’d be pissed if I got a book full of information on ugly creatures and scary monsters…

“It’s a Winter Burrower. They live deep under the ground in small packs of three to four with a matriarch that leads them. They dig right up to the surface and then surprise their prey with a lightning-fast attack. After that—” Veme brattled off before I stopped her.

“I don’t need you to tell me what happens after that,” I groaned.

For someone so afraid of spiders, she sure knows a lot about this. Maybe it’s her fear that leads her to this information?

“Well, I’ll be back,” I told her.

Veme barely managed a wave as she sank into the chair. She was pale in the face, and I felt sort of bad for her. But, I won’t hold back and come back to her quickly.

I made my way towards the tunnel left by the massive spider, and my heart sank in my chest. Oh…it’s dark…it’s underground, so it’s going to be dark!

Damn it…

I sighed and rubbed my face from underneath my mask. I can’t just leave these things here. They may kill someone if I don’t stop them. Of course, Veme and I could go back to the guild and report this, but…it would be expected of her to deal with these things since they are a threat.

If I were being honest with myself, I knew these things were beneath me, and killing them should be as easy as breathing. And since I was being honest with myself…I really…really don’t want to go down there.

It’s for the people, Sylvia…it’s for the people of this farm. So what would Voker do…what would he do…

With that in mind, I took out a wet torch from my ring and a red and orange gemstone. I used my sword and the weird-looking rock to try and make some sparks, but it was a long process that I was all too familiar with.

When I woke up and found this single gemstone in my possession, I had no idea its intended purpose. In a bout of rage and confusion, I tossed it against a wall really hard and saw some sparks fly. And it was at that moment I realized why whoever put me down there gave it to me, so I’ve been using it to light torches.

I put a little more oomph into my strike, and this time I got a really nice spark going. The torch took, and the orange flame consumed the wet rag. With that, I took off my mask and stored it in my ring while descending into darkness.

“This is for the farmers…this is for Veme…this is for the people…this is for everyone…yes…yes…”

I was muttering to myself like a lunatic, and I let out a small screech as one of the loose rocks fell to the tunnel floor. This tunnel was massive, and I could stand straight up and even put my sword above my head a little.

It was very unnerving knowing a giant spider monster was down here, but now that it wasn’t in hiding, I could hear it moving around somewhere. Its long legs scratched the surface of things…I could distinctly make out at least two different Winter Burrowers.

And that sound…what is that sound? It’s horrifying and revolting at the same time. It sounds like a body is being…crushed…into a ball…oh…

I peered around the corner and into a massive cave. The white and black spider was crushing the Lurker's body and literally rolling it into a ball while another was shooting a white rope from its abdomen. I looked up and into the ceiling to see it covered with white sacks made of silk. They were all… huge…

Oh…that’s where all the animals went, huh? So what would happen when they ran out of food…

The spider that was busy with the Lurker must have noticed me as it hissed. Fangs the size of my forearm shone brightly in the torchlight as eight red eyes glared at me. I felt a moment of panic, but I swallowed it down and sliced a bit of my arm open.

Blood pooled and then started flowing as it obeyed my command. The spider dropped the Lurker and went straight for me, hissing and skittering across the ground. I formed the blood into a spear and rammed it straight into the spider’s face.

The monster was pinned to the ceiling with a sickening crunch. The other Winter Burrower was coming after me now, and I used the blood from its fallen companion to kill it. Dozens of black and blue spikes rained down on the spider.

The second I felt the control of the creature’s blood, I expanded it with just a thought. The monster was no more as it exploded into a shower of guts and blood. Unlike most times where I do this, I actually put some thought into it first and hid away in the tunnel, missing the blast.

Once the shower stopped, I gathered all the blood under my control into a sphere. I winced at the smell, but I ignored it. Not all blood smelled as heavenly as Voker’s, and monster blood was putrid, to begin with. I almost felt dirty using this stuff for my Blood Sorcery, like I was committing some kind of deviant crime.

I walked into the dug-out cave a little and sighed. I could hear it moving behind me on the wall. It had apparently hid itself in a little crevice while its servants were doing the hard work.

I barely turned my head over my shoulder and glared at the creature. It was nearly double the size of the first, and its long legs and shiny body looked almost armored with white ice. The monster reflected the torchlight, and I could see myself in its crimson eyes.

It was almost beautiful…almost…

The monster lurched at me, and I put the sphere of blood into its path. I expanded it into one enormous spike, pinning the creature to the wall. It let out a blood-curdling screech that hurt my ears, but that would be the last time it ever hurt anything.

Just like the one before it, the monster's blood obeyed my will. I did feel somewhat tired from using so much blood, but my reserves were still high, and things would end here. I couldn’t dodge the shower of black and blue blood this time, and I promised myself I would take a long bath and clean my clothes before going home.

I wiped the sickening blood from my face and sighed.

Next time, this will be a nice relaxing vacation with Voker instead. If that idiot is still breathing…