Time to meet the second claimant. Unfortunately, they’re underground. I could tell that from the moment I first grabbed the connection, but there was always a chance it would have moved. “Are we supposed to dig or…?” Merownis didn’t seem thrilled at the idea.

“No,” I answered simply, surprised he couldn’t feel the rumbling already. Then again, I had placed my previous level up’s fifteen attribute points into Perception. I could basically hear the individual sand grains tumbling against each other underneath us, as well as the claws which pushed massive chunks out of its way. Thankfully it wasn’t overwhelming, it was just more. Like clearer vision couldn’t hurt your eyes, better hearing was only an improvement. “Probably worth backing up a bit.”

Together we jumped back only seconds before the ground burst with sand and scorpions. Immediately preparing for battle, I began to trace my mana through each of my active abilities, ready to use any of them at a moment’s notice. “You’re sure we’re not here for a fight?” Merownis asked as an army took ranks around us. I shrugged and checked my status screens, to which he groaned.

Character Window

Name

Grant Kaeron

Race

Earth Human

Title

Dragon Slayer

Level

26

Health

255/255

Mana

275/275

Attribute Window

FP:15

Strength

40

Recovery

42

Resilience

47

Dexterity

20

Agility

43

Perception

35

Power

52

Regeneration

54

Command

55

Health

255/255

4.2 per minute

Mana

275/275

54 per minute

Mana Skills

Spirit Well (Max)

Unique

Mana Savant (Max)

Legendary

Serious Swing (Level 1)

Uncommon

Haste (Level 2)

Uncommon

Mana Bolt (Level 4)

Common

Manasight (Level 4)

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Common

Mana Shield (Level 2)

Common

Dragonburn (Level 1)

Rare

Battle Bond (Level 1)

Rare

The intimidating response was to be expected. We intentionally walked into the antlion’s den, after all. When I had suggested it, the idea seemed sound enough. After using Severance to free the forest zone, there was no real reason I couldn’t do the same for the scorpions. We were strong, so even if my olive branch was declined, we could surely fight our way out.

I was becoming less confident with my plan by the second.

They didn’t immediately attack, content to swarm into a ring around us. The precision of the encirclement was impressive in itself, a show of force from the controller. From the rumbling which only increased, they were on their way. “The big one’s coming,” I breathed to Merownis. He just nodded, his fur puffing out from him slightly.

I said the big one, but perhaps it was the smallest?

Rising from the ground as though the sand itself was lifting her, the second claimant arrived on the field of battle. It took some effort to restrain myself from smashing through the throngs of weaker scorpions in the face of the power which unrestrained itself before us. Merownis’ fur bristled, and I patted his shoulder. He had sensibly decided not to wear his cuirass. I agreed it would have been a little gauche. I had killed a lot of scorpions, and while that was no secret, we didn’t need to walk in exclaiming the fact loudly.

“We came with a goal,” I reminded him. My hope was that this situation might not come to blows. It was still possible but the vast numbers arrayed around us and the incredible power I felt from the second claimant would make it difficult to suggest we had anything to offer. Nothing this claimant couldn’t take from our dead bodies, that is.

“It was brave of you to come here, human.” A voice which made my skin crawl tickled my ear, the distance between us devoured by a poisonous mana which filled the air along with her coming. I gulped. This was a mistake.

Stepping out of the hole made by the scorpions, the claimant made the ground shudder with every step though they couldn’t have weighed more than me or Merownis. It wasn’t physical strength either, but such powerful magic within her movements that the ambient mana in the air reacted to her. And she was a “her,” which didn’t surprise me after meeting the Scorpion King. “Well, you didn’t seem like you’d be saying hello nicely any time soon, so I thought I’d do the neighbourly thing.” My voice felt timid even as I did everything I could to stop the shuddering.

This was a mistake.

With a “crown” of red exoskeleton which flowed naturally into an armoured dress, the Scorpion Queen was resplendent. Skin of dark blue was showing between the plates of her ruby coloured ball gown. I first thought of it as armour because it looked sturdy, but it didn’t protect many of her more vulnerable areas, leaving them on show. I didn’t let myself get distracted. The sand rippled where she stepped. The train of her dress followed her, eating away at the sand beneath like hot water over sugar.

This “woman” was dangerous.

“Neighbours, are we? I thought we were enemies.” The sound of her words once again sent a shiver down my spine. Sickly sweet, yet with an almost imperceptible keening underneath. It was the sticky aftermath of a melted ice cream combined with nails on a chalkboard in a far off room. This was a mistake.

“We don’t have to be,” I offered, gesturing my head to Merownis. Our best chance was still to encourage friendship, if at all possible. Two black eyes stared back at me, unblinking. Merownis paled at being introduced to the conversation, but stood firm. His confidence reinforced my own. “You attacked first, and I sent a message back.”

“Yes,” she interrupted my flow and held up a hand. Her word purred in my ear for seconds after she stopped making the noise. On the back of her arm was a scarlet welt which seemed to visibly throb with pain. I recognised it immediately as the damage from my whiplash. “I received your message.”

This was a mistake.

“You struck first,” I repeated and shrugged. Better to appear bold than afraid. “We can fight if you desperately want to, but it doesn’t have to end like that.”

“Is that right? And what do you offer for your life, human?” Although she was metres away, I felt as though she had asked the question directly into my ear. Those pitch black eyes continued watching, looking for weakness and a moment to strike most likely. My answer was the largest risk, but it was the truth.

“Your life,” I said honestly. The following laughter was tittering on top and venomous underneath. It was a laugh which said she was impressed with my gall and ready to kill me now. I spoke quickly. “I offer freedom. Beyond this dungeon and onwards. The world is dangerous and brutal. I prefer allies to enemies. The weapon can sever or create bonds, including those of the-”

“Ha!” Her singular laugh roared out like a thunderclap. I couldn’t help but flinch this time. When I opened my eyes, she was right in my face, yet I couldn’t move. “You want allies but go to war with the strongest enemy there is? Admirable. But no.”

I could hardly breathe with her so close, yet I had to ask the question. “Why not?”

The truth was Merownis and Naea had both told me there would be no positive outcome here, but I had to know for myself. The lives already lost to my own growth had created a fissure within me. I felt that breach seal itself as the cold truth was shown to me with no bells and whistles to cover it. Accepting the inevitable, I finally allowed the System to scan her for me.

Boss Monster - Scorpion Queen, Reysault - Level 35

“Because I’m a monster,” the Grade One claimant said easily, “whatever that pet is, it bent a knee I never would.” She had the power here, and so she would choose whether to be merciful or not. The decision came after the strength was shown, and not before. It was a lesson I apparently needed to learn. The finality of her words left no argument to broach.

It simply was as it was.

I tried. It was a mistake and now we’re in a bad situation but I tried.

Merownis was less accepting. As the swarming sea of scorpions began to shift towards us, he let out a long string of expletives I was certain I hadn’t taught him. “Going to have to wash that mouth out with soap when we get out of this.” I joked to him, but my eyes never left the claimant. “She’s level thirty five,” I told the Sundercat.

“Ah, shit,” he replied.

An outright, unquestionable Grade One. We don’t retreat, I told myself, the magical core at my centre blazing brightly in defiance. So what if she had a few levels on me? I activated Haste and Manasight at full bore to deal with the incoming attack, but it wasn’t enough. With a palm strike that crushed a rib, I was thrown into the sand. Merownis, smartly, had already begun trying to puncture through the surrounding scorpions. I landed next to him. “You alive?” He asked, not turning around.

“Not for long, probably,” I grumbled, feeling more upset than in pain. She had blasted me out of my abilities, her speed too great even for my hasted speed to track. Instead of attacking, the Scorpion Queen laughed like a true villain. I appreciated that, at least. Haste and Manasight returned, along with a buzzing up my arms as King’s Training started to take control of my movements. My thirty five perception might not be enough to see her completely, but I didn’t need to see her. I hopped forward in the sand, bounding on the balls of my feet.

With fast, unreadable movements, Reysault snaked forward again. The setting sun reflected off her scarlet crown, the carapace dress whipping around violently. I still counted myself grateful for the extra perception as I basically watched myself counter. Guided by the flows of King’s Training, I stepped in when my instincts told me to step back. Reysault’s smile faltered as her stabbing nails shot over my shoulder. Without the space to swing my staff, I buried a fist in her sternum.

Literally.

As I couldn’t use the staff in such close quarters, I basically panicked and threw a hard punch. I hadn’t expected it to work so well. Which made more sense when she laughed in my face and the ground shook beneath me. This was more than the rumbling of approaching scorpions. The body of Reysault crumbled into sand around my arm, laughing that awful laugh directly into my ear. The thunderous noise deep beneath the sands increased again and again until the floor beneath our feet bucked completely. The sun, sitting fat in the middle of the sky, vanished behind a massive leg which ripped itself from below.

“Ah,” Merownis repeated, “shit.”