Kai’s brisk pace came to an abrupt halt as he reached the bottom of root-stairs carved inside the Hearthshroom’s central stalk. He stood in an earthen chamber underground bathed in the light of various mushrooms growing from the ceiling like a coral reef. Spongy roots spiralled through cavernous walls like the skeletal structure of an ancient creature. Kai gaped openly at the reef of colours, filled with a sense of wonder as he smelled the damp air.

Initially he’d been hesitant to go underground, having had enough of dark dingy tunnels to last him a lifetime. There were magnificent places to explore and he still wondered what lay below the endless layer of clouds. However this tropical oasis teeming with life and sounds of nature was nothing like the barren underground tunnels where he started.

He ran his hand over the ancient roots of the Hearthshroom; they were strong like bone yet spongy under his touch. Leafy green offshoots grew like vines from the roots.

Both Rakin guards posted at the bottom of the stairs, and the four the Elder had sent down with him, shifted their stances aggressively and frowned at him.

Kai hastily withdrew his hand. This Hearthshroom is really special to them. They relaxed almost immediately. Kai noticed several tunnels going in different directions from the cavern he stood in.

“Any idea which way the primal is?” Kai said.

“The root fiends normally come from that direction.” One of the soldiers pointed with his spear down a narrow tunnel teeming with luminescent mushrooms and vines.

Kai and the four soldiers had walked several feet when a young Rakin stumbled into the cavern, his movements were wooden and his fur the texture of bark. His frantic eyes searched past Kai till they found an old guard with an eye-patch at the back with relief; the older Rakin rushed forward, fear plain on his haggard face, his spear clattered to the ground.

“…we failed.” The barkskin texture continued to creep over the young Rakin.

“The Broodmother has…”

The Rakin’s mouth ground to a halt, his eyes darted around as a tear rolled down his petrified cheek before even his eyes turned dull and wooden.

The old guard wailed like a wounded animal, as he knelt on the floor clutching what must have been his son in his arms. However he did not cradle him for long though, grief soon replaced by anger. A soldier all his life, he soon stood up. Kai recognised his rage and the look of grim determination as Hawkin picked up his spear and clutched it tightly with white knuckles.

“I’m coming with you.”

It was not a question, but a statement. Kai wanted to stop him given his age but he was not one to question a man’s resolve. Denying him retribution would be worse than death and force the man to confront his emotions, something Kai hated too. He thought of his parents as he nodded at Hawkin.

“You can’t leave your pos—” The other guard stopped mid sentence as his friend glared at him, realising he would not be able to change his mind.

They trudged through the tunnels, senses on alert. Every tunnel and cavern wall had roots and vines, ceilings had mushroom coral reefs that provided soft light.

“Why did he turn to wood like that?” Kai said. Asking seemed insensitive but he needed to know what caused that petrification. It was a horrible way to die and he needed to avoid it.

“Avoid the blue needle spines…” Hawkin ground out, but said no more.

Eventually they entered what Kai assumed was some sort of farm. Roots ran along the ground like irrigation arteries, large mushrooms of all types sprouted from them. If this was a farm, there was little food left. He noticed blood and petrified Rakin in the field. Something felt off to Kai, he assumed root fiends ate roots.

“…why are no roots damaged?”

Hawkin looked at him annoyed, before understanding dawned on his face.

“They eat us — they damage roots to get our attention, or leave petrified bodies as traps for when we try to recover our dead.”

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They were half-way across the field before Hawkin shouted, “Root fiends!”

Kai heard chittering as dog-sized spiders with snake-like tails spilled into the cavern from all directions, skittering across the ceiling and walls.

A bolt of raw adrenaline shot through Kai’s veins as he adopted a combat stance. Really, Spider-snakes? I’d rather fight demons.

“Formation!” the Rakin bellowed, and immediately formed a circular formation, hair bristling as they faced outwards clutching their spears. Kai had little experience commanding men in battle so he followed their cue and joined the circle and faced outwards. Information washed over him as he inspected some.

Barktail Spider, level 16

Barktail Spider, level 19

Barktail Spider, level 17

Root fiend seemed to be a term the Rakin used. His skin crawled as more and more barktail spiders poured into the cavern, but they didn’t attack. To his surprise, the arachnids just waited while their numbers built. It seemed like they relied on overwhelming their prey, which he hoped indicated that they weren’t individually strong. He scoured them for blue spines but didn’t see any.

The heads of the barktail spiders had been bobbing up and down impatiently while their ranks swelled. Chitters echoed around the cavern as they gnashed their sharp mandibles. Given the colourful lighting from the mushrooms above it appeared as if they were at a rave.

He was tempted to act before even more came but didn’t want to break formation.

Without warning or hesitation, the barktail spiders surged forward. Mandibles clacked together manically as spittle flew from them.

Their rows of legs blurred as they slithered towards their circular formation. The only thought in their rudimentary brains was to kill everything in front of them and suck it dry.

Kai’s hands shook slightly with adrenaline and excitement despite the terrifying monsters bearing down on him, itching to try his improved aura.

He raised his hands, open palms ready.

As the wave of critters reached them the Rakin attacked. Spears blurred as they repeatedly stabbed forward. Spider guts spilled across the cave floor, and a gross stench filled the air as spurts of green blood shot out from the wounds. Legs curled inward as they died. Bodies began mounting up like a wall, however the extra layer of defence would eventually entomb them.

Kai started off tentatively within the formation. His hands rippled through the air as his palms smashed down like waterfalls on the abominations’ heads, pressing them into the ground. The technique felt familiar. His muscles bulged as he popped barktail spider carapaces like watermelons. They couldn’t bear the downward force he exerted and viscera splattered across the floor.

Kai wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. There’s too many of them! Unfortunately their numbers were so great that being overwhelmed was inevitable. The Rakin’s spears became useless at close range. Rakin fell as tails constricted them and mandibles sliced through fur then flesh. The barktail spiders chittered in excitement as they dragged their screaming victims away to devour. Kai was discouraged to notice that none of the Rakin had auras.

Kai realised he had to do something or they would all die; his body was starting to collect cuts and bruises. He winced in frustration as a mandible raked across his leg. This formation is too restrictive for me. Two open palms burst through the wall of the dead like twin hydras. Dashing through the opening, he roared in an attempt to attract the attention of the barktail spiders away from the other Rakin.

Kai gulped when it worked a little too well and an army of legs surged towards him, mandibles slashing. The new shirt Algrom had given him was in tatters at this point. His annoyance was swiftly replaced by pain and he let out a grunt when a tail constricted his right arm.

This better work. Kai inhaled air, then spewed forth massive gouts of purple-red Foxfire that smothered the cavern, including some of the Rakin behind him unfortunately. The dazed swarm clicked angrily but Kai grinned when most of the critters started attacking thin air or accidentally cutting into each other.

He delivered a sweeping circular kick to dislodge the swarm around him; it didn’t do much damage but it pushed them back. He could use it now that he had more space to move and would not hit the Rakin.

More barktail spiders angrily boiled towards him. I need more speed. Decreasing the weight of parts of his body made movement much easier. His Foxfire drained quite a bit of aura so he used it sparingly, instead he focussed on weaving through enemies like a dancing river. Pops echoed in the tunnels as he crushed chittering heads into the ceiling or floor with upward or downward force, experimenting with what was surely one of his lost techniques.

***

Hawkin’s hair stood on edge as stardust aura rippled around the human. Kai moved like wind through wheat fields, breezing between the brutal attacks of the barktail spiders, evading mandibles and tails with slight adjustments or spins. To an untrained eye it would look like he was barely managing, but Hawkin knew there was little wasted movement that had to come from years of practice. He wasn’t sure if he could’ve avoided the attacks even once or twice from so many opponents. The smile on the human’s face gave him goosebumps.

Hawkin’s pale face was gradually replaced with hope as he watched Kai squash the barktail spiders like rotten mushrooms beneath a sea of purple flame. Initially his pain had been so overwhelming that all he wanted was to die and join his son. Now, he might just be able to avenge his son before throwing his life away after all.

***