Joseph returned to training himself. They were at the lake for five more days, occasionly Catherine stopped to eat, drink and then went back to meditate. On the fourth day she finished lifting her curse. After it she looked like a walking undead. She slept for two days. When she woke up she washed her face and turned to Joseph.

"How is your training going?"

"It is pretty good. Now I can store one and a half times mana then originally."

"That is good."

"Anyway. How are you? Have you healed up completly?"

"You can say that. I need to rest for a while, but after that I can use around half of my original power. I need a lot of time to fully recover, but that will be happening naturally, there is nothing we can do about it. Except if we find some powerfull herbs. But I'm sure we won't and even if we do, those are like treasures. Noone gives them away."

"I see. Then we have to wait."

"Yes. But half of my power should be enough for a little worm."

"I trust you with that."

She laughed. The last day both of them restored their mana and rested until the night.

Next day both of them left the place with father Dan and went to Helen. They greated eachother and sit down at the table. Helen had a tired look on her face.

"How did it go? Can you kill the worm now?"

"I'm pretty sure it will be easy. Why?"

"It seems like that thing left the mountain. It attacked a few caravans that were travelling near the place you were talking about. When we investigated the scenes there were big circular holes in the ground. We knew in an instant what happened."

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"Yes. It seems like there are even more problems then before. But don't worry I'll take care of that little problem for you! I just need to locate it first and then you can consider it dead!"

"That is relieving. I'll trust you with this problem then."

"After all it was the deal wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll go hunting. Come Joseph!"

They walked out of the house and left Helen sighing at the table.

"I hope they will succeed!"

One of the guards was waiting for them outside the door.

"Good day to you! The leader ordered me to show you two the place where the worm attacked one of the caravans."

Joseph noded to him.

"That would be useful."

They followed him outside of the forest following a road. Not far from the mountain they found the place. It looked like it was bombed. Giant holes in the ground, the few trees that were near to the road were lying on the ground and parts of carriages scattered all around the place.

Catherine walked to one of the holes.

"It seems like this thing comes out of the ground and goes right back. These holes seem too deep for us to go in. Also I would say it's unreasonable dangerous."

Joseph took a look at the debris.

"This thing looks really dangerous. I'm glad we did not go on the mountain."

"Don't worry now there will be no more problems."

Joseph looked at the guard who was looking around anxiously.

"Just go back. We don't want you to get hurt."

He looked at Catherine.

"Should I go as well? I don't think it's safe for me either."

She laughed.

"Don't worry about it. I'll protect you. But you are right the guard should leave."

As she looked at the guard he was already gone.

"Never mind. Seems like he isn't stupid."

They started to walk to the mountain. On the way sometimes they've found holes in the ground. They all were just as big as the one they saw back in the staircase.

"Seems like this worm did not grow for a while. I just hope it did not put down any eggs or something."

Catherine shrugged.

"I mean it's only one of this species. I don't think it can reproduce alone."

"You never know with these things."

"Well... If there are eggs, I'm going to find them as well."

"So you have a high range search spell or something?"

"Excatly. It is hard to cast and costs some manna, but I can handle it now without problem."

"That is good."

When they reached the side of the mountain she sit down to meditate. Joseph was on a lookout for anything that could supprise them, but there was nothing above ground.

"It actually sensed us. It is moving here! Ready for impact!"

She jumped up, summoned a pair of black wings on her black and flew up. Joseph started to run back on the road. He heard the ground breaching behind him and then Catherine from the sky.

"Let the hunt begin!"