144: The Descent, Part Seven

The Descent, Part Seven

EXP: 220/500

WST: 82120

Neve finished looting the kerosh bodies while Lamrosh stood a bit behind her. The little orc girl was trapped between the caution she wanted to show toward Neve and curiosity at seeing her poking at the kerosh corpses. 

Finally, she asked: 

"Ehm, what are you doing?" 

"Nothing," Neve replied as she finished grabbing the loot they had to offer. "Just checking some stuff." 

That "stuff" ended up being more alchemical ingredients, the kerosh's acid sacks specifically, and:

Circlet of the Faithful

{Rare}

{Clothing}

{Class Requirement: Priest/Priestess} 

{Effect: Increase all attributes by 3}

{Val: 5000 WST}

[... Holy shit!] Neve thought as she looked at the item. [3 points might not seem like a lot but for each attribute? That's basically 5 free levels! But... I don't think I can actually use this because the Angel Set only works while you're wearing the full thing. And, I've already gotten into some situations where the Angel Set's come up clutch. Shit.] 

It was a tough choice to make, but Neve ended up just keeping the thing in her inventory for now. 

[Maybe I could use this against the boss, to boost my stats a little? But, even then, that's only if I'm confident I can get through it without the Angel Set's healing. I'll have to wait and see.] 

"Okay, I'm done." 

As she announced that, the orc gave her a look that Neve interpreted as "but you didn't even do anything." 

"So," Neve said, turning toward her, "what else can you make?"

The little orc girl looked away, embarrassed for some reason. 

"I-I can make stuff..." 

"Well, yeah, but, what stuff?" 

"... Stuff."

[...] Neve blinked. 

"You're not going to get a preview of what she can make, Neve. You have to rescue her first. Stop trying," Tamira told her. 

[Wait, but, I already got her away from those orcs. Isn't she already rescued?] 

"... Neve, look around you. Do you think she feels rescued right now?" 

Neve already understood that the little girl was far from being in a safe place, but she was hoping she could get early access to that shop on a technicality. Still, one quick glance at the girl's face was enough for Neve to understand that she wouldn't get the technicality she wanted. 

"Anyway, horrors, fighting, monsters, despair. Have fun!" 

Once again, Tamira quickly exited Neve's mind. 

[When she responds that fast, it almost feels like she's literally hovering over my head constantly, just waiting to say something. It's creepy.] 

"Uh, let's get moving again." 

"A-Alright." 

On that note, the two continued, venturing deeper into the cavern. 

The sounds surrounding them faded away, with only a low skittering being audible now. 

It made the already eerie atmosphere worse. Pair with that the bodies of lost orcs, tossed into this hole and forgotten, and now, the little girl was clinging to Neve's skirt. 

[... I'm guessing this is where those orcs they sentenced to death ended up going. You get thrown down here, walk around in the dark, only to get killed by some spider monster. It's  honestly a horrible way to go.] 

And it felt like that could end up being Neve's own fate as she heard more horrid noises coming from up ahead. 

With the next fight quite literally around the corner, Neve looked down at the girl and said: 

"Stay behind me." 

She nodded, likely not needing to be told that in the first place before Neve went to investigate. 

The cavern became even tighter, closing in on the pair. Its cramped walls loomed over Neve's shoulders, almost like monsters in and of themselves, following them. 

Eventually, it widened once more to reveal an actual room of some sort.

Which, to Neve, made no sense, given that this was a kerosh den where people were thrown to be killed. 

[What the hell?]  Neve asked herself as she walked forward. [Were people living down here?] 

If they were, it was rather unsuccessfully, as indicated by the increasing number of orc corpses. 

"Uh, Lam? What am I looking at here?" 

"I-I don't know," the girl responded. "I thought this was the place where bad people went..." 

[Huh. Well, maybe some of those bad people liked it down here.] 

Empty bookshelves, a few tables, and even some dirty mugs. It seemed... Normal. 

Until Neve heard some unnatural noises, sounds which were getting closer, in fact, coming in from the exit up ahead. 

"Aaeeerrrghh..." Something growled, eventually appearing in the door. 

Given that Neve had seen something similar before dropping into this hole, she likely should have expected to see something like this, but she couldn't say she had. 

An orc emerged, with one of those kerosh crawling happily beside it. 

Level 51

MP: 100/100

Level 50

MP: 120/120

"Aerugh!?" The orc pointed at her. The kerosh beside it screeched, moving to attack her in an instant. 

"Shit. Lam, back up!" 

Neve put her shortsword forward and positioned herself between the enemies and the girl she was rescuing.  0

Only for the kerosh to spit out that white goo again and Neve quickly had to abandon that position, dodging out of the way. The orc girl retreated, though, avoiding the glob as well, and allowing Neve to take these things on without having to worry too much about her. 

The fight against the previous kerosh was still fresh in Neve's mind. Because of that, she knew what part of its body to attack, and had a rough idea of what it could do.

[If the fight lasts long enough, though, it'll start using those rarer attacks. Putting that 120 mana to use. I don't want that.] 

The truly problematic part of this skirmish was the orc. 

That enemy was holding up a spear, which Erin had told Neve before, during their training, presented issues for sword users like them. 

[Because that thing has a range advantage, if it uses it well, I'm kinda fucked,] Neve understood. [All I can do is run in, hope I block whatever it does, and then once the gap is closed then I can fight it. But if this thing is smart, that should be nearly impossible.] 

The kerosh made it to her position before the orc did. 

Its thin, white legs raised up in hopes of falling on Neve's body and tearing her apart. Instead, Neve avoided the attack altogether by dashing to the opponent's left side and then went to hit its soft underside. 

She managed to slash it, opening up a decent-sized wound, but because she wasn't using that potion from before attacking this spot did not do as much damage as she had done previously. 

Still, the kerosh staggered back, giving her some space which she graciously accepted as the polearm-wielding orc reached her as well. 

Neve walked back a few steps. 

Before she could decide on what to do, she needed to see this thing's capabilities. 

The orc thrust out at her wildly. 

It was the kind of motion that one would often see in RPGs. Attacks that weren't meant to look realistic in those games but, rather, evoke a sense of strength in the player. 

In the same manner, the orc poked at Neve with great ferocity before spinning and swiping with the weapon like a dancer. 

It was flashy, and it was also exactly what Neve had wanted to see. 

[This thing might be strong, but it doesn't look like it intends to use its range advantage too well.] 

So, as the kerosh began making its way back to the fight, Neve ran in. 

She wasn't fast at all, of course, so the orc had plenty of time to react. It used the blade of its spear to cut a deep gash into Neve's left thigh. But, using that 50 Endurance of hers, Neve pushed through the pain and took aim.

Gritting her teeth, she sunk her sword into the orc's balls. 

"AUUURGH!" 

The orc dropped its spear, falling back. 

[If it ain't broke, why fix it?] 

The kerosh reached her and Neve moved away, removing her blade and holding it in front of the spider-like being. 

At that moment, something strange happened. 

A {Fireball} reached the kerosh. 

Neve did not cast it, though. 

The burned kerosh was stunned, falling on its back, and Neve did a double-take, looking back and forth between it and the little girl whose hands were outstretched toward the creature. 

[... What?]

What just happened was a lot to process and Neve didn't have the time just yet, as neither of her opponents were actually dead. 

So, she walked up and stabbed the upturned kerosh a couple of times through its soft body. Then, she did the same with the orc, bringing this sudden 2-on-2 to a close. 

Immediately, Neve walked up to the girl. 

As she saw her approaching, Lamrosh put her hands up defensively, cowering, for some reason. 

[Huh?]

Everything was just too confusing but, as she looked into Lamrosh's eyes and saw her glance at Neve's sword, she thought she understood what was happening. 

What Lamrosh said confirmed it. 

"Y-You needed help. I-I just..." 

"No, no, it's fine! I don't mind," Neve replied, putting her sword away. "But... You can use magic?" 

With a guilty face, as though she feared what Neve's reaction might be, she nodded. 

[... Just what exactly is going on here?] 

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