Chapter One-Hundred and Fourty: And the chase is on!

Drake and Bjorn waited patiently, watching the Goblins busily prepare for whatever it was they were endeavoring to do. Only able to fill the time with sparse hushed conversation and Drake making goofy faces that Bjorn couldn't see behind his mask.

This is getting boring, we should have just killed them… Drake sighed.

"Did you not want to see where they could be going? There are more than one Knight that may have survived you know," Natto suggested, a yawn accompanying it.

Of course. It would be a good idea to see if they know something we don't, but I've never been one to be very patient…. Drake thought, feeling out the Goblins with his aura sense.

"Yes, I know. You are quite the hot-head and leap-before-you-can-look type of ape, but it is curious why the Goblins have decided to set up camp here and prepare, is it not?" she asked.

Yeah, it is. But it's also boring. I came out here to relieve stress and let loose a bit. Not babysit little green monsters, and a man three times my size. Drake thought, chuckling at his own joke as he looked at the sitting Bjorn across from him.

"What's so funny?" Bjorn asked softly.

"Oh nothing," Drake replied.

"You're doing that telepathy thing with the little lady again aren't you?" Bjorn smirked.

"Probably."

"Well, it's almost sundown. Really don't want to have to wait much longer," Bjorn lamented.

"Why, getting hungry?" Drake scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm starving bro," Bjorn said seriously.

Drake stared blankly at Bjorn for a few seconds, blinking to help process the brutal honesty.

Chuckling lightly he pulled some food from his inventory, "Here, this able to hold you over for a bit? I swear everyone I know just likes to eat," he sighed.

"Thanks, bro. And it isn't like I need to eat. I just like eating your cooking. Like have you remembered the last time you used the bathroom by the way?" Bjorn asked suddenly.

"Umm… now that you mention it…" Drake thought aloud becoming a little worried.

Natto that normal? Drake asked.

"Yes, normal," she replied.

Wanna explain? Drake thought.

"No, not particularly," she said snickering, "It is far more fun to see how it bothers you."

Drake's eyes thinned as he pursed his lips turning into a scowl.

Shaking his head, he refocused on the situation at hand. Not that much was going on still.

The Goblins had begun to slow down their preparations and Drake was hopeful that they would be moving out soon, but instead, they waited.

Drake clicked his tongue, deciding to finally sit down against the tree he was pressed against.

"Looks like they might be waiting a little longer. Maybe till nightfall? That would make more sense if they are planning to ambush the Outpost, but we should have been back hours ago…" Drake mumbled.

"Ish fine bro, I'm shoor everyone just assumed you got into more trouble," Bjorn said, scooping up the food into his mouth.

"Am I really that predictably mischievous?" Drake asked.

Bjorn nodded, stuffing another handful into his cheeks.

Drake sighed and cozied up against the tree. Making sure to keep his senses fixed on the large group behind them as he closed his eyes resting for the moment.

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Night had fallen finally, the torches of the Goblins lit the surroundings as Drake and Bjorn both let out a stretch and a yawn.

"They're finally packing up and doing something huh?" Bjorn said, standing up and moving over to Drake's tree.

"Looks like it. Problem is they don't seem to be concerned with being very stealthy… So why wait until nightfall?" Drake wondered aloud. Feeling the Goblins begin to move and wander out of his Aura perception.

Drake and Bjorn waited a few moments longer as they both felt the Goblins move out of the area. Even without their senses, the Goblins didn't seem concerned with the torches giving them away for now as they continued to walk with the bright beacon-light flames.

"They're moving away from the Outpost?" Bjorn asked confused.

"Huh, would you look at that? Guess it was a good decision not to murder hobo them all earlier," Drake said pleased with himself.

He felt Natto roll her eyes, but he skillfully ignored it, walking forward to follow the fires in the night.

The trio walked along, trailing the monsters for several minutes before the pack of Goblins finally came to a halt.

"Oh, have we finally reached our destination?" Drake asked in wonder.

"Looking like it. Must be getting ready to do something, they're putting out the lights," Bjorn observed.

Drake and Bjorn watched with interest as one torch after another winked out and plunged the surroundings back into the pitch-black darkness.

"You wouldn't happen to be able to see in the dark too, Bjorn?" Drake asked hopefully.

"I got it, bro," Bjorn smiled, his eyes flickering to an ethereal white hue in the deep black background.

"Oooo…. I'm kind of jealous. Your eyes turn white? Mine only glow green, blue, and yellow."

"Can't win all the time Drake."

Drake shrugged, "Ain't that the truth."

Drake fell in line and followed Bjorn. Who had taken the position of leading them now. His ability to see in the dark allowed him to navigate the brush as they slowly followed the pack of Goblins.

He couldn't tell what was going on with his eyes, but he was still able to tell where a sparse few of the Goblins were thanks to his Aura, forcing him to rely on Bjorn. Following the large Red-headed man like a lost puppy.

"Feels like I turned into a lost high schooler. Maybe I should hold the hem of your shirt with my fingers, give you the total anime experience," Drake snickered behind Bjorn.

"What are you talking about? Just don't get lost. Wait, they stopped again, but I can't tell why because of the treeline.." Bjorn said in a hushed tone.

After a few still minutes of waiting, Bjorn began to move again.

"Ok they're moving, let's get. Goddamn…. That is a big pile of dirt…" Bjorn said in amazement.

Drake scoffed, "I'd agree with you but," Drake waved his hands in front of his face, a big toothy grin behind his mask, "Blind right now."

"Oh, right," Bjorn chuckled, "Looks like they led us right into the Ant's Nest, or one of them.. There's quite a few of these dirt pillars sticking out of the ground. Looks like they cleared some of the forest while they were at it."

A light flicked on in Drake's head.

"Are they going after the King's Hoard? That would make sense to wait until night then. I think I remember hearing that ants don't work at night and just return to the colony right?" Drake thought aloud.

"Actually, you're the opposite of right," Bjorn corrected.

"Isn't that just saying I'm wrong without saying it?"

"That would be correct," Bjorn laughed, "Ants use chemical trails, so they are actually more active at night since more predators and other animals are usually asleep."

"Then why wait for nightfall?" Drake asked.

"Maybe they don't want to be seen? But the ants if they are anything like the old ones will be able to pick them out right away through smell. There are usually warrior types at the entrances screening the workers for everything."

"So the Ants have stronger border control than most countries? That's kind of ironic…." Drake laughed.

"Hold up, it looks like they're trying to enter," Bjorn interrupted.

Bjorn began to walk forward a bit, stopping at the treeline that Drake couldn't see. As Bjorn observed the Monsters enter the seemingly inactive entrance.

"That's weird… There's no traffic in or out of this entrance," Bjorn explained to the temporarily blind Drake, "There should be a constant flow of workers if the hive is active."

"Maybe they really are not coming out at night?" Drake proposed, raising a brow.

"Can't rule it out now I guess."

Bjorn fixed his eyes on the last Goblin as it entered down into the top of the mound.

"Last one just went in. What do we want to do, follow or wait?" Bjorn asked.

Drake pursed his lips thinking for a moment.

"Well, we scouted out the Goblins and the Ant's Nest in one go. So mission accomplished there. And even if the Goblins get to the hoard, we can just hunt them down, but I would lose the quest rewards… No, I don't want to go and risk it right now. There will always be other quests and I've gotten quite a lot so far. Let's take it slow and bank on the Goblins taking longer or failing. Time to go ba-" Drake tried to finish before he was interrupted by the sound of the earth splitting.

"What's that?!" Drake exclaimed.

"The mound is splitting open!" Bjorn replied.

Bjorn watched as the mound of dirt split down the middle as some of the Goblins that had just entered screamed and ran out of the cracks, not bothering to look back.

He saw a moment after a tidal wave of Ants followed behind them, the sound of their legs scraping the ground, and their mandibles clanking, ringing in his and Drake's ears.

Drake covered his, as Bjorn did the same.

"What the actual fuck! I hate bugs, and this sounds like there are literally thousands of them," Drake grumbled.

"I would say there has to be more! I think we're in for a really long couple weeks bro!" Bjorn said, still watching the flood of Ants chase down and consume the remaining Goblins without a problem.

"And that guy… That guy gives me the creeps…." Bjorn added, looking back at the open wound of earth the split mound created.

[Rasha Trikk]

[Race:Tyrant Ant - Royalty Prince]

[Ruler of the Nest] [Epic] Level 29

[Vitality] 238 (150%)

[Strength] 311(150%)

[Dexterity] 215(150%)

[Intelligence] 173(150%)

[Wisdom] 154(150%)

[Endurance] 305(150%)

In the wake of the destroyed entrance, a bipedal ant, casted in a humming glow of dark blue chitin armor looked back at Bjorn, its eyes flashing red.

The next moment it gave out a loud guttural chitter as its head whipped back roaring into the night.